The Skull of Lucia at the church of Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio, in the city of Naples in Italy. In 1969, the Church became a museum.
This church was built in 1616 by noblemen who founded the Congrega di Purgatorio ad Arco, an organization to help the poor.
At the gate there are two bronze skulls and crossbones, inside are paintings of the Madonna of the Souls in Purgatory, winged skulls, and scenes depicting the deaths of saints. In the hypogeum, or underground crypt, there are graves and wooden boxes containing human remains. This is where the Congrega di Purgatorio ad Arco buried the poor and said prayers for the souls in Purgatory.
According to the Catholic Church, Purgatory is a place for cleansing of souls who have not been completely freed of sin. Though the living can get immediate forgiveness for their sins, complete redemption happens over time. If someone dies before that process is complete then the soul needs to be purified in Purgatory so that they are holy enough to enter Heaven. But the living can expedite the time needed for purification with masses and prayers for these souls caught in limbo.
Here are some more photos:
In Europe, the Catholic idea of Purgatory evolved into an unofficial cult of the dead that had a particularly strong following in Naples. These worshippers believed if the living said masses and prayers on behalf of the souls in Purgatory, the benevolent dead were endowed with some of the power of the saints and could intervene on their behalf when they reached heaven.
At the crypt in Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio ad Arco there is a skull nicknamed Lucia or the “Virgin Bride.” Lucia has become sort of a patron saint of brides, and her patrons have set her skull on a white cushion and adorned it with a tiara and a veil.
The Neapolitan cult of the dead became so intense that the Archbishop of Naples banned it in 1969. This did not prevent the cult continuing until 1980 when damage from an earthquake led to the closure of the church and its underground cemetery. Both were reopened in 1992, and a museum was added to the complex.
Source: Strange remains.com
My comment:
The cult of the Pope has thousands of “Holy madonnas”, whom they claim are virgins. They are connected to the Queen of Heaven, a pagan sinless goddess. After the introduction of Catholicism in 320 A.D, the madonnas were presented as spiritual children of “Catholic Mary”, the claimed mother of Jesus.
The Queen of Heaven is a part of the Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory. The idea that no one can be cleansed by the blood of the Messiah in this life, but have to go through a classing fire after their souls has departed. The madonna “Maria” of Naples, overlook the classing proses in Purgatory. She is the co-matrix to her son, who rescues these skull’s, whaterver remains of these departed souls.
It is good that the Vatican banned this Italian cult in 1969. But we can wonder why this kind of morbid religiosity, was accepted as a part of the Catholic family in all previous years.
Nevertheless, the unbiblical doctrine of purgatory has not been scraped. The Pope can not scrap doctrines launched by previous infallible Popes. If so, the seat of the papacy has become fallible, and everything will be permissible. For the Vatican all previous lawlessness, defile any Cardinal who is elevated to the chair of the Bishop of Rome. All its sins and blasphemies, has become not revocable by the ungodly doctrine of papal infallibility. Truly an damnable doctrine of anti-Christianity.
Repent or perish.
Written by Ivar
ivarfjeld.com 
Thank you, Ivar! My grandparents emigrated from this region – Naples and Salerno – to America. Here I heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Long afterward I learned that there were Bible Catholics in Italy almost from the beginning, the Valdesi.
Thank you for your work!!
Hi Maria. Peace to you.
I believe the Valdesi would have been Bible believing Christians, not Catholic.
I say this because it is important to differentiate between Catholic which translates to Universal. And Christian which means follower of Christ.
Catholicism is a work in progress an attempt to create a religion that accommodates everyone. A ‘universal’ Religion that offers a Christ that Jews do not have to follow in order to qualify for eternal life, and Muslims can accept because he is the son of Mary not the Son of God.
All of the above subtle changes helps to bring everyone together, apart from those who have read and believe their Bibles.
Ivar correctly brings our attention to the activities of those who claim to be Christian yet openly venerate the remains of the dead.
Hi, Alistair! We are in agreement – I understand all that you’ve said. I mentioned the Valdesi because learning that there were non-Roman Catholics serving the Lord in Italy brought joy and hope to my heart. Thank you for being gracious to me when I wasn’t being clear.
[ A ‘universal’ Religion that offers a Christ that Jews do not have to follow in order to qualify for eternal life]
But this Ivar what Ivar is doing; he is so taken up with preaching Israel the nation state that he has in effect denied the gospel. Israel is a nation that denies Jesus as Messiah. No one who has rejected Jesus Christ is a child of God, no matter their earthly accomplishments, wealth, glory or any other achievement in this world. To teach so is a lie of satan
Never have i heard it,read it or other wise in my catholic up bringing that we only see Christ as only the son of Mary and not GOD that is an outright lie …We acknowledge that Jesus was the only begotten son of God ,that Mary was the blessed of GOD to be the bearer of the divine fruit and that God sacrificed his only son to save humanity I am a non practicing catholic and there is much i do not agree with in catholic doctrine ,but it is wrong of you to make that statement are you familiar with catholic teachings on the birth death and resurrection of Christ or do you just make assumption’s based on other’s bias opinion ??
Peace to you Rommgirl.
I have been in the company of people who were brought up Catholic.
As you correctly point out Jesus is recognised as you describe.
However, in my discussions that have progressed further, they have gone to say things like.
We have Our Lady to pray to, as well as Christ.
They refer to Jesus as Son of Mary. And Mary as mother of God.
God referred to Himself as “the One who is” to Moses. God does not have a mother, but His only begotten Son did.
While your personal experience and belief has been clearly stated not all Catholics know what scriptures say, and they readily accept false teaching. Scriptures teach us to be on guard.
Incidentally, one Catholic had to go and get permission from the priest before he would open a Bible and even after getting it and finding no proof that Mary is co-redeemer or the assumption, he still refers to her as Our Lady, Mother of God, someone who will hear him and answer his prayers.
It was 1935 when a pope referred to Mary as co-redeemer in a radio interview. Popes claim to be infallible, so that once one declares a new dogma it becomes accepted, though it has never been written in an official document. Other popes have made the same oral statement since.
Greetings Rommgirl……I believe brother Allstair was trying to say that the Muslims do not accept Jesus on the basis that he is the Son of God, but they only accept Jesus as being the son of Mary.
Blessings sister…….