Chapter 33. Sfondrato discovers the body of St

The fervent piety of Sfondrato and his success in discovering Cecilia's tomb, inspired him, some years later, with the thought of trying to find the body of St. Agnes in her Basilica outside the walls, on the Nomentana road.

Martyred at the age of thirteen, under the Emperor Diocletian, about seventy years after the death of St. Cecilia, Agnes shares with her the homages of Home and of Catholicity. Sfondrato was destined to discover this new treasure, and to prepare a worthy triumph for this heroic child whose pure life and courageous death place her upon a level with the daughter of the Cecilii.

Clement VIII. had yielded his great soul to God. The pontificate of his successor, Leo XL, was very short, and in 1605, the Apostolic Senate confided the destinies of the Church to the powerful and faithful hands of Paul V. Scarcely was the Conclave over, when Sfondrato who had generously determined to restore at his own expense the Basilica of St. Agnes, commenced his work ; he would not however permit the architects to begin, until he himself had directed a search for the relics of the holy martyr.

On Friday, the 7th of October, 1605, he repaired to the Church of St. Agnes, accompanied by the Chevalier Sasso-Ferrato, a gentleman of his household, and brother Nicostrato, an oblate of the monastery of St. Peter, in Vincoli The presence of the latter was necessary, as the Nomentana Basilica was a dependency of the monastery of St. Peter. Sfondrato had considered it most probable that the main altar of the Basilica covered the bodies of Saints Agnes and Emerentiana, her foster-sister, and, like her, a virgin and martyr. He presumed that Honorius I. had deposited the sacred remains of both saints in this place.

The altar was lined with slabs of white marble, artistically inserted, one into the other, and the upper part was covered with a large plate of porphyry, which had not been removed since the seventh century. The face of the altar, on the side of the grand nave, was remarkable for the fenestella destined to receive the lamps which burned in honor of the Saints ; the other side, facing the apsis, was covered with a solid slab of marble ; and this^ Sfondrato decided to remove.

After taking away the slab of porphyry which covered the altar, the workmen endeavored to remove the marble tablet which was laid vertically on the side of the heini cycle. It was only after repeated efforts that they succeeded in taking away enough cement to enable them to discern several white marble tablets arranged as if to protect some precious relic under the altar. Encouraged by the prospect of success, the workmen labored with increasing diligence, and before the end of the day, reached the tomb, which was built like a vault. But the marble slabs were joined with such strong cement, that it was almost impossible to break it. They were obliged to bore several places with instruments suited for the purpose. Through the apertures thus made, they were enabled, with the assistance of a light, to distinguish the bodies of the two virgins, lying side by side, under the little vault which was about five feet long. Night interrupted their labor. Sfondrato and his companions, after returning thanks to God for their success, retired, with the resolution of resuming their search the next morning.

The following day, Saturday, 8th of October, the Cardinal returned to the Basilica with the same persons. They were accompanied by Stephen Benassai, his auditor, Father Felix Veronico, Curate of the church of St. Lawrence in Damaso, and a gentleman from Modena, named Crigino. By some fortunate circumstance, Cardinal Aquaviva visited the Basilica towards evening, and thus another important witness was added to the number already present, as if to render the Invention of the sacred bodies still more solemn.

Intelligent and skilful workmen had been employed, but the cement was so solid that they were obliged to labor from two o'clock in the afternoon, until two o'clock at night, before they could open a sufficiently large space to enable them to reach the relics.

Finally, all obstacles being removed, Sfondrato was enabled to feast his eyes upon the eagerly longed-for treasure The martyrs were each laid upon a tablet of white marble, supported at either end upon an iron bar. These tablets, which had been thus raised from the ground, to prevent the effects of humidity, had been also pierced with a number of holes, in order to give access to the air. Three other tablets, similar to the first, were elevated by iron bars above the holy bodies. The wellcemented marble vault had protected this glorious sepulchre for a thousand years.

The two virgins were lying on their backs, and turned towards the East, according to the Christian custom. The bones, which had rested directly upon the marble, had remained solid and joined ; but the other bones had crumbled into dust. Near the figure on the right, they discovered a small quantity of some substance which they easily recognized as the coagulated remains of the blood collected by the faithful. This enabled them to distinguish Agnes from her companion. They also discovered near the two bodies, a little earth, which had doubtless been impregnated with their blood, and on this account, placed in their sepulchre. Some fragments of a light silken texture were found, which were evidently remnants of their veils.

