In indicating the holy bishops who founded the ecclesiastical city in Rome, St. Colga follows the order of the Canon of the ancient Roman Liturgy: Linus, Cletus, Clement, showing by this the close connection of our ancient Church with the other churches of Europe, and especially with the Church of Rome. Whether this be really the chronological order, is (as all are aware) a _vexata questio_ among ecclesiastical historians. Nearly all the monuments and authorities bearing on this point set down Saint Linus as the immediate successor of the Prince of the Apostles; and, although Saint Augustine (Epistola ad Generosum) and Saint Optatus of Milevi (Lib. 2, adv. Parmenianum, cap. 3) give Saint Clement as next in order to Saint Linus, still the weight of testimony is in favour of the order followed by our Saint. Eusebius (Hist. Eccles. lib. 3, cap. 16), says: "Per id tempus Clemens Romanam adhuc gubernabat Ecclesiam, qui post Paulum et Petrum Episcopalis illius dignitatis gradum obtinuit: Linus primus erat, secundus Anacletus". From the concurrent testimony of almost all the ancient writers, Saint Irenaeus, Eusebius, Saint Epiphanius, Saint Optatus, Saint Augustine, etc., Anacletus and Cletus were one and the same person. A confirmation of this ancient tradition, regarding the immediate successors of Saint Peter, has been found within the last three years in the excavations made by our indefatigable fellow-countryman, Father Mullooly, O.P., under the actual church of Saint Clement in Rome, of which he is prior. In one of the frescoes which adorned the old church over which the present basilica is raised, we find a picture of Saint Clement enthroned by Saint Peter. The apostle has one foot on the step of the throne upon which he is placing his disciple, while Saint Linus and Saint Cletus stand by, as if assisting at the installation of one who was their successor, as well as Saint Peter's. These paintings were executed in the ninth century, during the pontificate of Pope Nicholas I., of whom mention is made in another part of them. In this representation of the enthronement by Saint Peter of Saint Clement, although not his immediate successor, we seem to have a confirmation of Tertullian's assertion: That Saint Clement was consecrated bishop by the Prince of the Apostles. "Edant ergo", he says, speaking of the heretics of his day, "edant ergo origines Ecclesiarium suarum evolvant ordinem Episcoporum ita per successionis ab initio decurrentem, ut primus ille Episcopus aliquem et Apostolis, vel Apostolicis viris, qui tamen cum Apostolis perseveraverit, habuerit auctorem et antecessorem. Hoc enim modo Ecclesiae Apostolicae census suos deferunt, sicut Smyrnaeorum Ecclesia Polycarpum ab Joanne conlocatum refert, sicut _Romanorum Clementem a Petro ordinatum itidem_, perinde utique et ceterae exhibent, quos ab Apostolis in Episcopatu constitutos Apostolici seminis traduces habeant" (Lib. de Praescript. cap. 32).