Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-10-06


center Of the official cemetery OF the
popes, many OF whose remains were
found tho last time St. Peters shrine
was opened The form OF the apostles
sepulchre has changed several times
but the place never. indeed both the
old and new churches Of St Peter
were built round tho tomb. and az
present II Is not IN the exact center or
the edihoe.
WHEN TOMB WAS OPENED.
In the year 500 the tomb was oponed
that the Emperor Constantine and his
mother, FlaWa Giulla Elena. might
view ST. Peters remains. They were
then encased IN a silver coffin. over
which was a large gold cross, weigh
ing 1850 pounds, the gift OF the einper-
or and his mother. There Is also sup
posed TO be gold plate, Jewels, candel-
abra and other valuable objects In the
tomb over H. by order OF Constan-
tine, an imposing basilica was raised
an arch OF which was decorated with
mosaic representing Constantine,
presented by 81. Peter to Christ, for
the purpose OF dedicating the baslica
to him This mosaic. according 10 the
"De Concllio' Of Cardinal Jacobacei,
published IN 1888. was then stu In ex-
istonce
After this there were only two oc-
caslons IN which the tomb could have
been interfered with. In Si6, during
the invasion OF the Saracens, and IN
1891 during the sack OF Rome by
the constable OF Bourbon. when the
Basilica OF ST Peters was at
their--rrcrcy. but the fact that
Pope Clement VIII saw the coffin
surmounted by its gold cross, In 1898.
is almost certain proof that the body
was not stolen, as TO both Saracen and
Bourbon soldiers. the coffin and cross
would have been much more precious
than the dust OF a saint Clement VIII
did not open the coffin That he saw II
at all was due 20 an accident. The
present basiica was In course OF con-
struction. and strict orders had been
given not TO touch the shrine OF the
apostle, which was In the vaults under
the altar OF Constantine's baslllca, but
IN 1894, the pavement OF the crypt col
lapsed, exposing the sacred tomb.
After inspecting. but not touching It,
the pope had It walled up. ordering
that the precious dust should be left
''vetustssmam aram intatam,' and II
has not since been seen or even
searched for until about eight years
ago, when Mgr. A. S Barnes OF OK
ford author OF "St. Peter In Rome"
was given permission to enter the
memorial chapel under the present
shrine In the basilica, and over the
tomb. by means OF sounding. he To-
Gated the walled up tomb. estimating
that II was about 10 feet below, Mgr.
Barnes Is now one Of the warmest sup
porters Of the project for exploding the
tomb.
UNDERGROUND ROME
II underground Rome IL a vast store
house as yet unexplored. the churches
OF the Eternal City are also fabulously
rich I'm almost forgotten treasures OF
inestimabe value. For Instance sug-
gestions began to circulate some time
ago--no one knew through what agen-
cy--that the "Sancta Sanctorum" OF
the Holy stairs at st. John Lateran,
should, In the interest OF history and
art. be explored. This little chapel IL
situated at the top Of the Holy Stairs,
and is only open once a year when
mass Is said, and moreover no woman
In allowed TO set foot inside, so Its
sanctity Is evldentl
Busy with other. more pressing and
practical matters. the church author
tiles had never taken stock OF the
gradually forgotten. Latterly the de-
sire TO investigate was 80 great that
the pope's sanction was glven--also
that OF Cardinal Satolll their custodian
land the result proved more than
worth the trouble taken.
MUCH PAPAL TREASURE.
Father Grisar entered the chapel and
examined Its contents. Since the time
Of Charlemagne the eighth century,
much OF the papal treasure has been
kept here. In the altar under a very
ancient image OF Christ, and II Is from
this treasure that the chapel derives
It's designation of "Sancta Sanctorum."
Among the most anoient objects found
was cypress wood box, over II CEN
turtles old. as 1t was made for Pope
Leo III, several silver reltquaries con-
tanning crosses OF the time OF Paschal
l. sl7S2t, a silver case with the head
OF St Agnes, and several gold and sill
Yer crosses, to say nothing of price
less stuffs for the enwrapping OF relics,
all IN magnificent state OF preserva-
ton.
HEAD OF ST. JOHN.
Another precious relic in Rome, but
not as well authenticated as the body
OF st Peter Is the head OF st. John the
Baptist. Between eight and nine years
ago. some Greek monks fleeing from
the Iconoclast persecution arrived in
Rome, with but one object In their
possession, the head, II In alleged, OF
st. John the Baptist. This was depos-
tied In the monastery of San Sivestro,
the church of which was therefore
called San Silvestro IN Capite. II Is
especially interesting to Anglo Saxons
az II is the only Anglo Saxon Catholic
church in the Eternal City. The CEN
turtles rolled by until 1870, when with
that date came the siege of Rome by
the Italians Terror relgned In the
city. and Plus TX, fearful for the sacred
treasure OF the church, ordered the
precious head to be removed to the
vatican, but Plus X, returned IL TO San
Silvestro.
PETRlFlED MATTER,
In appearance 1t IL a block OF petr-
fed matter with faint traces OF eyes,
nose and ears. The lower Jaw is en-
tirely in gold, An interesting miracle
Is claimed for II, A certain bishop,
wishing TO have a part Of so sacred
relic, in bending to kiss IL. bit off one
OF the ears but was Immediately dis
covered as the wound began TO bleed so
profueely That II had 10 he stopped
with cotton wool which still adheres,
and can 20 this day be plainly seen.
In the course OF centuries many
sanity men have gradually come to be
venerated, although they have never
been canonized BY an irony Of cir
cumstances these spurious saints are
often more vcnerated than the grew
some ones, and by an ignorant ponu-
lace any attack on them is regarded
ms an attack on religion, so that Plus
InASas aAFP