Although the night was already far advanced, Sfondrato thought it would be very imprudent to

S06 LIFE OF SAINT CECILIA.

leave these holy relics exposed to the indiscreet curiosity of those who would not fail to hasten to the Basilica the next morning, to see the result of the work which had been going on for two days. He had previously ordered a wooden box lined with purple silk embroidered with gold. With the assistance of his auditor and Father Felix Veronico, he deposited in this box the bones which had remained entire, carefully distinguishing the precious remains of the two martyrs. This operation required great precaution, for the bones would have crumbled into dust, if not very delicately handled. The box being closed and sealed, was carried to an inner chapel of the monastery adjoining the Basilica, and covered with drapery. The dust of the bones, the remains of coagulated blood, and the earth of which we have spoken, were> carefully collected and placed in two beautiful antique vases which Sfondrato had brought for the purpose. One urn was consecrated to Agnes, the other to Emerentiana."*

Such were the circumstances attending the Invention of the body of St. Agnes. The reader will readily perceive that in many points it differs from the discovery of St. Cecilia's tomb. The precious remains of the Virgin Agnes had already partly suffered the common fate which condemns the body of man to return to the dust of which it was originally formed ; the mortal remains of Cecilia were preserved intact in her sepulchre. The virgin who suffered

• An interesting account of this Invention may be found in Boldetti. Ossereazioni. sopra. i., Cimiterj de Santi Martiri, pages

684^686.

martyrdom under Alexander Severus, could easily ' be recognized by the description given in her Acts ; whereas the virgin, executed by command of Diocletian, could only be identified by means of antique documents which gave reason to suppose that Pope Honorius had buried her under the altar of the Nomentana Basilica.

We do not wish by this comparison to detract from the glory of the illustrious Agnes, whose memory is dear to us, and to whom we should be most happy to consecrate a biography worthy of her; but we cannot refrain from pointing out the preference shown by heaven for the daughter of the Cecilii. Did she not herself reveal to Paschal that the Queen of Heaven watched over her forgotten tomb ?

And if we would discover the motive of Mary's vigilance over Cecilia's remains, do we not find it in the ineffable resemblance between the Spouse of Valerian and the Spouse of Joseph, both having given the world the sublime example of virginity in the married state? The body of Mary, exempt from original sin, sanctified by the Divine Maternity, was assumed into heaven amidst choirs of angels ; the body of Cecilia, participating in our fallen nature, but elevated by the immortal virtue of purity, remained thirteen centuries in the bowels of the earth without suffering dissolution. Let us return thanks to the heavenly Spouse who protected His beloved even in the tomb; and let us glorify the Queen of Virgins who honored in Cecilia one of her own most noble prerogatives.

Paul V. imitated the example of Clement V11I., and presented a silver casket to contain the relics of the glorious martyr whose Invention honored his Pontificate. Emerentiana was also placed in this splendid casket. The greater part of the glory of this new solemnity, which was far inferior to that offered Cecilia, was due to the exertions of the pious Cardinal, who seemed to have received the mission of presenting to the Holy City her most august and best beloved saints. Sfondrato was not satisfied with contributing to Cecilia's glory in the Basilica where she reposes ; he desired to give the other sanctuaries dedicated to the illustrious Virgin, proofs of his pious solicitude. He commenced with the little Church of St. Cecilia de domo in the Campus Martius.

This sanctuary was once a dependency of the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Damaso ; at a later period, it was attached to the Church of St. Lawrence in Lucina, on account of its neighborhood to the latter Basilica. But the divine service being carelessly performed, Sfondrato decided to place the church under the charge of two Dominican friars, for whose maintenance he would himself provide. After the Cardinal's death, Paul V. felt bound in honor to carry out his pious intention by Apostolic authority, and therefore issued a Brief, dated 23d of January, 1622, in which after commending Sfondrato's piety towards* the church, he first suppressed the title of Saint Blaise which had been attached to this sanctuary, and then taking it from the jurisdiction of the Church of St. Lawrence in Lucina, subjected it in perpetuity to the titulary Cardinal of Saint Cecilia. Finally, he assigned in favor of the two Dominican friars, a salary of three hundred and twenty-five Eoman crowns, to be drawn from the revenues of the Abbot of " Our Lady of the Column," in the diocese of Piacenza.* We have spoken elsewhere of the Church of St. Cecilia a Monte-Giordano which also belonged to the Basilica of Saint Lawrence in Damaso. This Church was falling to ruins. Sfondrato had determined to rebuild it and had laid the first corner stone of the new edifice on the 21st of June, 1602. Later, in 1621, after Sfondrato's death, the Oratorian Fathers of Saint Philip de Neri, wishing to enlarge their house of Vellicella, earnestly begged Gregory XV. to permit them to demolish this church which interfered with their architect's plans. The Pontiff granted the request on condition that the principal altar of the celebrated chapel, called the Oratory, which was to be built on the site of the church, should be dedicated to St. Cecilia conjointly with St. Philip Neri; and that the altar piece should represent these two saints, the illustrious Virgin being on the right. f This condition was faithfully complied with.- The picture was painted by Vanni. In the upper part, he has represented the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. Every year on the 22d of November, the festival of St. Cecilia is celebrated as a patronal feast, and thus the beautiful thought of Sfondrato has been perpetuated to our day. The pious Cardinal who so zealously honored the memory of the Spouse of Christ, was no less devoted to the Queen of Heaven. We will illustrate this by a single incident.

