Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-08-08
TOMBS IN ST. PETERS.
Some OF Them Have Rsen Violated and
the Bones Scattered Abroad.


the Bones Scattered Abroad.
One of the best tombs in tho ba-
silica is tina: of SiZtus ~, the first
pope of TIN Rovoro .umily, in the
Chapel of the Sacrament. The bronze
figure, lying low on n saroophaguS
placed out upon the floor, has
quiet, manly dignity about it which
one cannot forget. But in the Same
tomb lies greater man of tho same
race-Julius II--for whom Michael
Angelo made his great Moses" in
the church of San Pioiro in Vincoli,
q man who did more than any other,
perhaps, to make the great basilica
what it is, and who, by chain OF
mistakes, got no tomb of his own.
He who so!emnly laid the founda-
tons of tho present church and lived
to SEQ tho four main piers completed,
with their arches, has only . slab
in the pavement to recall his men,
DRY. Tho 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 so much rs the
least work of any of tho thrcc to
mark his place of rest. Perhaps he
needed nothing but his name, which
must always stand among tho great
est.
After all, his bones have been al
lowed to rest in peace, which is
moro than can DO said of all that
have been buried within the area of
tho church. Urban VI had no such
good fortunc. lie so much surprised
tho cardinals, rs soon us they had
elected him, by his vigorous moral
reforms, that they hastily retired to
Anagni and elected IN nntipopo OF
milder manners and lpSI sensitive
conscience. He lived to triumph over
his enemies In piaccnza hu was be-
sieged by King Charles of Naples.
He accommodated him, tortured
seven cardinals whom he caught in
q COZ spiracy and put five OF them to
death, ovcrcalne and slew Charles,
refused him burial and had his body
exposed to tho lerision Of tho crowd.
The chroniclcr says that Italy, Ger
many, England, Hungary, Bohemia,
Poland, Sicily and Portugal were
obedient to the Lord Popo Urban
W." Ho died peacefully and was
buried in st. Petor s in q marble sar-
cophagus.
But when Sixtus V, who also sur
prised the cardinals greatly, was in
q fit of haste to finish tho dome, the
masons, wanting receptacle for
water, laid hands On Urhan's stone
coffin, pitched his bones into u cor
ner and used he sarcophagus as
they pleased, leaving it to serve as
a water tank for many years after
ward.
In extending the foundations of
tho church Paul III came upon the
bodies of Maria and Hcrmnntia, the
two wives Of Hororius, tho emperor
who "disestablished" paganism in
favor of Christianity. They wore
sisters. daughters of Stilicho. and
had been buried in thoir imperial
robes, with many rich objects and
feminine trinkots, and thoy were
found intact. as they had been bur-
led, in tho month OF February, 1913.
Forty pounds of fine gold were taken
from their robes alone, says Barac.
conf, without counting all the jew
els and trinkets. among which was
very beautiful lamp, besides
great number of precious stones.
The popo melted down the gold for
the expenses of the building and set
tho gems in IL tiara, where, if they
could be identified, they certainly
exist today-tho very stones worn
by emprosses of ancient Rome
Marion Crawford in Century.