apostolicfathers0201clem - Carmel Apologetics

46 EPISTLES OF S. IGNATIUS.
decades of the fourth century his grave was shown in the_ Christian
cemetery, outside the Daphnitic gate' whicli
led from the city westward
to the famous suburb. Was it really the resting-place of this early
martyr Or did some monumental stone inscribed with the name
Ignatius— no uncommon name — give rise to the belief by a too hasty
identification This suspicion
is not unreasonable. The tradition
that the reliques were translated from Rome to Antioch cannot be
traced back earlier than this date ;
and it is at least more probable
than not, that his ashes would be mingled with Roman dust near the
scene of his martyrdom, indistinguishable
from the other countless
victims of the Flavian amphitheatre. About the same time, and perhaps
somewhat earlier, we find October 17 assigned to him as the day
of his earthly death, the day of his heavenly birth'.
It was on this anniversary that Chrysostom, then a presbyter of
Antioch, delivered his extant panegyric (0/>.
11.
p. 592 sq) on this
father of the Church, this ' good shepherd who '
in strict fulfilment
of the Lord's precept had laid down his life for his sheep (p. 593). He
accepts fully the story of the translation, and draws an imaginary
picture of the return of the reliques. They were borne aloft on men's
shoulders from city to city, like a victor returning in triumph, amidst
the applause of the bystanders. 'Ye sent him forth,' so he addresses
the Antiochenes— 'Ye sent him forth a bishop, and ye received him
a martyr; ye sent him forth with prayers, and ye received him with
crowns.'
'
Just as an inexhaustible '
treasure,' he adds, though drawn
upon from day to day, yet never failing, makes all those who share in it
the wealthier, so also this blessed Ignatius filleth those who come to
him with blessings, with confidence, with a noble spirit, and with much
braveness, and so sendeth them home' (p. 600 sq).
And in conclusion
he invites his hearers, in whatever trouble they may be, to 'come hither
and see the saint,' that they may find relief (p. 601). The homilies
of this famous preacher were commonly delivered in the ' Great
than his rage.' Can it be that Gibbon lating to the 'Babylas riots,' I am bound
read the first clause of the sentence and to say that I have found them full of
overlooked the second Tillemont (//. E. loose and inaccurate statements.
III. p. 406 sq) correctly describes the ^
Hieron. Catal. 16 ' Reliquiae ejus
successive migrations of the bones of Antiochiae jacent extra portam Daphni-
Babylas. ticam in coemeterio'; see below 11. pp.
Gibbon's command and marshalling 377 sq, 431 sq.
of facts is admirable; and he is gene-
See below 11. p. 418 sq, with rerally
credited with exceptional accuracy. gard to the day of S. Ignatius.
But having examined the two pages re-