News from the tomb of Saint Paul

Yesterday, in Rome at the Basilica of Saint Paul-Outside-the-Walls, the Holy Father revealed some exciting news. Special instruments were used to extract material from the traditional tomb of Saint Paul for tests and Pope Benedict revealed the results to the world. First, in Italian:

"Inoltre, piccolissimi frammenti ossei, sottoposti all’esame del carbonio 14 da parte di esperti ignari della loro provenienza, sono risultati appartenere a persona vissuta tra il I e il II secolo. Ciò sembra confermare l’unanime e incontrastata tradizione che si tratti dei resti mortali dell’apostolo Paolo."

My rough translation:

"Very small bone fragments, place under carbon 14 tests on the part of experts, have resulted in being understood to be of a person who lived between the first and second centuries. This seems to confirm the unanimous and incontrovertible tradition that treats these as the mortal remains of the Apostle Paul."

It was also revealed last weekend that archaeologists working in one of the catacombs at Rome have uncovered what is believed to be the oldest extant image of Saint Paul. More on that here.