MORE ON THE SUBJECT OF AACHEN'S DEAD BISHOPS

The dead bishops of Aachen are quiet folk

Emerging from their sepulchers late at night

To clean up the cathedral.  Done,they gather

Outside, smoking the half-used cigarettes

Tourists crushed when they entered,

And watch the stars slowly disappear.

At dawn, the bell named Leopardus

Tolls gently and the bishops fade away.

Bishops

I have read that in 804, while Charlemagne was consecrating a church in Aix-la-Chapelle, 363 bishops were participating in the ceremonies. It seemed such a shame to not have a bishop for every day of the year that two dead bishops who were buried near by leapt from their graves to participate. Unfortunately, this is all I have learned of the story, so I don’t know what happened next. I have a sense that bishops are generally urbane men, so it may be that they calmly welcomed their dead brethren and preceded with the ceremony. On the other hand, it strikes me as possible that a general cry  was heard of “Ack! Dead bishops!” followed by a panic-stricken exodus from the church.