John the Baptist's Bones Discovered?

A 5th century monastery in the Black Sea may house the last remains of John the Baptist, the biblical prophet famous for baptizing Jesus.

Bulgarian archaeologists excavating under an ancient basilica last week unearthed a reliquary, or a container full of human relics.

Bone fragments of a human skull, hand and tooth were found inside.

Watch a video of the ceremony the archaeologists conducted to open the reliquary.

The monastery is located on Sveti Ivan island, just off the coast of Bulgaria's popular seaside town of Sozopol. The archaeologists believe that a date inscribed on the alabaster jar, June 24, is a good sign that the reliquary houses John the Baptist's remains.

June 24 is the day Christian's celebrate the birth of Jesus' contemporary.

But the Vatican is waiting for more information before making a statement about the find's validity.

Fabrizio Bisconti, superintendent of the Vatican Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archaeology, told CNN that the commission "will wait until a more thorough study has been conducted, including anthropological analysis, before it will express an opinion on the finding."

According to biblical lore, John the Baptist was beheaded by the first-century Galilean ruler, Herod Antipas, for renouncing Herod's divorce and subsequent remarriage to another woman.

Bisconti also told CNN that the Church believes John the Baptists remains are currently scattered around the world, rather than being housed in one location.