The alleged finding of human remains, designated San Geronimo, in 1853 afforded striking confirmation of an incident recorded by a

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

named Diego de Haedo, who published a

topography Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sci ...

and history of

Algiers Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques ...

in 1612. Haedo sets forth the legend that a young

Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...

who had embraced Christianity, and had been baptized with the name of Geronimo ("

Jerome Jerome (; la, Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was a Christian presbyter, priest, Confessor of the Faith, confessor, th ...

"), had been captured by a Moorish

corsair A corsair is a privateer or pirate, especially: * Barbary corsair, Ottoman and Berber pirates and privateers operating from North Africa * French corsairs, privateers operating on behalf of the French crown Corsair may also refer to: Arts and ...

in 1569 and taken to Algiers. The Arabs endeavoured to induce Geronimo to renounce Christianity, but as he steadfastly refused to do so, he was condemned to death. Bound hand and foot, he was thrown alive into a mould in which a block of concrete was about to be made. The block containing his body was built into an angle of the

Fort of the Twenty-four Hours A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

, then under construction. According to Samuel M. Zwemer (see link below), in 1853 the Fort of the Twenty-four Hours was demolished, and, in the very angle specified by Haedo, the skeleton of Geronimo was found. The bones were interred at St. Philippe, now the

Ketchaoua Mosque The Ketchaoua Mosque ( ar, جامع كتشاوة, ''Djamaa Ketchaoua'') is a mosque in the city of Algiers, the capital of Algeria. It was built during the Ottoman rule in the 17th century and is located at the foot of the Casbah of Algiers, whic ...

. Liquid

plaster of Paris Plaster is a building material used for the protective or decorative coating of walls and ceilings and for moulding and casting decorative elements. In English, "plaster" usually means a material used for the interiors of buildings, while "re ...

was run into the mould left by the saint's body, creating a perfect model showing the features of the youth, the cords which bound him, and even the texture of his clothing. This model was said to be held in the museum formerly at Parc du Galland, Mustapha Superior,

References

* ** Zwemer may have been inspired by a reference found in (this book has not been checked). 19th-century Christian saints Converts to Roman Catholicism from Islam History of Algiers People from Oran Province {{saint-stub