Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-29
Comb Of Dius tN.
A Pope Who Was Not Buried, as Were Nearly All of
the Other Heads of the Roman Church, in ST.
Peters or St. Jean's-Amercans Contributed
to Defray Expenses of Monument

year 1855 wv
Two other long inscriptions. like the 9th
ers also in Latin. are engraved in the
mosaic OF the facades Of the naves across.
*
AS above stated. the adjoining cemetery
of Campo Nerano is the largest IN tho
world; perhaps also the Oldest In the third
century OF the Christian era this camp.
called Nerano from Nerauus or Veranius,
one OF the early owners, belonged to the
faithful Catholic matron Ciraca She ad-
mired the virtues OF St Lawrence and
wiiled that his body be buried there
Therefore. on dark night. a few faithful
and responsible Catholics transferred the
remains of the martyr to the new place
st. Laurence, according to one OF the
most valued and rare books existing to-
day, entitled DE Rabus Oscensibus' was
porn IN the third century at Osca, a Span
lsh town, in the reign of Aragona. His
parents were Horentius and Patience. both
flch IN virtues; and the city OF Osca
even today celebrates with suitable de
votlons the festive memory of the saint
each first day of May. lie was made deacon
by st. Augustine. lie seemed to be the one
man appropriately chosen by heaven, says
the book, to exercise his Christian duties
at a time when Christianity was bounded
by the emperors and the pagans 1t was
ABOUT the time when Pope Sstus was inn
VI.
Laurence, according to history followed
the holy father in prison, reproaching him
Tor not allowing him (St laurence to die
with him.
1t is chronicled that while Slstus went
toward the place where he was to be tor
tured to death he spoke a few words of
Sood counsel TO his young disciple, exhort-
ing MIN to look after the bounded Christian
flocks.
Emperor Valeran was trcked by some
words spoken by the condemned pontff
apropos of certain jewels of the church.
The emperor commanded the saint TO pro-
duce them, for which the latter asked
three days In which to collect them. Then
he went to hidden places near Rome and
sought the poorest of the Christians, and
on the third day he presented himself with
the faithful before the ruler. Here arc
the jewels of the church, he said
The emperor ordered ST Laurence to be
imprisoned until such time as he would
consent to accept Jupiter as his god, to
which he refused. His bones we're dis
located and his body cut by means of whips
called scorpions.
Yet he outlived those torments. The gov
ernor in charge of the saint declared him
to be a magician, because his life was so
strong. Maddened, he ordered those present
to break the martyrs jaws with stonesA
whole night passed, the young man support
ing the pain. Yet he always prayed his
God.
When the emperor was told of this he
ordered that the 'impOstor" be stretched
out upon an iron gridiron and then slowly
baked untn the body was well roasted
The actual order is well chronicled in a
book kept at the Vatican and reads like a
fable of cruelty. 1t tells. of the words of
the saint, when unable to endure the pain
he declared: Please turn me on the other
side; on this l am well roasted" He died
shortly afterward. His body was stolen by
a few pagans, who in reality were Chris
tians, and was buried. stated, at Campo
Verano, and later the munfcence of EN-
peror Constantine made the building of the
basil-ca possible.