The Chapelle Expiatoire – or Expiatory Chapel – new “Necropolis of the Revolution”? This is what Le Parisien daily reveals on Saturday June 27, 2020, when telling the story of Aymeric Peniguet de Stoutz, the administration of the Expiatory Chapel set in Paris 8th arrondissement, and who made an astounding discovery.
Archaeological excavations have been carried out for almost two years in the catacombs of the religious building devoted to the memory of Louis XVI and queen Marie-Antoinette, both beheaded during the 1793’s French Revolution. They showed “four ossuaries made of wooden boxes, likely to be covered in leather, filled with human bones” the administrator says.
After crossing historic sources, based on original documents kept at the National Archives, Aymeric Peniguet de Stoutz and historians entrusted with the project have come up to the conclusion these were bodies from the 500 people beheaded at the Place de la Concorde, who have been moved out from the former Madeleine cemetery.
Then, the history fan has asked the general direction of the cultural affairs to proceed to additional excavations. He also says these excavations “will be conducted by the Fondation de France” and says they hope “to carry them in 2021”. A historical discovery that could be a milestone in the historic researches on the French Revolution era.
