emperor, Dec. 16th, A. D. 533. "Impatient to abolish
the temporal and spiritual tyranny of the Vandals, he proceeded, without
delay, _to the full establishment of the Catholic church_."--_Gibbon_,
Harpers' ed., v. 3, p. 67. Belisarius proceeded to the conquest of Italy,
which he effected, and marched on to Rome. Only 4000 soldiers were
stationed for its defence; and they could not oppose the wishes of the
Romans, who voluntarily submitted. Seized with a momentary enthusiasm,
"they furiously exclaimed that the apostolic throne should no longer be
profaned by the triumph or toleration of Arianism; that the tombs of the
Caesars should no longer be trampled on by the savages of the north; and
without reflecting that Italy must sink into a province of Constantinople,
they fondly hailed the restoration of a Roman emperor as a new era of
freedom and prosperity. The deputies of the Pope and clergy, of the senate
and people, invited the lieutenant of Justinian to accept their voluntary
allegiance, and to enter the city." Thus was "the city, after sixty years'
servitude delivered from the yoke of the barbarians," Dec. 10, A. D. 536.
And "the Catholics prepared to celebrate, without a rival, the approaching
festival of the nativity of Christ."--_Ib._ p. 80.

In the winter, the Ostrogoths made preparations, and besieged Rome with an
army of 150,000 fighting men. Pope Sylverius was suspected of treachery,
and on proof that he had communicated with the enemy, he was banished by
Belisarius. At the emperor's command, the clergy of Rome proceeded to the
choice of a new bishop, and elected "deacon Virgilius, who had purchased
the papal throne by a bribe of two hundred pounds of gold."--_Ib._ p. 85.
As he had obtained the papal seat by fraud, it was claimed that he was not
the lawful Pope; but in A. D. 538, he was owned as such by the 5th General
Council, and the whole Christian world.--See Bowers' _Hist. Popes_, v. 2,
p. 374. In March of this year (538),--after "one year and nine days"--the
Ostrogoths raised the siege of Rome, and burned their tents--one-third of
their number having perished under its walls. The arms of Justinian
triumphed, and the Catholic hierarchy was established. The third horn had
been plucked up by the fall of the third of the first ten divisions of
Rome.

The Bishop of Constantinople did not submit willingly to the Primacy of
Rome. On the death of Justinian, the supremacy of the Pope was utterly
denied; and, in A.