The History of the Popes: From the Foundation of the See of Rome, to the Present Time, 3rd Ed. Vol. 1Bower, Archibald
History
The History of the Popes: From the Foundation of the See of Rome, to the Present Time, 3rd Ed. Vol. 1
Bower, Archibald
Catholic Church -- History; Papacy -- History; Popes -- Biography
_Capua_, though a Person of great Eminency, is not even mentioned by any
of the contemporary Writers, who relate the Transactions of that
Council, and name the chief Prelates who composed it. 'Tis true we read
of him, in one Author, that he never consented to the Confession of
_Rimini_[970]: but that is said of _Liberius_ too[971], whom _Baronius_
owns not to have been present at that Assembly.
[Sidenote: Liberius _is honoured as a Saint_.]
_Liberius_, notwithstanding his Fall, is honoured both by the _Latin_
and _Greek_ Churches as a Saint. By the former his Festival is kept on
the 23d of _September_, and by the latter on the 27th of _August_[972].
[Sidenote: _The Founding of the Church of_ St. Mary the Greater.] He
erected a Church on the _Esquiline_ Mount at _Rome_, which bore his
Name, and was called the _Basilic_ of Liberius, till it was consecrated
to the Virgin _Mary_ by _Sixtus_ III. when it took the Name of _Sancta
Maria Major_, or _Saint Mary the Greater_. It owes its Foundation, as is
universally believed in the Church of _Rome_, to the following Miracle.
A _Roman_ of the Patrician Order, and of Wealth equal to his Rank, named
_John_, having no Children, resolved to make a free Gift of his whole
Estate to the Virgin _Mary_. This Resolution he imparted to his Wife,
who consenting to it with great Alacrity, the Estate was immediately
made over to the holy Virgin, whom they thenceforth jointly intreated,
in their daily Prayers, to let them know by some Token in what Manner
she chose to dispose of it. Their Prayers were heard, and, on the Night
preceding the 5th of _August_, when the Heat is most violent at _Rome_,
a miraculous Snow fell from Heaven, which covered Part of the
_Esquiline_ Mount. The same Night the Patrician and his Wife were
admonished in a Dream to build a Church on the Spot of Ground which they
should find covered with Snow. Early next Morning they went to acquaint
Pope _Liberius_ with what had happened, whom they found to have had the
same Dream; so that no room being now left to doubt of the Revelation,
the Pope appointed a grand Procession of the whole Clergy, in which he
walked himself, attended by Crouds of People, to the above-mentioned
Mount; and there, having caused the Snow, which still lay unmelted, to
be removed, on the Spot, which it had covered, he laid the Foundation of
that magnificent Basilic, which was reared at the Expence of the
Patrician, and is now known by the Name of _Saint Mary the Greater_, and
_Saint Mary in the Snow_[973]. I should not have thought such an idle
Tale worthy of a Place in a grave History, were it not recorded in the
most authentic Book the Church of _Rome_ has after the Scripture, the
_Roman Breviary_, a Book approved and commended by the Council of
_Trent_, and by the special Bulls of Three Popes, _Pius_ V. _Clement_
VIII. and _Urban_ VIII. of whom the latter declares every thing it
contains to be extracted from antient and approved Authors, and to be
agreeable to Truth[974].
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