The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-02
|ogians can do so, and the incidents hay ot hixasr ta dn ,uith St Peter'S.

logians can do so, and the incidents hay nothing to do with St. Peters:
 After the crucifixion Peters body wa given to his friends and burned near bs in a cave on what is now Cornelia Street Anacietus bishop of Rome, who was converted and baptized by Peter ano became the third Pope, from the year q to s1, built ah oratory in 90 over the rest, ing place of the apostle. which stood un- til the year 324 Then the Emperor Con- stantine erected chapel upon the spot. divesting himself of his purple robe and imperial diadem and laboring with his own hands to assist in t< digging the trenches for the foundations. He carried away twelve basketfuls of earth in honor
 of the, twelve apostles. Anastasius de scribed how the body of Peter was ex- ket of bronze and inclosed in a shrine of sculptured silver, and he says golden crcTs was placed upon the casket by Constantine, inscribed with the name or his mother, Helena, and his own. In the spring of 1594 workmen engaging in 1evel- ing the cellar of the cathedral found a vault which was unknown to the archi- tects of the priests. investigation dis closed silver sarcophagus. which wae opened in the presence of Pope Clement VIII and several cardinals. who identi- fled the cross inscribed with the names of Constantine and Helena. The event I
 described in disposition attested by all the witnesses. which still remains among the archives of the Vatican. Int vault was walled up by order of Clement VIII. and has never since been opened although the brick work can be readily seen through the grated doors below the great altar.
 Around the burial place of the apostle ninety-seven great golden lamps are con stantiy burning. and on Christmas Day Easter. Sunday and the. annual feast of SS. Peter and Paul. the number Is fin creased to 1.o00 Above the altar that GOV CTS the tomb is canopy brilliant with mosaics and gold. supported by four col umns of gilded bronze, as lofty as the Farnese Palace.
 Thus. the ashes of the humble fisher man of Galilee rest beneath the protec- tion of the noblest dome in the universe. designed by the greatest of all artists, encircled by golden pillars and richly decorated with sculpture. mosatcs and gildings. At the altar none but the Pontih himself may kneel. but kings. empcrors. nineteen centuries have bowed theii statesmen, warriors-the greatest men O. heads to the floor in veneration and have brought their children here to he bap tized. The mighty Charlemagne. restore of the Roman empire. came to this sac red spot in the year 800 to receive hif crown from the hands of Leo III. humbly kneeling and confessing himself a m's- erable sinner Alfred the Great of Eng land made a pilgrimage to simon Peter'T tomb in S9c: the Emperor Barharossa of Germany and a long procession of other monarchs and potentates have kneeled to pray at the marble Jalustrade
 Meanwhile the ghost of Nero haunted the scene of his death near the old PlaZc del Populo. There stands another obelisl ] of red granite 100 feet high covered witt hieroglyphics. the oldest thing in Rome It was quarried by King who reignef | in Egypt before Joseph was sold by h.; brethren. and who bears testimony il honor of Rameses. who oppressed the children of Israel It was brought tc Rome by Cleopatra's lover. and. accord ing to legend in worn and ancient let ters. was erected where it stands "t( the imperial Caesar. son of the alvin Caesar Augustus, pontiff, twelve timef emperor. eleven times consul. fourteen times tribune and conqueror of Egypt who consecrated this gift to the sun Upon the other side another inscription tells us that "Sixtus V, sovereign pom
 tiff dedicated this pillar to the cross tri- umphant."
 When the execration of the people and the danger of assassination excited the cowardice of Nero he looked for assist ance and protection. says Tacitus. but
 he looked in vain. He put away his
 lute and wandered wailing through the desolate halls of his palace. but it was deserted; all his courtiers had forsaken him. Conscience began to exercise Its bangs and the avenging furies accused and multitudes of innocent subjects
 Seizing poison he fled to the gardens, raving incoherently. An opening was made in the wall by Phaon, his servant and the master of the golden house, who had squandered millions to gratify his fantastic humors, begged for food. but turned in disgust from the black bread which was all that could be offered him. With brutal selfishnass he cried to his attendants:
 why will not some one kill himself and show me how to die!'
 His word were drowned by the clatter- ing hoofs and an officer, charged by the Senate with an order for his arrest, ar- rived. Nero seized a dagger and dealt himself a feeble blow. Moved by his in coherent entreaties. his secretary forced the weapon to his heart. As the centu- rian entered the squalid and filthy cham ber Nero exclaimed, You came too late" and his ferocious soul passed into tho presence of his judge. Having wrapped with gold" Acte. concUbine, and Pha- on, the freedman. deposited them in the garden. A gigantic walnut tree spranc from the grave. whose thick and shady branches were for centuries the roost of iunumerable crows. which plagued tHa. part of Rome. According to popular superstition. these crows were demons that guarded the ashes of their infamou masten The Holy Mother appeared ill a vision to Pope Paschal II in lO99 and ordered him to cut down the tree. burn if, roots trunk and branches. scatter thS ashes in the air, and erect upon the cursed spot a church in her honor. The command was obAved The church stiil
 stands, and curiously enough Martin Luther preached from its pulpit and