• Biblioth. Vaticane. MSS. do Galetti. Santa Cecilia. \ Bref Cum ad uberes, du 7 des Kalondos do Novombro.

Having been promoted by Paul V., to the Legation of Bologna, his first thought was to visit and venerate the house of Loretto. In the enthusiasm of his respectful love for the Virgin, he mounted to the ebony statue which represents the Queen of this Holy House, and taking from his finger a magnificent diamond ring, worth five hundred gold crowns, he placed it on the finger of the miraculous image. In returning to Eome, he passed by Loretto, and hung round the neck of the Madonna, a gold cross set with eight superb emeralds. He also desired to offer a worthy tribute to the divine Infant whom the Blessed Mother holds in her arms Before starting for his legation, he presented the Son with a diamond ring far surpassing the one he had offered to the Mother. He himself placed it upon the iinger of the Holy child, and until the spoliation of the sanctuary of Loretto in 1797, this diamond by its wonderful brilliancy attracted the admiration of all the pilgrims who visited the shrine.*

In 1607, Sfondrato was called to the Bishopric of Cremona, in the province of Milan, which had lately lost its great Archbishop St. Charles. The illustrious Cardinal Frederick Borromeo, nephew of the holy Archbishop, was faithfully imitating his uncle's virtues in the See of St. Ambrose. Sfondrato's arrival was a great consolation to Frederick, as they had both chosen for their model the celebrated Pontiff whose recent loss still deeply grieved the Church. Sfondrato, to whom the city of Eome owes the beautiful

• Ciacconius Vitce Romanorum Pontijicum at S. R. E. Cardie nalium. Tome iv. p. 226.

Church of St. Charles al Corso, obtained from Frederick for this sanctuary the heart of the invincible reformer of discipline and of Christian morals. In the year 1611, our pious Cardinal was recalled to Rome. Paul V elevated him to the Bishopric of Albano, and Sfondrato was obliged to leave his See of Cremona where his memory is still gratefully preserved. As he had been appointed Titulary of one of the Suburbicarian Sees, he could no longer, according to the ordinary rule, retain the simply Presbyterial Church of St. Cecilia ; but Sfondrato could not think of confiding to another, the precious deposit which the Virgin herself had given him.

He therefore solicited and obtained from Paul V., as a reward for his generosity towards the trans-Tiberian Basilica, the favor of retaining it, in commendam together with the Bishopric which he had been forced to except.

His Administration of the Church of Albano was of 'short duration; but it was marked by his inexhaustible charity to the poor. Each year, he distributed among them the whole of his Episcopal revenue, without diminishing the alms he continued to bestow in Rome, whither the functions of his eminent dignity frequently called him.*

In 1614, the Roman Ritual, published by Paul V., completed the series of liturgical books, for the use of the Universal Church. The publication of this work had been left by the Council of Trent to the Sovereign Pontiff.

• Ciacconius Vita Romanorum Pont\ficum el S» R. E* Canlinulium. Tome iv. page 227.

Catholicity owes it to Sfondrato's exertions. He induced Paul V., to undertake the compilation of this manual for the use of the priests in the administration of the Sacraments. He was one of the most assiduous members of the committee appointed by the Pope to prepare this important work; and he superintended its compilation with untiring solicitude.

Sfondrato* died at Tivoli, on the 14th of February, 1618, in the fifty seventh year of his age. The sad news reached the nuns of Santa Cecilia on the morning of the following day. Nothing can express their grief on hearing of this unexpected death ; we find in the Chronicle of the Monastery : " That several of the Sisters fainted, and that the dinner of that day was untouched."!

