large, in a letter to his sister, the miraculous discovery of the bones of the twin brothers Gervasius and Pro- tasius, two otherwise wholly unknown and long-forgotten mar- tyrs of the persecution under l^ero or Domitian.^ This is one of the most notorious relic miracles of the early church. It is attested by the most weighty authorities, by Ambrose and his younger contemporaries, his secretary and biographer Pauli- nus, the bishop Paulinas of Nola, and Augustine, who was then in Milan ; it decided the victory of the Nicene orthodoxy over the Arian opposition of the empress Justina; yet is it very difficult to be believed, and seems at least in part to rest on pious frauds.^ ^ Adv. Julian, t. i. Orat. iii. p. 16 sq. '^ Opera, torn. ii. p. 828. ^ Horn, in MM. ^gypt. torn. ii. p. 834 sq. * Exhort, virgin. 1. ' Epist. xxii. Sorori suas, Op. ii. pp. 8'74-8'78. Comp. Paulinus, Vit. Ambros. p. iv. ; Paulinus Nol. Ep. xii. ad Severum ; and Augustine in sundry places (see be- low). ^ Clericus, Moshcim, and Isaac Taylor (vol. ii. p. 242 ff.) do not hesitate to 458 THIRD PERIOD. A.D. 311-590, The story is, that when Ambrose, in 386, wished to conse- crate the basilica at Milan, he was led by a higher intimation ill a vision to cause the ground before the doors of Sts. Felix and Nabor to be dug up, and there he found two corpses of uncommon size, the heads severed from tlie bodies (for thev died by the sword), the bones perfectly preserved, together with a great quantity of fresh blood." These were the saints in question. They were exposed for two days to the wonder- ing multitude, then borne in solemn procession to the basilica of Ambrose, performing on the way the healing of a blind man. Severus by name, a butcher by trade, and afterward sex- ton of this church. This, however, was not the only miracle which the bones performed. " The age of miracles returned," says Ambrose. " How many pieces of linen, how many por- tions of dress, were cast upon the holy relics and were recov- ered with tlie power of healing from that touch." It is a source of joy to all to touch but the extremest portion of the linen that covers them ; and whoso touches is healed. We give thee thanks, O Lord Jesus, that thou hast stirred up the energies of the holy martyrs at this time, wherein thy church has need of stronger defence. Let all learn what combatants I seek, who are able to contend for us, but who do not assail us, who min- ister good to all, harm to none." Ln his homily De inventione SS. Gervasii et Protasii, he vindicates the miracle of the heal- charge St. Ambrose, the author of the Te Deum, with fraud in this story. The lat- ter, however, eudeavors to save the character of Ambrose by distinguishing