[224] _Les Trois Romes_, tom. iv, p. 39. Aringhi gives a similar list in his chapter, De imperatoribus ac regibus, qui apud Vaticanum sepulturæ traditi sunt.--_Roma Subterranea_, lib. ii, c. 9. [225] Chrys., _Quod Christus sit Deus_. See legend, p. 186. [226] From _fodere_, _fossum_, to dig. [227] Saint Emerita suffered martyrdom during the Valerian persecution. [228] Jerome strongly censures the making merchandise of the resting-places of the dead--Quì sepulchra venditant, et non coguntur ut accepiant pretium, sed a nolentibus etiam extorquent.--_Quæst. Heb. in Gen._ xxiii. [229] “Nocte Moab capta est, nocte cecidit murus ejus!” exclaims Jerome.--_Ad Principiam._ [230] Gibbon, iii, 283. _Am. Ed._ [231] The following lines by Pope Vigilius, A. D. 537, describe this event: Dum peritura Getæ posuissent castra sub urbem, Moverunt sanctis bella nefanda prius, Totaque sacrilego verterunt corde sepulcra, Martyribus quondam rite sacrata piis. “Whilst the Goths had placed their camp, soon to perish, before the city, they first waged unhallowed war against the saints, and with sacrilegious mind destroyed whole sepulchres once solemnly consecrated to the pious martyrs.” During the fifth and sixth centuries cemeteries were opened within the walls in consequence of the peril of venturing beyond the gates. [232] DIRVTA VIGILIVS NAM POSTHAEC PAPA GEMISCENS HOSTIBVS EXPVLSIS OMNE NOVAVIT OPVS.--_Inscr. in Lateran._ “Pope Vigilius, afterwards lamenting the demolished monuments, renewed the entire work after the expulsion of the enemy.” [233] These Fathers quoted such passages as 2 Kings xiii, 21; Eccles. xlviii, 13, 14; xlix, 10-15; Acts v, 15, and xix, 11, in proof of the efficacy of relics. [234] Hence in the celebration of the mass the priest kisses the altar and invokes pardon “by the relics of the saints that are there.”--See Missal. Optatus tells of a lady who used to kiss the relics of he knew not what martyr, if martyr it were, before communion.--Ante spiritualem cibum et potum, os nescio cujus martyris, si tamen martyris, libare dicebatur.--_Oper._, lib. i. [235] Membra martyrum, si tamen martyrum, venditant.--Aug., _de Oper. Monach._ [236] Humatum corpus nemo ad alium locum transferat; nemo martyrem distrahat, nemo mercetur.--Cod. Theod., _De Sepulchris Violatis_, leg. 7. [237] Omnino nulla memoria martyrum probabiliter acceptetur nisi aut ibi corpus, aut aliquæ certe reliquæ sint.--_Conc. Carth._, v, _Can._ 14. [238] Sulpitii Severi, _Vita Martini_, cap. viii. Julian recoiled from relic worship as from the stench of dead men’s bones. He compared the churches to whited sepulchres full of rottenness and of all uncleanness.