Ever constant in his love for St. Cecilia, Sfondrato made his will in favor of her Basilica ; he had for eighteen years renounced his own name, and assumed that of Cardinal of St. Cecilia.^

• Ciacconius Vitae Romanorum Pontificum et S. R. E. Cardinaliuin. Tome iv. page 226. The Vatican Library is indebted to Sfondrato's generosity'for the valuable Greek Menology, attributed to the Emperor Basil. It was published in 1727, with Byzantine illustrations, at the expense of Cardinal Annibal Albani. It is one of the most interesting monuments of the Melchite Liturgy.

f Chroniche del venerabile monasteri do Santa Cecilia.

J In the correspondence of Cardinal d'Ossat, we find two letters which Sfondrato had addressed through this ambassador to Henry IV., and to Marie de Medicis, to obtain from France some reli«s for the Basilica. D'Ossat, in sending these letters, advised the king to address his reply to the Cardinal of St. Cecilia, because, he adds, he wishes to be called by this title and not by his surname! (Letters du Cardinal d'Ossat, 26 Aont 1602, tome iv. page 304). We find the same thing in a public document rela-

Some extracts from the will of this Cardinal, will probably, interest our readers, as his name will always be united with that of St. Cecilia in the annals of Christianity.

"In the first place," says Paul Emilius Sfondrato. " I recommend my soul with perfect submission to my gracious Eedeemer, Jesus Christ ; to his most Holy and ever Blessed Mother, the most pure Virgin Mary, the true advocate of sinners ; to the glorious Apostles Peter and Paul ; to my glorious and most faithful protectress, St. Cecilia; to St. Agnes, my special advocate ; to St. Mary Magdalen, St. Thecla, St. Joseph, Sts. Lucius, Urban, Valerian, Tiburtius, and Maximus, and all the Saints towards whom I have any special devotion, or who have been my protectors; that I may be found worthy of the Divine Mercy, and may be admitted into their society forever. I wish my body to be buried in the Church of my beloved St. Cecilia, in the tomb I have caused to be made under the Confession before the altar of the Saint."

Then follow the Cardinal's directions relative to the religious services, and the alms to be distributed on the day of his funeral. After requesting the most simple obsequies, with merely twelve torches, he adds :

ting to the laying of the corner stone in tho rebuilding of St. Cecilia's Church, a Monto Giordano. The following is an extract from the verbal process of this ceremony : Ob idqne Cardinalia Sanctae Ca3cilia), relicta propria bus nobilissima «'t antiquiasims familial denominatione, nuncupari eta ppeUarl volnit, amoreatque devotionis zelo erga eamdem Beatam CooUiam ftagrana atque incensus. (MSS. du Vatican, (Jalletti.) BfondratO in this respect followed the example of St. Charles Borromeo, who always signed himself Cardinal of St. IVaxrdcs, and iu'\vr Cardinal Borromeo.

" 1 appoint as my sole legatee, the Church of St. Cecilia, in the Trastevere, where her holy body reposes." The legacy is to be employed in the following manner. First of all, ninety lamps are to be kept burning day and night, and fed with the purest oil. Four chaplains, one of whom is to have the title of guardian of St. Cecilia's body, are to officiate in the Basilica. They are to visit the chapel daily and are to be assisted by two clerks. Moreover, there is to be a layman charged with the care of the bronzes and marble of the Confession, as well as with the feeding and lighting of the lamps. The chaplains, clerks, and laymen, are forbidden to enter into the service of any other person, even though he be a Cardinal.

Sfondrato bequeathed to his Basilica all the relics he had collected in its treasury. The smallest portion of these can never be removed, and each Abbess, on entering upon her office, is obliged to take an oath faithfully to observe these directions. He also requested that there should be three keys to the treasury, one of which should be entrusted to the Abbess, the second to the Prioress, and the third to the Mistress of Novices.

The Cardinal also made other legacies to different persons or establishments. To the duke, his brother, his patrimonial estates ; to his cathedral church of Albano, all his pontifical ornaments and all his silver church vessels; to the Madonna of Loretto, a gold heart worth one hundred crowns, and " I wish," he adds, " that it be suspended round her neck in memory of the love I have desired to feel for her." To this donation, the Cardinal adds the superb ring he was in the habit of wearing, and which was remarkable for a very valuable cameo.

The codicil contains the following legacies.

To his sister Angelica Agatha, a ring containing relics of St. Cecilia.

To the Duke Hercules, his brother, Vanni's picture of St. Cecilia expiring. This is a different one from that placed by the Cardinal in the Crypt of the Basilica, upon the altar of the holy martyr.

To his second brother, the marquis, a painting of St. Agnes.

To Cardinal Farn&se, his large painting of St. Peter weeping over his sin.

To Cardinal Giustiniani, the Ecce Homo of Sodomi.

