Respondit ad secundum: "PROVISUM IN PRIMO".
Ideoque declaravit confirmandum esse decretum anni 1668.
Facta autem de praemissis Sanctissimo Domino Nostro PIO PAPAE IX. a subscripto Secretario accurata omnium expositione, Sanctitas Sua sententiam Sacrae Congregationis ratam habuit et confirmavit, atque praesens decretum expediri praecepit.
Die 10 Decembris 1863.
C. Episcopus Portuen. et S. Rufinae CARD. PATRIZI,
S. R. C. Praef.
D. Bartolini S. R. C. Secretarius.
This Decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites contains the decision of a most important and interesting question. The decision itself is prefaced by an historical summary by help of which even those who hear of the question for the first time, are placed in a position to understand without trouble its nature and bearing. It is unnecessary to say anything concerning the early phases of the controversy about the value of the phial of blood, as a sign of martyrdom. Nor, after the decision just delivered, is it necessary to dwell upon the difficulties that have been urged in our own day against the ancient practice. In face of the clear and explicit declaration of the Sacred Congregation, such difficulties lose in Catholic eyes all the value which once might have been claimed for them. Nevertheless, it will not be without advantage to make some observations on the objections which have furnished the matter for the rigorous examination alluded to in the Decree.
Three of these objections are deserving of special attention.
1. Many of the sepulchres marked by the presence of the phial of blood bear, likewise, the names of consuls who flourished after the reign of Constantine. Now, the reign of Constantine put an end to the persecutions and brought peace to the Church. How, then, can the phials of blood be a sign of martyrdom, when they appear upon graves opened to receive those who died when the period of martyrdom had passed?
This difficulty, so serious at first sight, becomes much less serious when we consider that we must except from the number of these inscriptions, all such as belong to the reign of Julian the Apostate, in whose days there was certainly no lack of martyrs. This deduction made, the number of inscriptions, hitherto found, marked with the names of consuls posterior to Constantine, and in connection with the phial of blood, amounts to the comparatively insignificant number of about thirty. To account for this number of martyrs after Constantine, it is not necessary, on the one hand, to suppose a general persecution; and on the other, we have ample testimony to the existence of partial persecutions and outbreaks against the Christians, more than sufficient to have caused the death of a much greater number. In the first place, some of the Christian emperors were Arians, and as such little careful to protect the Catholics against the fury of the Pagans or of the heretics. Saint Felix II., Eusebius the Priest, and many others received the crown of martyrdom from this cause. In the next place, the orthodox emperors generally did not reside at Rome, which they governed by prefects, who were for the most part Pagans. Besides, the Roman nobility long continued, not only Pagan, but violently attached to Pagan superstitions. Among the people, too, there were many Pagans whose rage at the decay of their own religion, was provoked still more by the sight of the progress made by Christianity.
The state of Rome during this period will best be understood by the two following facts. In the year 369, the Prefect of Rome having rebuilt the portico of the Dei Consenti under the Capitol, whilst Valentinian I. was Emperor, and Saint Damasus was Pope, was bold enough to place on its front an inscription still to be read: "Deorum Consentium Sacrosancta Simulachra". The famous Altar of Victory, in the Capitol, was kept in its place of honour as late as the reign of Theodosius, notwithstanding the efforts of the preceding emperors to remove it. Nor could even that great emperor effect its removal without exciting tumults on the part of the Pagan senators. In such a state of society, lasting more or less for a century and a half, is it hard to find a place for the martyrdom of many and many a Christian?