More than three hundred years rested the body of the apostles, with short interruptions in the Memoria the Pope Anakletus on Vatican hill, surrounded by the coffins his immediate successors down to Zepherinus and a large number of martyrs. After defeated by Emperor Constantine paganism and the cross was erected on the Capitol, this emperor built around the year 315 of the Memoria of St. Prince of the Apostles a magnificent church. To 96 columns of precious marble rested the gilded roof. The walls were covered with the most artistic Musivbildern. The altar of the Confessio of St. Apostle was übeschattet by a silver canopy, which rested on four Pophyrsäulen. Floated down from the canopy of golden chains the dove from the finest gold, in which the Blessed Sacrament was kept. - At the entrance to the Confessio hung a golden chandelier, 31 pounds, 50 flames poured from the finest spikenard from their light. Under the altar is the grave with the coffin chamber was Prince of the Apostles. The lid of the coffin of the Emperor Constantine adorned with a cross made of pure gold, 150 pounds. The grave chamber was covered with marble round vaulted room. Only on the ceiling of the vault, an opening was attached, by which one could look down into the tomb and objects in order to dedicate them to settle on the coffin. Especially there were tapes or cloths that you enclosed in capsules through the opening in the vault hung down, after some time out and took revered as sacred relics. - (See illustration of the old church); for the grave of the Holy Apostles continually welled Christians in all ages from around the world to pray there, and the unity of their faith and the faith of the holy Roman Catholic, to be revealed based on Peter Church. Hither "ad Limina Apostolorum * (* The pilgrims were wont to kiss the doorsteps of the church, or at least to touch his hand and then kiss her hand. Therefore," a pilgrimage to the doorsteps of the Apostles ", the term ad Limina Apostolorum.)
was about 1200 years, the magnificent Basilica of St.. Peter on the Vatican. She had survived the terrible storms of the Great Migration, in the devastation of Rome by the Vandals she was spared, she survived the conquest of the city by the Lombards, even the flames that incinerated the palaces of the city and its circus and theater, and laid waste to hurt them, but she was - has become dilapidated. 
conceived as Pope Nicholas V (1447) the decision to build a new church in its place. But it was Pope Julius II laid the foundation stone in 1506 as new mines, the most beautiful and largest in the world. Unfortunately, the production of the sacred foundations of the Vatican Cömeterium, the resting place of a lot of martyrs from the apostolic period, largely destroyed. - The whole Catholic Christianity contributed to the cost of construction, which lasted more than 100 years, 200 571 357 Mark (Two hundred million and a half) Mark required and directed by the greatest architects of the period and finally completed. 
What I say now of the St. Peter Church, the most beautiful and largest temple in the world? How am I to the incomparable harmony of great relationships, their poignant grandeur, the art and beauty of their inimitable mosaic images, their countless statues of marble, the glitter of gold, which dazzles the eye and the splendor that manifests itself everywhere to describe? Even the free space in front of St. Peter's makes the pilgrim who visits the grave of the Prince of the Apostles, the deepest impression. 284 columns and 88 form three pillars in an oval shape, then pull halls, in the middle can easily move two cars side by side. In the halls of 162 statues are of white marble. Five doors lead into the church. Above the entrance, in the middle, there is the Loggia, where the coronation of the newly elected pope is taking place and on Maundy Thursday and Easter, the pope urbi et orbi "of the city and the earth", in the presence often issued by hundreds of thousands of the blessing. Of the five gates of the Church of the extreme right is walled up, and only in a jubilee of the Pope solemnly opened. -
First of all, the main gates we in the rich marble floor a round plate of porphyry. On this record, the Popes used to standing with the German emperors to negotiate - Pope Pius IX. leaving there in our own days of high festivals to protest against the injustice of the robbery of the Papal States. -
On the last of the pillars on which rests the vast vault of the church, see and worshiped the Broncestatue of St. Peter . The Übelieferung says that Pope Leo I the Great (440), this statue from the Capitoline Jupiter Statue of metals can be manufactured. - It is interesting to Christians because of their dignified appearance and her age and the art lovers as a superb product of early Christian Art. (See Figure) rises in the main vessels, the 100 feet high, richly decorated with gold and precious stone altar, which is that of the old church included. Four twisted columns of gilt bronze bear the canopy. On the altar, only the Holy Father celebrated the Holy Sacrifice. - Raise the main one, so the view swings up to the mighty surprised dome, the highest in the world. Four massive pillars on which area you could build a small church wearing their decorated with beautiful mosaic walls and pictures about the strained arch. Over the crossing in six foot high mosaic are written around the words "Tu es Petrus et super hanc ecclesiam meam et Petram aedificabo portae Inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam." "You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail."
