The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-01-11
ST. PETERS TOMB.
A Cross Weighing $50 Pounds 1.
Over II. - =

Professor Goodyear, in asrecent lee
ture at Brooklyn, N. Y, on ST Peters
Church at Rome, gave some very in-
teresting details relating to the au-
thenticity of the site of St. Peters
tomb and to the probability of the
tomb still containing the body of the
apostle. On this head the lecturer
said that in 1894, under the pontificate
of Pope Clement VIII, Giacomo della
Pcrta was making some excavations
in the neighborhood of the tomb in
his work Of completing the new build
ing. The pavement gave way and he
saw through an opening sarcopha-
gus, on which was lying massive
golden cross. We know from the
Papal record, called the Liber Pom
titicalis, that the Emperor Constan-
tine, who built the first church over
the tomb, placed a gold cross weigh
ing 10 pounds over the sarcophagus.
The fact that this cross was still in
its place in 1894 suggests that the
tomb had not been disturbed between
the times of the Emperor Constantine
and the given date. At this time Pope
Clement WILL, accompanied by sew
eral cardinals, inspected the cross.
He was so moved by the spectacle
that he Immediately ordered the open
ing to be sealed up, and this seal has
never been broken. 1t is still visible.
"Now comes the question whether
the tomb which received this gift of
the gold cross at the beginning of the
fourth century was actually st. Pet
er's tomb. Here, again, excavations
made in the seventeenth century have
the deepest interest. In 1915 the ma
sons who were digging the founda-
tons for the so-called 'confessio' Tor
confessional which surrounds the
tomb, with flight of steps leading
down to it) uncovered number of
graves, which were evidently of a
very early Christian period of burial.
One of the graves bore the name of
Linus. This account is specified by a
drawing still eNtant, which was pub
lished in 1885. Linus was the second
bishop of Rome, and the successor of
st. Peter. The Liber Pontificalis tells
us that Linus was buried near the
tomb of st. Peter. This was in ac-
cOIlance with the habits of early
Christian antiquity. when it was the
desire of the Christians to have their
own burials in the neighborhood Of
the tombs Of saints and martyrs.
NOW comes the reason for the loca-
ton of the tomb of st. Peter. This
was on road which was lined with
other tombs, many of them pagan.
This road ran along the northern side
of the Circus of Caligula and Nero in
which st. Peter was martyred in CT
A. D. The obelisk now in front of the
church stood originally on the barrier
which ran down the center of this
circus and was not far from the place
Of martyrdom. We know that the
pagan Roman laws protected. the
sanctity Of the tomb both in the case
of criminal and of Christian. Perse-
cution in pagan Rome drew the line
at the grave and stopped there, con-
seluently the records and Christian
traditions relating to the site of the
tomb have everything in their favor.
1t is probable, however, that during
the reign of Elagabalus, third CEN
fury, the remains were moved to the
Catacombs of st. Sebastian on the
Appian way for short time. This
Emperor wished to exhibit race of
chariots, four abreast, drawn by ele-
plants. The width of the circus did
not suffice, and the tombs along the
road were in some cases destroyed by
him. This is supposed to have been
the occasion which led the Christians
to remove the body Of st. Peter to
another spot for certain time.
"When all the facts are considered
there is absolutely no doubt that the
tomb of st. Peter is to-day as it was
in the early fourth century, and there
Is every probability that the remains
of the apostle are in that tomb. OF
course, the great point is that the i'm
portance and magniflcence of the
Renaissance church are due to such
n belief. We are sometimes disposed
in architectural studies and art criti-
cism to overlook the most vital facts.
In this case the vital fact is the be-
lief that the tomb of st. Peter is
where it is said to be, and this be-
lief has everything in its favor when
it is submitted to the light Of modern
criticism. The great authority on this
subject is Rodolifo Lanciani, a man
who has never been accused Of the
slightest prejudice in favor of any
sect or of religion, and what his own
personal beliefs are as regards creed
is not known to the speaker"
Uncle Sam-Have you suppressed
the Beers again this morning, your
majesty?
King Edward-No, but we have
burned another farmhouse, and cap.
tured six steers, dozen chickens, and
I