Slovenian Church Altar Reveals 170-Year-Old 'Birth Certificate'

Restoration work on a side altar in the parish church of Marija Vnebovzeta in Spodnja Idrija, Slovenia, has unearthed a "birth certificate" from 1857. The church, first mentioned in 1156, is a significant landmark in the region.

During the transfer of the St. John of Nepomuk altar to a restoration workshop, two original documents were found concealed within. One is a handwritten note in Slovene detailing the work of two local carpenters from Gorenje Jazne and Nova Oselica. The second, more surprising document, is a first-person account in old German script by the altar's carver.

The carver, who had just completed his military service as a soldier under Austrian General Josef Radetzky, apparently placed the note himself. This discovery, made 170 years later, not only provides insight into the altar's creation but also corrects the long-held belief that it was the work of Jurij Tavčar. The parish is delighted with the find, which arrived just before the parish feast day on August 15th. The contents of the manuscripts will be revealed to the public in the days leading up to the feast.

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The carver, who had just completed his military service as a soldier under Austrian General Josef Radetzky, apparently placed the note himself.