then in Rome.1

some years later.

A few authors however fix its date

2

About the year 45, Saint Peter sent Mark to found the See of Aquileia, which, of the Western cities, was next to Rome in importance, at that time. Mark also preached the Gospel in several other parts of Italy. It was probably two years later, that the Apostle sent Mark to establish, and preside over, the See of Alexandria, which then took rank as the second city of the Empire. The success of Mark's mission in the metropolis of Egypt was signal and immediate; for we are told, that "so great a multitude of believers, both of men and women, were collected there at the very outset, that, in consequence of their extreme philosophical discipline and austerity, Philo considered their pursuits, their assemblies and entertainments, and, in short, their whole manner of life, deserving a place in his descriptions." This Philo was a celebrated Jewish philosopher, a native of Alexandria, in the Apostolic times. About the year 40, he was sent by the Jews of Alexandria, to Rome, at the head of an embassy to Caius Caligula, to refute the charge that they neglected

5

lib. xviii. c. 22. Orosius, "Histor. lib. vii." c. 2. See also Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," chap. xv.

1 I Pet. v. 13.

2 Martyrol. Usuard. et Adon, sub die iv. Idus Junii. "Marcus Evangelista Evangelium quod Romæ scripserat, Petro mittente, primum Aquileiæ prædicavit."

3 Eusebius in "Chronico." Baronius, "Annales Ecclesiastici," i. 344. Herodianus, lib. vii.: also Eusebius. Saint Mark founded many other Churches in Egypt, and finally suffered martyrdom there, about three years after the death of Saints Peter and Paul. "But the second

See," says Pope Gelasius, in his decree concerning the Apocryphal books, "was consecrated, in the name of Blessed Peter, by Mark his disciple and the Evangelist; for he, being sent by the Apostle Peter into Egypt, preached the word of truth there, and suffered martyrdom.” 5 Eusebius, "Ecclesiastical History," ii. 16.

6 Philo Judæus was so thoroughly imbued with the principles, and so closely imitated the style, of Plato, that it used to be said, Aut Plato philonizat, aut Philo platonizat. The general opinion is, that he did not become a Christian; although it is stated, by some writers, that he was converted by Saint Peter in Rome.

the honours due to Cæsar. On the occasion of his second visit, in the reign of Claudius, A.D. 44, "he had familiar intercourse with Saint Peter at Rome, whilst he was proclaiming the Gospel to the inhabitants of that city."1

Besides Saint Mark, Saint Peter ordained numbers of his disciples Bishops, and sent them to found Churches in various countries. Even down to our remote times, the names of several of these sees and of their first bishops have been preserved. A long list of these in Italy, Sicily, France, Spain, and Germany, is given by Cardinal Baronius,2 as taken from the most ancient martyrologies. These it is unnecessary, as it would be tedious, to enumerate here.

The Jews having raised several tumults in Rome, through their jealousy of the daily increasing body of

1 Eusebius, "Ecclesiastical History," ii. 17; and Saint Jerome, "De Script. Eccles. in Philone."

Cæsar Baronius, distinguished alike for his learning and piety, was born at Sora, in the kingdom of Naples, A.D. 1538. At the age of eighteen, he entered the Congregation of the Oratory at Rome, under Saint Philip Neri, whom he succeeded as father superior, in 1593. In 1596, he received the Cardinal's hat from Pope Clement VIII. He was shortly afterwards appointed Librarian of the Vatican, for which important office he was well qualified by his learning. At the age of thirty, in obedience to his superior, Saint Philip Neri, Baronius entered on his great work, "Annales Ecclesiastici," ranging from the year of our Lord 1 to 1197; and published in Rome, A.D. 1588 to 1593, in twelve volumes folio. This work was undertaken, to oppose the compilation of the Centuriators of Magdeburg, whose main objects were, to attack the Church of Rome, to establish the doctrines of Luther, and to decry the Catholic Fathers and Theologians. Baronius's Annals were continued by his brother Oratorians, Raynaldi for the years 1198 to 1565, and Laderchi for 1566 to 1571, and they are being brought down from 1572 to our times by Fr. Theiner, Priest of the Oratory, Rome. Some faults, unavoidable in a voluminous work, the first of its kind, and some inaccuracies in chronology, exist in the Annals of Baronius, and have been pointed out by F. Pagi, and other critics. All their remarks will be found in an edition of the Annals, published in Lucca, in 1740. Notwithstanding these blemishes, the work will ever stand forth, as a grand monument of learning, research, and perseverance, such as we look for in vain in the present day.

3 Baronius, "Annales Ecclesiastici," vol. i. p. 356; and Fogginius, "De Romano Divi Petri Itinere et Episcopatu," p. 287.

