‎V.D.B. - ( Victor de BUCK ) :‎
‎De Phialis Rubricatis quibus Martyrum Romanorum Sepulcra dignosci dicuntur observationes.‎

‎11. Bruxellis ( Bruxelles ) , Typis Alphonsi Greuse, 1855, in-8°, 24,5 cm, 265 pp, printed on high quality paper. Ex-library copy with stamps on cover, half-title and recto title. Rebound in modern red cloth, leather title label on spine. The damaged original front wrapper retained and bound in at the end of the book. Still an acceptable copy of an exceedingly rare book ( no copy in a Belgian library ( March 2019). The author Victor de Buck ( 1817 - 1876) was a Flemish jesuit ( born in Oudenaarde) who made large contributions to the work of the Bollandistes . In this controversial work he claims that the red material which subsided in the glass phials found in the Roman graves of catholic martyrs were not necessary remnants of their blood. It could also be the sediments of wine. This led to a discussion which lasted nearly 50 years. His theory was never disproved. Rumours that this book was put on the index and that copies were willfully destroyed proved to be untrue. ( See Catholic Encyclopedia - V. de Buck). See also De Backer-Sommervogel vol. II, col. 320, item 21 - where is stated that only 20 copies were ever printed.‎

Reference : 51897

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