Msg Base:  AREA 3  - ASK FATHER (AMDG)
  Msg No: 16.  Wed  7-29-92 22:18  (NO KILL)
    From: Father Mateo
      To: Mike O'donnell
 Subject: "The Robe"

MO|Hi, Father:
 
MO|     I recently bought the video of "The Robe" which I remember seeing as a
  |4th grader in 1954!  I thought the children would like it.  They watched it
  |and thought it  was  O.K.  I  then  bought  the sequel,  "Demetrius and the
  |Gladiators" and they liked it  so much  they pulled out  "The Robe", saw it
  |again, then saw "Gladiators" I think about 3 more times!  Both  movies were
  |excellent,  but the children were wondering how much of it was fact and how
  |much was  "literary license."   (Which in turn, aroused my curiosity.)  For
  |example,  is it known how  Peter made his way to  Rome?    According to the
  |movie,  he went with  Marcellus Gallio,  a Roman  tribune who  actually put
  |Jesus to death and then converted to Christianity, and his slave Demetrius.
  |Marcellus was then himself put to death,  along with his wife Diana, by the
  |emperor Caligula - is this part known to be true?
 
MO|     Incidently,  (I don't know  if you've seen "The Robe", but..) the last
  |scene, after Marcellus was condemned, in which Diana told Caligula that she
  |would rather go with her husband than live another hour under him, prompted
  |a discussion among our children about whether she was committing suicide by
  |condemning herself - I *think* I handled it O.K., but I may be back if they
  |ask more questions!   I have given them several examples of martyrs and the
  |circumstances under which they died.
 
MO|     Speaking of martyrs, in an earlier post,  I asked you about St. Thomas
  |More -- thank you for your response.   I was able to locate and purchas the
  |video of "A Man For All Seasons" - we'll watch it as a family this weekend.
 
MO|Thank you,
  |Mike
 
Dear Mike,
 
The New Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 11, says (p. 204): "It is quite
certain that Peter spent his last years in Rome....  All that can be
said with certainty is that he went to Rome and was martyred there."
His martyrdom is usually dated A.D. 64 or 65 under Nero not Caligula).
 
Some of "The Robe's" story is drawn from the unhistorical, apocryphal
"Acts of Peter", including the character Marcellus.  This book was
written about 190 A.D., long after the events it supposedly relates.
In the "Acts", Marcellus is a Roman senator.  At first a Christian, he
fell under the influence of Simon Magus.  Under Peter's guidance he
repented and was a witness of Peter's martyrdom.  He took Peter's body
down from the cross.
 
The Roman Martyrology for October 7 honors Marcellus in these words:
"At Rome, the holy martyrs Marcellus and Apuleius, who at first were
followers of Simon Magus, but seeing the wonders performed through the
Apostle Peter, they abandoned Simon and embraced the apostolic doctrine.
After the death of the apostles, under the proconsul Aurelian, they won
the crown of martyrdom and were buried near the City."
 
I do not know how much of this is historical--very little, I suspect.
The martyrology is undoubtedly a safer guide than the apocryphal "Acts".
 
I do not know the circumstances of Peter's journey to Rome.  The famous
"Quo vadis" scene is taken from the "Acts of Peter".
 
You have budding moral theologians in your home.  If Diana had asked
me beforehand, I would have advised her to keep quiet unless she was
challenged.  If she was accused of being a Christian, she would have
to admit it.  It is sinful for a Christian to deny being a Christian,
but she doesn't have to volunteer the information.  HOWEVER, if
silence would give scandal, then she must speak.
 
Martyrdom is considered a supernatural act on the part of the martyr.
It is not mere stoic fortitude.  Without doubt, the Holy Spirit is
active in martyrs and may inspire the martyr in ways not treated in
moral theology manuals.
 
I hope this helps.  It gave me an interesting hour in the library!
 
 
                                        Sincerely in Christ,
 
                                                Father Mateo
 
 
.ORIGIN: 043/001 - THE ANGELUS,      -the Word became flesh        
                                and made his dwelling among us -   
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