What is the reason of this phenomenon?
It is evidently derived from the close commercial alliance which subsisted between Syria and Italy.

That is to say, the corruption produced in Syria made its way over into Italy, and there in many instances gathered fresh contributions.

For there is reason to suppose, that it first arose in Syria.
We have seen how the Church grew of itself there without regular teaching from Jerusalem in the first beginnings, or any regular supervision exercised by the Apostles.

In fact, as far as the Syrian believers in Christ at first consisted of Gentiles, they must perforce have been regarded as being outside of the covenant of promise.

Yet there must have been many who revered the stories told about our Lord, and felt extreme interest and delight in them.