The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-08-28
ToWss ~ ST. peTeR's
Some of Them Have Bcen Violated and
the Bones Scattered Abroad.

Some of Them Have Besn Violated ana
the Bones Scattered Abroad.
One of the best tomhs in the ba-
silica IS that of Sixtus ". the first
pope OF the Revere ssmily, in tho
Chapel Of the Sacrament. Tho bronze
figure, lying low on sarcophagus
placed out upon the floor, has n
quiet. manly dignity about IL which
one cannot forget. But in the same
tomb lies a greater man Of the same
race-Julius H-for whom Michael
Angelo made his great Moses in
the church of san Pietro in Nincoli,
a man who did more than any other,
perhaps, TO make the great blsiliCa
what it Is, and who. by chain uf
mistakes, got 10 tomb of his own.
He who solemnly laid the founda-
tons of the present church and lived
to SEQ the four main piers completed,
with their arches, has only a slab
in the pavement To recall his men,
ory. The protector and friend Of
Bramante, of Michael Angelo and Of
Raphael-and of the great architect.
the great sculptor and the great
painter-has not 50 much as tho
least work of any of the three 10
mark his place of rest Perhaps he
needed nothing but his name, which
mast always stand among the great
est.
After all, mis- bones have been al
lowed 10 rest in peace. which -
more than can be said Of all that
have been buried within the area Cf
the church. Urban VI had no such
good fortune. he so much surprisc ]
the cardinals, as soon rs thoy had
elected him. by his vigorous moral
reforms, that they hastily retired 70
Anagni and elected an nntipope II
milder manners and less sensitive
/ conscience. he lived 10 triumph over
I his enemies. In Piacunza he was b.
sioged by King Charles Of Naples.
He communicated him, tortured
seven cardinals whom he caught IN
u conspiracy and put five of them TO
I death. overcame and slew Charlie :,
refused him burial and had his bod y
exposed to tho derision Of the crowd
The ohroniclsr says that Italy. Ger
many. England, Hungary, Bohemia,
Poland. Sicily and Portugal were
I obedient 90 the Lord Pope Urban
VI" He died peacefully and WIS
buried in st. Peter in n marble sar-
cophagus.
But when Sixtus v, who also sur
prised the cardinals greatly. was in
fit of haste TO flush the dome. the
masons, wanting n receptacle for
water. laid hands ON Urban's stone
coffin, pitched his bones into a cor
ner and used the sarcophagus ns
they pleased. leaving It TO serve as
water tank for many years after.
ward
In extending the foundations Of
the church Paul III oano upon the
bodies of Maria and HCrmautin, tire
two wives Of Honorius. the emperor
who "disostablished" paganisn IN
favor of Christianity. Thoy were
sisters. daughters of Stlicho. and
had been buried In their imperial
robes, with many rich objects and
feminine trinkets, and they were
found intact. as they had been bur
led, in tho month of February. 1913
Forty pounds of fine gold were taler
from their robes alone, says Barac
conf, without counting all the jow
els and trinkets. among which wa,
very beautiful lamp. besides q
great number of precious - mes
The pope melted down the gold fui
tho expenses of the building and M
the gems in a tiara. where. If they
could be identified. they certainly
exist todRy-the very stones worl
by empre-scs Of ancient Rome. -.
Marion Crawford in Century.