Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman Martyrology, inserted by Baronius. Authority The Acts of the second Council of Nicaea.] During the second council of Nicaea (787), held to reestablish the veneration of sacred images, every available passage from the Fathers which could be tortured into showing approval of such veneration was produced. N ot only so, but fabulous stories, such as that of Duke Procopius, which is nothing but a religious romance, were gravely accepted as evidence that in the 4th century saints and martyrs worshipped images miraculously sculptured by the finger of God. A discourse was read, which was attributed to S. Athanasius, relating how that in the city of Berytus, some Jews ran a spear into an image of Christ, and that blood and water flowed from the wound. This blood and water was collected and proved miraculous, as all the sick persons who used it recovered health; whereupon the city was converted and embraced Christianity.1 The assembled bishops were melted to tears by this absurd tale, which it is needless to say was not written by S. Athanasius. Fleury very sensibly observes: “ There is great cause for doubting the truth of the story, which is certainly not by S. Athanasius. Although there were so many bishops assembled in the council, there does not appear to have been one endowed with a critical faculty; for this as well as other false testimonies was allowed to pass. This, however, does not impair the force of their decision, for it is sufficiently supported by genuine documents. But it is a proof of the ignorance of the times, and of the necessity which rests on men to know chronology, history, the difference in manners and in style, to be able to distinguish authentic documents from those which are apocryphal.” 2 It is much to be regretted that Baronius should have introduced the commemoration of this most apocryphal miracle into the modem Roman martyrology. 1 See Hefele, Die Christus-Bilder, in Wetter u.Welte; Kirchen Lexicon, ii. p. 590. A CANON AND HIS PATRON 8AINTS.