Peter is shut up in a dark prison, yet not without light, nor can the shadows hide the Church's day with their tawny gloom: that fear makes a common punishment for all; the guarding of Peter was a public penalty; but the shepherd, his guardian being preserved, rules his own fold, whom the love that thrice confessed the Lord enriches with honor. From the name of the Rock having the name "Peter," he bears eternal titles, carrying foundations that shall never suffer ruin. "O you awaited by your own, and dear in all time, even now to us, O Peter, come! Go out together with all whom the former nature goads!" Now in the deep night the angel, bearing the stars, enters the prison-cells shining, with day accompanying him; with heaven's minister coming, the prison's shadow flees;
the shadows, being driven off, perished, with the new morning-star shining; the black color is banished, and the nocturnal twilight, changed, beholds the sun. With the band of guards hemming him in, amid his chains Peter had sleep in the body, but while there kept watch in him that faith which knows not to sleep — this the Song of Songs proclaims: "I sleep, yet wakeful in heart." Learn, you who have merited to be reborn from the clear font, the joyful teachings of the figure, and behold with devout heart what form abides in Peter's hallowed body; the angel himself teaches this way of open virtue; touching the side, he struck where in the Church the head stands; from which side the messenger knew it had arisen, from there he lifts him. To the side of the ark Noah fastened the holy doors, the animals shut within; hence, when the deluge laid waste, is salvation.
Eve is brought forth, with the man sleeping, an offspring generated from the side, bearing the name of life — and, had there never been any fault, so she would have abided the more. Thus afterward the mystic Adam, Christ, deigning to give His limbs to the cross and to be pressed by death in His slain flesh — whereby life returns — through His side consecrated new gifts of the water-stream as a path: now the angel calls Peter to that side, that every mind may believe the glory of the Church to consist in him, and may hold the faith with its heavenly Champion; at whose admonition about the sandals these feet earned it, which the Master's right hand touched, that cleansed the whole world with waters. As those men walked, the closed gates gave way; he supposes all to be done with sleep mocking him — for whom Majesty, ignorant of deceit, had prepared true rewards.
Now the iron gate lies open to its bars, the stiff door-posts loosen their bonds. Cutting off from the nations the edge of harsh ferocity, He subdues all rugged things, lest a fixed door should forbid the road of the world, by which the course shall be. Say, O glory of things: what wonder if the iron gates yield to Peter — whom God appoints guardian of the heavenly hall, and, making him hold fast the summit of His Church, bids him overcome the nether realm? Soon, free from the foe, he celebrated the divine work, whom the first woman proves to return from the darkness, to whom the grace of Christ gave the thing to be equal; the very Rising One, seen, approaches the women; the glory of the returning flesh speaks to the sex which the mother has. Hence too it is plain that the prophet perceived his Church, which bears joys diffused throughout the whole flock.
Who, in telling such things, could unfold them, or with words lift up the weight of these matters? That greatest terror, which had bound the cold limbs, became the measure of joy; through every age abides the summit of this pledge, and it holds the place of a star, that which Peter consecrated by his body and the angel by his mouth. By these things faith is made firm; by these chains, O Rome, salvation is perpetuated for you; encircled by their bond you shall be forever free. For what would chains not bestow, which He touched who can loose all things — whose, unconquered by hand, or sacred in triumph, these walls are by no foe shaken to the core? He shuts off the road from wars, who opens the gate among the stars.