Page 11 - The Leprosy of Constantine the Great

emperor. He dowered the Church with
the whole empire of Rome, and gave
liberty to the Christians in the time of the
blessed Pope Sylvester, who baptized him
and made him a Christian, and cleansed
him from leprosy by the power of Christ
in this wise. Constantine, being afflicted
with an incurable leprosy, was advised by
his physicians to take a bath of the blood
of innocent children; whereupon he sent
commands through all the city that those
women who had young children should
take them at once to the palace, which
was where St. John Lateran now stands,
when they should receive rich gifts from
the emperor. Crowds of women with
young children at their necks went
thither, and when they were assembled in
the court, where all was prepared to cut
the throats of the children, great
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