Below the dome, the Confessio of St.. Peter. Before the high altar, two marble staircases leading down to the grave of the Prince of the Apostles in the coffin, a part of the remains of St. Paul the Apostle rests. Below, one sees a door of gilded metals with the busts of the two St. Apostles. It closes with an affected old mosaic images niche in which the bones of the holy apostles are buried. 59 lamps burn continually here and increase the solemnity of this holy place. -
if you step back up in the church and goes behind the high altar, one sees in a splendid shrine of gilt bronze the chair of St. Peter. Four gigantic figures, also in bronze, the four Church Fathers, Augustine, Ambrose, Athanasius and Chrysostom imagining him wearing. This chair is the same, which the senator Pudens to St. Apostle Peter gave when he received him in his house and St.. Baptism and his family received from him. - The chair itself is covered in wood and all in ivory. On its two sides are the rings to wear it by means of rods can be plugged. This proves that he was a curule chair, that is in the Senate * (* For Senate included the noblest Romans. ) the senators served if they went to the high council. - It can be divided into two parts, and its front is ivory with raised images of excellent art and decorations of the purest gold adorned .* (* Cardinal Wiseman "Abhandlungen Band III Gerbet" Christian Rome "Volume I. . ) sat on the chair so the hl. Peter, if he exercised as head of the Church Magisterium, and from that circumstance does it come that the designation "apostolic chair" the supreme Magisterium and the highest spiritual jurisdiction of the Pope does * (* The Church celebrates feast of the Chair of Peter in Rome on 18 January. )
Thus, for Rome by the establishment of the chair of St.. Peter, the first and principal church in the world, the seat of the head thereof, and the faithful guardian of the holy apostolic tradition. Also always thought the Roman Christians of the great benefits and blessings through which they become partakers of the two holy apostles and kept both as their spiritual fathers, teachers, and enlightenment in the highest veneration. They sought the places where they stayed where they taught, where they baptized, the Holy. Victims celebrated, where they have suffered and died, keep the memory of posterity, gathered at their graves and were particularly of their days of death great love feast (agape), where they bedieten is precious drinking vessels of glass, the floor with various paintings on gold ground, especially with the pictures of the Holy Apostles, adorned were. Such gold glasses were found in many ancient Christian cemeteries. On one of these gold glasses you can see both Acts together, a crown upon their heads. (See illustrations thereof.) On another gold glass you can see them standing between them a column with the monogram of Christ. The appropriate column is the most glorious of the apostles, Peter and Paul, founded, great, venerable, and all known church in Rome ** (. ** words of the martyr St. Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons, +202) says of St. Paul: "she is a pillar and ground of the truth. " (I Tim. 2, 15) sees