To the Convent of The Minerva, a portrait of St. Thomas, life size. To the professed house of the Gesu, the painting in which the Cardinal is represented kneeling before St. Cecilia and the other saints to whom he had a special devotion.

To the barefoot Carmelites, an oval picture of the Madonna.

After this enumeration, Sfondrato adds, "I bequeath the remainder to the Saint." Then he concludes with the following directions: "For the honor and glory of my dear Saint Agnes and of her holy body, I leave two hundred and fifty measures (boccali) of oil annually, to feed ten lamps which arc to burn night and day, and I charge the Abbess of St. Cecilia with the execution of this bequest;'

This will, an everlasting memorial of the Car dmal's piety, bears the date of the 6th of August, 1615.

Sfondrato's body was carried from Tivoli to the. Church of St. Cecilia and placed near the Communion rail, so that the sisters might contemplate the mortal remains of him who had been their protector and their father. It was not deemed necessary to conform to the humble Cardinal's request respecting his obsequies. The Abbess and the religious of St. Cecilia desired that they should be celebrated with all possible pomp and solemnity.

So great a man could only be buried at the feet of the Virgin whom he had so tenderly loved. He had already caused his tomb to be prepared in the crypt where she reposes, and had had engraved upon a slab of porphyry the inscription he had composed as his last homage to the martyr. We have frequently, by the light of torches, read it in this gloomy vault, near Cecilia's body, and we have envied the happiness of him whose mortal remains it covers, and who sleeps, humbly buried under a pavement never trodden by the footsteps of the profane. It is thus conceived :

PALVS TITVLI S. C-flECILLZB S. R. E. PRESB.

CARD. SFONDRATVS MISERRIMVS PECCATOR

ATQUE EIUSDEM VIRGINIS HVMUJS SERVVS

HIC AD EIVS PEDES HVMILITER REQVIESCIT.

VIXIT ANNOS LVII. MENSES X. DIES XXV.

OBIIT ANNO MDCXVIII. MENSE FEBR. DIE XIV.

ORATE DEVM PRO EO.*

Paul Sfondrato, a Cardinal Priest of the Holy Roman Church, a Titulary of St. Cecilia, a poor sinner, and an humble servant of this holy Virgin, here lies humbly at her feet. He lived fifty-seven years, ten months, and tweuty-five days, and died on the 14th of February, 1626. Pray to God for him.

This touching and simple epitaph, concealed from every eye in the depths of a crypt, was not sufficient to record the glory and merits of Sfondrato. The executors of his will erected a magnificent cenotaph to the Cardinal, under the right lateral nave, near the sacristy, at the spot where the Ponziani chapel formerly opened into the Basilica. On this monument is placed the bust of the Cardinal ; the hands are joined, and the mozetta is of colored marble. On the right, is a statue of St. Cecilia, holding in her hand a miniature organ ; on the left, one of St. Agnes with a lamb. A bass-relief on the upper part of the monument, represents Sfondrato presenting St. Cecilia's body to Clement VIII. These details are unfortunately very badly executed. The cenotaph is completed by an inscription recording the services rendered by Cardinal Paul Emilius Sfondrato to the Church and to St. Cecilia.

DEO. TRINO. VNI.

PAVLO. SFONDRATO. CARD. EPISC. ALBAN.

GREG. XIV. FR. FIL. BONONIEN. LEGATO.

SIGNATVR^S. GRATLE. PRJ3FECTO.

CREMONEN. PR.ESVLI. PIETATE. IN DEVM.

DIVOSQVE. ANIMARVM. STVDIO.

CHARITATE. IN. PAVPERES.

PLANE. MEMORANDO.

QVOD. SANCTIS. OECILIJE. CORPVS.

INSIGNI. SEPVLCRO. LVMINIBUS. AD.

CENTVM. PERPETVO. COLLVCENTIBVS.

TERRESTRI PROPE CGELO. DECORA VIT.

TEMPLUM EXORNATVM. SACERDOTIBVS. M1NISTRIS. PRETIOSIS.

VASIS. ET. KELIQUIIS AVCTVM.

H.EREDEM EX.

ASSE. RELIQVIT.

QVODQVE. OMNEM. EIVSMODI. RERVM.

MEMORIAM. VIVENS. REPVLIT.

DEMORTVO. ANNO ^TATIS. LVII. SAL.

MDCXVIII.

ORDOARDVS. CARD. FARNESIVS. ET.

AVGVSTINVS. PACCINELLIVS. SENEN.

TESTAMENTARII. EXECVTORES.

P. P.*