Nicolaus Rungius

Nicolaus Matthiae Rungius (also spelled Ryngius or Ryngen in contemporary sources; born ca. 1560 in Loimaa - died 1629 in Keminmaa) was a vicar of Keminmaa, Finland, known for his mummified body in the Keminmaa old church.^[1]

Rungius was born at the Rynkö homestead in Loimaa, and so he was named Ryngius (later changed to Rungius). He worked as a chaplain in the Nykarleby and Keminmaa churches. He married Helena, the daughter of the Kemi vicar Simon Ruuth, and followed his father-in-law as vicar. As vicar, he managed matters all over the Kemi Lapland area, but was not an unusual preacher during his lifetime.^[1] Rungius served as vicar during the Thirty Years' War and died in 1629. As was the custom at the time, he was buried underneath the church floor.^[2]

Rungius's reputation grew when his body, which had been mummified instead of decomposing, was found underneath the church floor during the

The special thing about Rungius's body is that it has not been intentionally protected from decomposition, but it has naturally dried up underneath the church floor. At least in 1875, the body still retained two arms, but one of them has later disappeared. It has apparently been taken as a relic.^[1]

The vicar's body is still in the Keminmaa old St. Michael Church underneath the floor between the altar and the sacristry, protected by glass. Visitors may see the mummy during summertime, when the church is open for

External links

• Prästen vars kropp inte förmultnar! Archived 2008-10-06 at the Wayback Machine (in Swedish)