Another time we mapped the two apostles in the midst of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In Cömeterium St. Domitilla, whose emergence hinanreicht up to the time of the Apostles found a very nice bronze medal with the portraits of the healing. Apostles Peter and Paul, Peter, with short curly beard, Paul with a long beard. Although the first Christians of Rome, the two apostles were in high honor, they always made a definite difference between them. Only Peter was revered by them as the founder and actual founder of the Roman Church, as the first bishop of Rome , and regarded as the head of the whole Church. Usually takes Peter goes to various representations of the place of honor, and is on the right. Peter often sits on a kind of throne, while the seat Pauli is an ordinary chair. - Especially, it is the priority (plan), through which one Peter Paul and differed from those opposed this. This is the name of St.. Pope Leo I (440), both apostles and fathers Pastors of the city of Rome adds, however, to: Head of the (Christian) world Rome was the chair of St.. Peter has become. - And in fact the first Christians believed always, Peter is the head of the Church, Christ had set him the cornerstone of his church, he transferred the supreme authority, entrusted to him the infallible Magisterium. - As witnessed by several images, which were found in the Roman cemeteries. -
In a glass bowl, Patena called vitrea on which sets the deacon or priest after Mass the bishop, the consecrated bread, namely the high holy communion wafers, to distribute it among the faithful in the parishes of the city, is Christ on a mountain and goes to Peter, a role on which we read the words: "The Lord is the law." But Peter accepts the role, as a sign of reverence, in the folds of his robe against. Now just so used to the Roman governor of their instruction from the hands of the Kaiser roll receive. It is thus here Petri appointment as Vicar of Christ on earth, and the ceremonial handover of governmental power in the church, which is symbolized in the mountains as well as in a fruit-laden palm tree, as shown. In the lower part of the double image appears as the divine Christ Lamb on Mount Sion, poured from where the four evangelical currents, while the lambs (the believers) look up to him. Peter wears a cross on the shoulder, keep the fathers of the symbols of power and domination. But in order to indicate that this power to Peter and not the other apostles to come, it is opposed by Paul. Two passes of the apostolic preaching of Christ's mission, but only to Peter the full power and authority of the government. A similar representation can be seen on a marble coffin from the Vatican Cömeterium, which is now preserved in the Lateran Museum. Jesus sits in the midst of the apostles in the symbolically represented sky. To Peter, he is a role that receives the same with veiled hands. Opposite him is Paul. 
shows even more clearly the belief of early Christians in the primacy of Peter on a beautiful lamp of bronze. The same is in the shape of a ship with unfurled sails. At the keels is Paul, but the rudder deflected Peter. The pole is decorated with a plaque with the Inschift: the Lord is the law. The purpose of this presentation is: "Paul holds sway as the herald of the Gospel in the Church, but the controlling, legislative hand of Peter leads them safely through the stormy ocean to the shore of eternity." 
In a gallery of Cömeteriums St. Domitilla shows a picture of how buried here, Elijah, as he propelled his cloak to Elisha to heaven leaves. The assumption of the mantle of a prophet or teacher was the old man known as a sign of legitimate succession, agency and inheritance of his mind, so also a disciple of the prophets (the shape of the right of the car) surprised the Elisha cries out: "The spirit of Elijah rests on it ! The meaning of this picture, which is also present on early Christian marble coffins, is this:
Elias is the Savior, which transfers starting up at the sky the new Elisha, Peter, his coat and with this his deputy, the governorship, the official and of power in his church so that even the Christian prophets students, believers, amazed confess: "The Spirit of Christ is upon him!"