Christians, the Emperor Claudius, by an edict, A.D. 49, banished both Jews and Christians from the Imperial City. On this, Saint Peter re-visited the East, and was present at the Council of Jerusalem, which was held the same year, and in which he took the leading part.2 About this time, he also visited the Church of Antioch, on which occasion he met Saint Paul there. This remarkable interview of the Apostles has already been alluded to.3

As during the seven years that he presided at Antioch, so during the five and twenty years that he filled the See of Rome, Saint Peter travelled much, founding Churches, visiting those already established, and propagating and confirming the faith in various. countries. According to some authorities, he penetrated as far as the British Isles; but the evidence adduced to establish this fact appears rather vague and unreliable.5

Occupied as he thus was with the care of the Universal Church, Saint Peter appointed auxiliary bishops, to govern the Church of Rome, during the frequent and protracted periods of his absence, and to attend to those who came from a distance to consult the Apostolic See. According to some writers, this office was filled by Linus and Cletus, his immediate successors; according to others, by Clement, whom Saint Peter ordained and appointed to succeed himself, but who declined the weighty charge of presiding over the Church until after the pontificate of Cletus.

1 Acts of the Apostles, xviii. 2. Orosius, "Historiarum," lib. vii. c. 6. Suetonius, "in Claudio," cap. xxv. This edict, directed against the Jews, operated extensively against the Christians, who were confounded with them. Its date is generally supposed to have been A.D. 49, "the beginning of ninth of Claudius."

2 Acts xv. Vide supra, chap. ii.

3 Gal. ii. 11-14. Vide supra, chap. ii.

This visitation of all the Churches by Saint Peter, at a still earlier period, A.D. 34, is alluded to in the Acts of the Apostles, ix. 31, 32. 5 Vide Usher, "Britanniarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates, pp. 7-9. Dublin, 1639.

6 Baronius, "Annales Ecclesiastici," i. 673, 674. Tertullian, "De

The wide-spread and rapid progress of the faith in Rome,1 numbering adherents even within the walls of the Imperial palace, and the preaching of the Apostles. Saints Peter and Paul, especially the former, inculcating temperance, chastity, and other virtues, diametrically opposed to the lives of the Emperor and his court, greatly exasperated Nero, and were the main cause of his sanguinary persecution of the Christians, which commenced in the year 64. A large portion of the city had been wantonly burned down by the Emperor, with the intent, according to some historians, of its being rebuilt on a scale of unexampled magnificence. This conflagration was laid to the charge of the Christians. The details of the barbarous persecution they endured, the refinements of cruelty invented for their extirpation, and the unwavering faith and heroic constancy of their martyrs, are recorded in history.3

Meanwhile, the two Apostles unceasingly ministered to the afflicted flock, and fearlessly preached the truths and maxims of the proscribed religion. In the height of the persecution, Peter, considering that it was not the Church of Rome alone, but the entire flock of Christ, which demanded his pastoral care, wrote his

Præscriptionibus," c. 32. Epiphanius, "Hæreses," 27. "Concilia," Labbei et Cossartii, i. 63: "Hic ordinavit duos episcopos, Linum et Cletum, qui præsentialiter omne ministerium sacerdotale, in urbe Roma, populo vel ad se venientibus, exhiberent."

About this time, Tacitus speaks of the Christians condemned by Nero at Rome, as "a huge multitude," ingens multitudo. Annales xv. 44. A.D. 65.

2 This we learn from Saint Paul, writing from Rome, whither he had been conveyed a prisoner, A.D. 64: "All the saints salute you : especially they that are of Cæsar's household" (Phil. iv. 22).

3 Tacitus, "Annales," xv. 44. "A huge multitude of Christians were condemned, not indeed upon evidence of their having set the city on fire, but rather on account of the hatred of the whole human race. To their sufferings Nero added mockery and derision. Some were covered with the skins of wild beasts, to make dogs devour them; others were crucified; and many, covered with inflammable matter, were lighted up, when the day declined, to serve as torches during the night."

Second Epistle. In it, he reminds the faithful of the precious gifts they have received from God; counsels them to join the practice of all virtues with their faith; strongly cautions them against false teachers; and gives an eloquent description of the dissolution of the world, and of the final judgment. Here, as in several other instances already enumerated, we recognize the Magisterium, or office of universal teacher, by Divine appointment, devolving on Saint Peter, and his successors in the Apostolic See.

It was towards the close of the year 66, that the Emperor's rage against the Christians was brought to a climax by the vast number of proselytes who professed the new doctrines, notwithstanding the persecution.2 By his orders, the Apostles, Saints Peter and Paul, were arrested, and lodged in the Mamertine prison, in the month of October that year. Here, they continued to preach, not only to the prisoners, but to the faithful, who came in crowds to see them. They also healed the sick, and wrought many other miracles. Among the guards were two soldiers, Processus and Martinianus, who were converted and baptized by Saint Peter.3 These two converts and forty-seven others of the guards and prisoners eventually fell victims to the sword of Nero. The martyrdom of the former is celebrated by the Church on the 2nd of July; and of the latter, on the 14th of March.

As at any moment the mandate for the execution of the Apostles might arrive, the faithful strongly urged Peter, with prayers and tears, to escape from prison, and thus preserve a life of so much consequence to the Church. At first, the Apostle refused to leave; but

1 Vide supra, chap. ii.

2 Several of the Fathers allege, as an additional cause, the final discomfiture of Simon Magus by Saint Peter, and the miserable death of the impostor, who stood high in the Emperor's favour.

3 The fountain is still shown, which, according to ancient tradition, miraculously sprang up in the floor of the prison, to supply Saint Peter with water for the ceremony.