[1] “Pagus” signified “village.” The term “pagan” was first applied to the dwellers in rural districts, who, from the remoteness of their surroundings, were tardier in hearing of and embracing Christianity than the inhabitants of the cities.
[2] “A Diplomatist’s Wife in Many Lands.”
[3] Constantinople and Jerusalem were added in after times to the list, but only attained this honour by the consent of the reigning Pontiff.
[4] St. Ambrose, Sermo contra Auxentium, No. 13; Hegesipp., lib. III; S. Greg. Magn. in Psalm IV, Penitentiæ.
[5] Cardinal Pole, after much research, came to the conclusion that the site chosen for the Church of “Domine Quo Vadis” was a mistaken one, and erected a tiny circular chapel at another crossroad which he believed had witnessed the mysterious encounter. This chapel is a humble little building, only a few feet in diameter. St. Peter’s question is inscribed over the door.
[6] St. Clement was soon exiled to the Chersonesus, where he remained for several years before his martyrdom there, and St. Linus during his absence filled his place in Rome till the death of St. Clement and his own succession to the Pontificate. Hence, many historians call Linus the immediate successor of St. Peter. St. Clement occupied the Papal Chair for 9 years, 6 months and 6 days, and, whereas modern lay historians give the length of St. Linus’ reign as one year, he reigned in reality for 11 years, 2 months and 23 days. The confusion of the various Roman calendars at the time of the birth of our Lord gave rise to the errors in the calculation of that event and others following it. Our own accepted date is on that account some years removed from the true one.
[7] Taken from the epistle of St. Denis the Areopagite to Timothy, in which he narrates the incident and records the Apostles’ words.
[9] See “A Diplomatist’s Wife in Many Lands.”
[10] Until the year 844 the Popes had continued to bear their own names after being elected to the Throne, but when the choice fell on a holy and humble man called Peter, he refused to keep the name of the Prince of the Apostles and chose for himself that of Sergivs—a renunciation which instituted the custom, followed ever since, of the Pope’s selecting a new name on his accession.