The whole sum of the prerogatives of the Holy. Peter as head of the church but we see symbolized in those wall paintings and gold glasses, to which latter he is shown the same water Moses with his staff out of the rock hitting. The adjacent single name "Peter" leaves no doubt room. Like Moses, the leader of the ancient people of Israel, Peter, the leader of the new Israel or the Christian people of God, like Moses, head of the Jewish synagogue, so Peter, the head of the Church of Christ, like Moses, the highest legislature and judges in the old covenant was the the law of God proclaimed, then Peter, the highest teacher the church. - The staff is the symbol of divine omnipotence, but he is in the hands of Moses, Christ and Peter. The Son of God had before this old time bar pass to Moses in the Scripture testifies, "that he was the confidant of his master in the house." (I. Num. 12.7.) Only a short time led Christ during his earthly life, this bar in a visible hand. After his ascension to heaven Peter came to Moses' authority. Him the church was entrusted to him by Christ of the rod. Peter touched with this letter, ie in the divine authority, Christ, the Church of Urfels, "the rock" but, says Paul, "Christ" (I. Cor. 10, 4) and elicits the healing waters of the doctrine and sacraments, in order to clean, clear and true to tell all the people who languish in the wilderness of unbelief and error in this world for truth and grace. So the first Christians sensualizes in an excellent picture of St. Apostle's teaching, priests and pastors violence. - This triple force exerted Peter also from 25 years in Rome. - The city of Rome now, once the center of the pagan world, the capital of Christianity, formerly the headquarters of lies and deceit, is now the center and seat of truth, formerly the seat of the pagan Pontifex Maximus is now the seat of the Christian pontiff, the Pope. - To him that with Rome, the center of truth and Peter, the teacher of the truth in communication, peace is secured. Nice press this thought the following two early Christian writings from grave:
+ EXVPERRANTIA D. XV. KL. SEPT:
HIC EST DEPOSITARY IN PACE ROME; QVAE
BIXIT PM STUDENT CANTEENS III.
. Exuperantia died on the fifteenth day of the Kalends of September, is buried here in the peace of Rome;. She lived about 3 months "
RVTA OMNIBVS SVBDITA ET ATFABI-
LIS BIBET In Nomine PETRI IN PACE.
"Ruta, Allen obsequious and affable, lives in the name of Peter in peace."
We have seen that St. Apostle Peter, 9 years after the death of his divine Master and Lord, under Emperor Claudius in Rome came to pass, there was a Christian community, opened his chair and died of the torture death. This is an undeniable fact. How, then, in an election the realm of legally elected prince as the legitimate successor to the late king in all honors and right its same thing happens, he also attained the highest power to maintain his dignity, to protect its prerogatives and exercise, as the same in a word, his previous king and, as such before the law one and the same person with the deceased - so were the Roman popes, by which legislative elections the episcopal See of Rome ascended as the successor of Peter, also the owner of his dignity, of all his Reche, all his absolute power. - "Peter lives in the popes on his to continue the see of Rome, and he shall preside and preach infallible from his chair (ex cathedra), the true teaching of Christ, because the Holy Spirit is the one who saved him from all error and by he says. "
this is aptly expressed in the following, with the chisel in marble buried visual, Cömeterium on Via Labicana . At the top of the chair is the divine dove, the image of the Holy Spirit. The hangings, which he surrounds, points to the high regard in which the See of Peter was the first Christian centuries. The Roman Church is, therefore, as I said, first and foremost. Even St. Bishop and martyr Ignatius, disciple of the Apostle John, calls them "the head of the covenant of love" *) (* Epist. Ad. Rome. C. 1) , ie the whole of Christendom. - From this, wrote the Roman church of St. Irenaeus, bishop and martyr (+ 202): "This church must its powerful precedence for all churches agree " and he gives the reason of which arising, when he writes: "because in it are the apostolic tradition obtained is " **) (** Adv haere L. 3 c. 3) says St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage (+ 258) and also martyr of the Lord..." Peter is On the whole Church of the unit due founded, this apostle is the center of the church. Its primacy (primacy), he transferred to the Roman Church, hence the bishop's chair is the same in the See of Peter and the Church of Rome, the first and foremost. * (* De unitate Eccl.) But is the Church of Rome, the first and foremost, has opened in it the apostles Peter's chair, she has maintained the apostolic tradition always faithful, never had her a Error entry, then us their first believing children, both above and below the earth and those who can use it to give the head and the mother of all churches, stood in the closest connection, the safest clue what they believed in themselves and their fellow have hoped and loved and we are then able to recognize as surely as the Catholic Church at this day which is, as the church of the early centuries.
