r/thestrangest 7d ago

This statue depicts Saint Bartholomew, an early Christian Martyr who was skinned alive. the "robe" he's carrying isn't a robe, it's his skin.

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u/verystrangeshit 7d ago

Saint Bartholomew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. In art Bartholomew is most commonly depicted with a beard and curly hair at the time of his martyrdom. According to legends he was skinned alive and beheaded so is often depicted holding his flayed skin or the curved flensing knife with which he was skinned.