Many erect stones, ornamented with hieroglyphic figures, are of pagan origin, as that on the side of Clwyn Macnos, or Clon Macnois, in Ireland[1]; as are some of those adorned with knots, flowers, and other devices, which are commonly called Danish. After the introduction of christianity some of these termini or boundary stones had representations of Christ's crucifixion cut on them, which was considered as removing them from the service of the devil, and afterwards stones which had been erected in the times of paganism obtained the name of crosses, although they had not any resemblance of Christ's crucifixion cut on them.
This ancient practice of consecrating pagan antiquities to religious purposes has been continued to modern times; several of the popes dedicated many of the most valuable works of art to christian saints. Pope Sixtus the fifth purified the Antonine column, and consecrated it to St. Paul the apostle, whose statue in brass, of a colossal size, he placed on the top[2]. This pope also consecrated the Trajan pillar, and dedicated it to St. Peter, placing on the top a colossal statue of that apostle in brass[3]. Pope Paul the fifth removed a column from the Temple of Peace, whose shaft is forty-eight feet high, and erected it before the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, and placed on its summit a brazen statue of the blessed virgin[4]. Succeeding popes followed these examples, and dedi-
- ↑ See Pl. XVII. fig. 1.
- ↑
Sixtus V. Pont. Max.
Cruci invictæ
Obeliscum Vaticanum
ab impura Superstitione
expiatum, justius
et felicius consecravit
Anno 1586. Pontif. 2. - ↑
Sixtus V. Pont. Max.
Obeliscum Vaticanum
Diis Gentium
impio cultu dicatum
Ad Apostolorum limina
operoso labore transtulit
Anno 1586. - ↑ See Lumifden's Antiquities of Rome, London, 1797, 410. p. 347, 387, et alibi.
cated