Among the first Christians, but on the ground probably the most proven tools that men who passed through speech, writing and holy life, the first Christian communities, a lot of infidel converted, and the teaching of Jesus Christ to their defended opponents and enemies. It is called the Apostolic Fathers of the Church because they have not seen the Apostles and runs with them, as Saint. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Justin, etc. No less reliable witnesses Doctors of the Church, which, because of their contributions to the church's science and their learning recognized as representatives of the Church's doctrine of the church. They include the holy Bishop Irenaeus, Tertullian in the early years of his conversion, St.. Cyprian, St. Cyril etc., who lived in the first four centuries, cost of spoken and written for the holy faith and unbelief, and Irr-down fighting. Their posthumous writings allow us a clear insight into the religious life of early Christians.
this witness of the early Christians schhließen above the earth at the holy martyrs with their sayings, beliefs and speeches before the judge chairs the Gentiles. In them was fulfilled the word of the Saviour: "If they lead you, and deliver, so Bear in mind not before, which sollet talk to her, but what you will be entered at the same hour, that speak, because you are not to speak, but the Holy Spirit. " promised (Mark 13.11.) The same spirit of truth, which Christ and his church sent and who taught all truth, also spoke of the sacred Martyrs, and their Bekentnisse and speeches before the judge chairs and in the sight of certain death infallible reliable evidence for the teachings of Christianity in the early centuries and the files are on their glorious martyrdom and their Bekentnisse have before the judges of the highest credibility, for there are
- these martyrs own hand, authentic court records because they were by the judges or governors dictated by their official duties and recorded by the clerk. They include the questions of the judges, the responses of the martyrs and the verdict. The Christians, who love to written messages through the heroic commitment and to have the end of their holy martyrs demanded bought now under the applause of the bishops and with large sum of money these court documents. Sometimes gave the clerk, copies of the logs themselves to purchase, or brought, if they were secret Christians, priests or bishops them as precious gifts. This they completed at the details of passing the torture and death.
- Very often urged the Christians themselves at great risk in the court room to hear and see what was happening and what has taken others orally or in writing.
- Sometimes the holy martyrs, written in prison, even a history of sustained Peine and confessions, which were then completed by their friends or confidants. Early on
- presented to the bishops own reliable secretary or notary, who had faithfully record what daily with the martyrs in the dungeons or going public in the court rooms or on the battlefield. Thus, the St. Pope Clement I of Rome around the year 1991 some notaries appointed for certain districts, this was before Pope Fabian (236) seven subdeacons whose duty it was, inter alia, to review the notes from the notaries acts to correct and then the head submit to the church for review and approval.
- The biggest storms of persecution, which usually first met the bishops and priests, could not always capture the passion of the martyrs. - Only at a standstill eingetretenem one began to design from the fragments of the court documents or from what was heard from credible and reliable Müännern, a summary of the writing and recording what was generally known. Easily in these files to see what the court records is removed.
They were in this way in the times of the three centuries of persecution of the church created martyrs in the celebration of the death anniversary of a martyr (this natalitius) read to the faithful to encourage perseverance, and at home, they read like the faithful to build on to the beautiful examples of the holy martyrs, and in the days of suffering and sorrow to comfort themselves. From this large-esteem of the holy martyrs of the files can probably assume that one early on made every effort to collect them. However, received over time many lost. The most proven acts can be found in the great works of Bollandus and in the famous works of the Bendiktiners Theodoric Ruinart, which contained confessions in this book and sayings of the holy martyrs are taken, and make claim to full credibility können.Die Holy Church Fathers therefore, and the teachers of the Church from the first four centuries of Christianity and the holy martyrs with their blood were with written confessions, should be the first Christians above ground, that teach us that what they believed, hoped and loved. - But it is time that we descend into the Totengrüfte there and also ask those Christians over here, because the are embedded in the ground to eternal rest, and await the glorious resurrection contrary.
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