in antiquity, a kind of officers in the eastern church, whose business was to inter the dead.

Ciaconius relates, that Constantine created 950 fossarii, whom he took out of the divers colleges or companies of tradesmen: he adds, that they were exempted from taxes, services, burdenome offices, &c.

F. Goar, in his notes on the Greek Euchologion, insinuates that the fossarii were established in the times of the apostles; and that the young men, who carried off the body of Ananias, and those persons full of the fear of God who interred St Stephen, were of the number.

St Jerome assures us, that the rank of fossarii held the first place among the clerks; but he is to be understood of those clerks only who had the direction and intendment of the interment of the devout.