The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-07

ROME. May 26.-The draining Of tn"
Christian oratory and the temple OF
Mithras under the basiliCa OF ST. Clement.
now accomplished by means OF "A tunnel
zoe yards long. built at the expense OF
Cardinal O'Connell OF Boston, ttuar Car
dinal OF the Church. Is considered one
Of the most important works Archaeology
cally ind, rtaken In modern times.
Historical monuments OF the utmost
value, now saved from inevitable de.
struction, were discovered by Father Mui-
looly. prior OF the Irish Dominlcans, IN
1857. when a general apathy for archSr-
ology prevailed in Italy. Father Mul-
looly rediscovered the lower church. dating
from the fourth century. which was filled
in and served foundation for tho
new one. The excavation OF this lower
church was work OF great difficulty
and danger. More than 10000 cart
loads OF rubbish were carried away on
mems shoulders.
Many pillars Of the rarest marbles. IN
perfect preservation, series OF fresCoes
OF the eighth and tenth centuries and
portions OF tho ancient tesselated pave
ment were found In this lower church,
which In 1884, after the Invasion by
Robert Guiscard. who set fire 10 the
city. suffered seriously and was 30 filed
up with debris from burned churches
and other ediices in the neig hborhood
church was built over the old one, the
choir and whatever else was portable hav-
ing been transferred to the higher church
from the lower one. which remained
buried under the level OF the street.
Discover Mithras's Temple.
In 1867 Father Mullooly found below
the second church a portion OF 81. Glenn
eRts original house. with an altar and
9th huI
used for Christian worship. Further ex-
ploratlons led To the discovery OF temple
OF Mthras, one OF the most perfectly
preserved in existence. The new ex-
cavations were, however. mostly under
water. and Father MulloOly had 10 give
up his work after 1870. He died ten
years later, bitterly disappointed, tina,
his work was left undoue.
From time to time efforts were made
to render the lowest church accessible
by draining It. In 1908 u sixteen horse
power steam pump was employed and
kept at work day and night for a week,
but after the water had been removed
and the pump stopped working, Within
twenty-four hours the water returned TO
its original level. II was then realized
that the only way to get rid OF the water
was to ind an outlet foi 1t In some dram
still In use and at Il lower level than
the floor OF St Clements house. Such
a drain was discovered near the Coliseum
about 700 yards from the church II IL
probably a portion of the old cloaca or
sewer Of King Tarquin. built twenty y
| centuries ago. In order to drain st.
| Clement II was necessary to build "A tun-
| mel connecting the church with the cloaca
| from twenty-six to forty-five feet below
| the level OF the street, and II Mas es.
| tlmated that the work would cost moro
| than 100000.
/ When Cardinal OConnell took posses
| sion OF his titular church in 1911 he ex-
| amned the plan for draining the crypt
| and shortly afterward he authorized tnc
work for which he was to defray the
expense. 1t took nearly two years u
build the tunnel. which. az the Pope
told Cardinal OConnell. 'is really n work
worthy Of Rome"
Many Centuries Old.
St. Clement is one OF the few Roman
churches dating from earliest times Foul
| or five centuries before the birth OF Chris
and shortly after the foundation OF Rom,
IA palace built OF huge tufa blocks wa
erected on the site OF the church. som,
centuries later. perhaps during the life
built beside II. OF brick, This belonged
to the Imperial family Of the Flavlans
one of whose members, Faustus, was the
father OF ST. Clement.
Clement was baptized and ordaine,
priest by st. Peter. whose third success