The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-08-25
ROME, THE WoRLD-cAPiTAL, is
THE HOME OF cHRIST'S VICAR
ON EARTH-ITs HISTORIC Asso-
CITATIONS.

No city in all the world can compare
IN historic interest with Rome, the city
Of the Popes. For nearly nineteen
hundred years Rome has been the cap
ftaI of the Universal Church; and far
ther back, Rome was the capital of the
Droudest empire of antiquity, an en-
pire which preigured, not unworthily
for human institution, the nobler
spiritual empire of Gods Holy Church,
writes Rev. w. Busch of st. Paul Semi
mary in Extension Magazine
Rome was majestic city even in
it's ancient pagan days, when en-
throned upon it's seven hills by the
Tiber as mistress of the world. Prac-
tica1ly the whole world was embraced
in that Roman empire which, to the
Roman citizens, seemed destined to
last forever as the ultimate realization
of the ideal of government; and they
called their city the Eternal City,
Roma Immortalis. The ancient Roman
empire is gone, but Rome still remains
the Eternal City, for the Prince of the
Apostles chose it as the capital OF that
spiritual empire which, according to
the promise of its Divine Founder, will
last to the end of time.
Rome, a world-capital for SO many
centuries, has been the theater OF
lworld-important events, and is today
an immense museum of monuments
and memories. A whole lifetime OF
residence. there, and of study, would
not exhaust the vast store of her his:
ltcrie treasures.
The splendid picture of ancient
pagan Rome is recalled to the imagina-
ltion as one stands amid the ruins OF
the Forum, the civic center OF Ole
Rome, the scene of political gather
ings and of public affairs. On the
fright rises the Hill of the Capitol, the
site of the great temple OF Jupiter
1.-THE opposite height, on the left, Is the
Palatine, covered with the ruined pal
aces of the Caesars. And at ones feet
runs the Via Sacra, over which passed
Rome's S, conquering legions, led by hel
victorious generals.
/ Yet, more stirring, however, is the
fsight of Rome's streets and public
places since the day when they were
ltrodden by the feet of the apostles a1t
consecrated by the blood Of counties!
martyrs. st. Peter is said to havs
come to Rome about the year AZ. st
Paul arrived in Rome in the year 81
1.-The two apostles suffered martyrdon
IinSth first general persecution of th
/ Church under Nero about the year 81
ISti Peter was crucified. upon the, Vat
lean Hill, and st. Paul was beheade'
Tout on the Ostian, Way. Above thei
ltombs now. stand the magnificen
tbasilicas of st. Peter on the Vatical
/ and of st. Paul on the Ostian Way.
1 Church and Empire.
| The first three hundred years of th
lChurch's history are years Of perst
Icution, during which the empire strov
Ito destroy the Christian Church. Th
persecution was not continuous, bu
| was resumed from time to time. Th
memory of those years is perpetuate
lin the gigantic Coliseum, the scene {
i innumerable martyrdoms, whose tier
i once rang with the cry, "The Chri
ltians to the lions,' now a silent bt
n eloquent witness, in its immense pr,
Iportions, Of the vast power Of thu
] Roman empire which failed to crus
] lout the Church Of God.
I'll The memory Of those years is ais
lperpetuated III the catacombs, the II