The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-07-03

The Roman correspondent Of the N.
7. Sun in his letter Of June Is writes
~ follows about st. Peters tomb:
Pope Plus x. has on his desk Sec
tonal plan OF st. Peters tomb in st.
Peters church, a copy of which has
been secured to accompany this ar
ticle. According to this plan the tomb
could be reached from the underground
crypts of the basilica, the greater part
Of which preserve the original floor of
the old church intact.
There is a small chapel in the OLE
crypts named for San Salvatorino
through which archaeologists are con-
vinced; the original steps leading down
into the tomb could be reached. Such
an exploration could be easily. UNDER
taken secretly If the Pope consented
to have removed the doubt as to
whethersthe body Of st. Peter has es-.
capped desecratiqn., ~ -. ''.,', H.
I4ifs tiSuEt aIiAs n6w existed Tor cen-
turtles. The fact that Plus x. keeps
the plan Of st. Peters tomb on his desk
Is considered evidence that he has att
least given consideration to the pro-
posal to allow thorough exploration
Of 1T to be undertaken.
Every year on the eve of the feast
OF et. Peter and st. Paul, June 20,
when the Vatican basilica is closed
for the night and everything is dark
and quiet, the Pope, accompanied Ivy
his secretary and four of the Noble
Guards with drawn swords leaves his
private apartment and crossing many
halls and corridors of the great palace
descends by private staircase to the
silent and empty church, where he
kneels in prayer before the tomb of
him whose successor he is. For near
ly 1000 years every Pope has knelt and
prayed before the shrine of st. Peter,
the most sacred spot in Rome, and
even in the whole Catholic world out
side Of Palestine. A. great many
doubts have arisen concerning the his
tory of this tomb. One of them re-
lates to the exact locality where st.
Peter suffered matryrdom.
Ancient authorities are in complete
agreement that the place of crucifxio;1
was in the Vatican and close to tho
tomb where the Apostle is buried, but
-. ~folro 1fo ,s;ox 1f
the fourteenth century the scene of
the martyrdom has been transferred
to the Church of San Pietro in Mon
torio on the Janiculum. AS a result
for some time the true tradition be-
came obscured and no clear knowledge
remained in Rome as to the locality In
place. In recent years the doubt on
this point has been greatly diminished
and it is now generally admitted that
the martyrdom was on the Vatican hill.
The records of the story of the burial
of the saint and the history Of his
relics are soanty and sometimes even
contradictory. Historians and anti
uuarians have discussed them. at great
length for many centuries. but with
imperfect results. After the martyr
dom the body Of the Apostle, together
with that of st. Paul, who was be-
headed on the same day, June 20, in
either A. D. 6s or 81, under the per-
secution of Nero, was taken down: by
some holy people. who, having washed
it. embalmed it, wrapped it in fine
linen. placed it in marble urn and
buried it in the Via Cornelia, near the
Circus of Nero. The place was mark
ed by an inscription.
st. Anacletus, who had been ordain-
ed by st. Peter and who succeeded ST.
Linus on the papal throne, built a
memorial chapel, .memoria or oratory
on the Apostles tomb.
The bodies of the two saints were
not left long undistubed, in their orr
ginal tomb. In 25s they were removed
ss -3ii.',et1