uste nesto plus za katakombite

7/29/2019 Uste Nesto Plus Za Katakombite

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The Catacombs of Rome

The locations of all places are shown on my Google-Earth Map

Google-Maps (increase the magnification, this map is in 3-D)

The Catacombs of Rome are underground necropolis related to the Etruscanunderground cemeteries. There are at least forty, some discovered only in recent

decades.Though most famous for Christian burials, there are Jewish and "heathen" graveseither in separate catacombs or mixed together. They began to be dug in the 2ndcentury AD as a solution to overcrowding of cemeteries and shortage of land.

While past students have written, and much of the public today still thinks, thatcatacombs came about to help persecuted Christians to bury their dead secretly,this myth has been debunked: Among other reasons, catacombs always were

placed along major highways (which would have meant they couldn't be kept

secret for long), pagans also used catacombs although their religion was legal,and most catacomb building took place afterChristianity's legalization.Their art (frescoes) are rudimentary and primitive compared to Roman painting,or the older Etruscan necropolis, but they depict the slow emergence of Christianthemes and symbols, and therein lies their art-historical importance.

There is a northern group on or near Via Salaria and a better known southerngroup along Via Appia Antiqua. - Not all are accessible without specialintroductions.

Northen Catacombs along Via Salaria

Catacomb of Priscilla430 Via Salaria, 2nd-14th cent AD

The Catacomb of Priscilla on the Via Salaria is situated in what was a quarry in

Roman times, currently located beneath the basilica San Martino ai Monti. Thisquarry was used for Christian burials from the late second century through the
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fourth century. Some of the walls and ceilings display fine decorationsillustrating Biblical scenes.

Access to the murals may require special permission

Ceiling fresco in the Cemeterium Maius, part of the large Catacomb of Priscilla,painted c.320-40. The central figure of the Good Shepherd is surrounded by

images of Adam and Eve, Moses striking the rock, Jonah under the gourds, and awoman at prayer.Text and photo fromchurchtimes.co.uk
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Agape feast or Last Supper (3rd cent)

One of the earliest Madonnas, 2nd cent. Photo from WikipediaThe wikipedia article is full of errors.

Via Salaria 430 (enter through the cloister of the monastery of the Benedictinesof Priscilla. Buses 86, 92, 310 from Termini station), tel.: 06-86206272 fax.: 06-86398134, [2]. 8.30 - 12.00 and 14.30 - 17.00 closed Mondays. Euros 6.
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Mausoleum of Lucilius PetoVis Salaria 125, across from Villa Albani,1stcent ADtemporarily closed

The tumulus

Tomb chambers below


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Catacombs of Sant'AgneseVia Nomentana 349

Chapel of St. Sabina in the catacombs.

The catacombs of St. Agnese are below the church of Sant'Agnese fuori le mura.(see there)Via Nomentana 349 - tel. 06 861 08 40 ( closed on Sunday mornings and onMonday afternoons)

Buses: 60 (from Piazza Veneizia) and 90 (from Termini)

Southern Catacombs in the Vicinity of Via Appia Antiqua

See myGoogle-Earth Map for Locations in the Campagna

Mausoleum of St. HelenaVia Casilina 641Built 330 byConstantin for his mother St. Helena
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Sarcophagus of Helena, Vatican Mueum 328

The Mausoleum of Helena, next to the Catacombs of Marcellinus and Petr, wasbuilt by Emperor Constantine I between 326 and 330, originally as a tomb forhimself, but later assigned to his mother, Helena, who died in 328.Via Casilina, 641, 00177 Roma

Far out - access by Regional Trains: San Marcellino Station - Roma Pantano Line

Catacombs of Marcellinus and PeterNext to St. Helena's Tomb,Via Casilina 641, 4thcent-ADThe Catacombs of Marcellinus and Peter are situated on the 3rd mile of ViaCasilina in Rome, near the church of Santi Marcellino e Pietro a Duas Lauros.Their name refers to the Christian martyrs Marcellinus and Peter who, accordingto tradition, were buried here, near the body of St. Tiburtius.

In 2006, over a thousand skeletons were discovered in these catacombs; theskeletons were stacked one on top of each other and still bore the togas they were

buried with.


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Burial camber, murals before 5th cent AD


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Jonah being thrown to the whale (4th cent)

Adam and Eve (before 5th cent)

Via Casilina, 641, 00177 RomaChiese Parrochiale S. Marcellino A Torpignattara , Via Casilina, 641, 00177Roma, Italy, +39 06 241 9446Regional Train: San Marcellino Station - Roma Pantano Line, ATAC station:Berardi

Catacombs of CallistoVia Appia Antica 110,1stcentADOne of the more accessible catacombs of Romeincluded in most tours


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These catacombs were dug after AD 150, with some private Christian hypogeaand a funeral area directly dependent on the Catholic Church. It takes its namefrom the deacon Saint Callixtus, proposed by Pope Zephyrinus in theadministration of the same cemetery - on his accession as pope, he enlarged the

complex, that quite soon became the official one for the Roman Church. Thearcades, where more than fifty martyrs and sixteen pontiffs are buried, form partof a complex graveyard that occupies fifteen hectares and is almost twenty kmlong. It covers an area of 15 hectares and contains an estimated half-milliontombs.Although started in the 2nd Century, San Callisto has had many more recent

burials, including 16 popes. The burial arcades are almost 20km long. Entry is 6and includes a guided tour in several languages.


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Lady praying

The Good Shepherd, Calistus' catacomb

e

To reach the Appian Way from Termini station, take the 714 bus from outside thestation, and change at the 6th bus stop (St Giovanni Laterano) to the 218 bus,


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which will take you all the way to the main entrance of the San Callistocatacombs and then on to San Domitilla catacombs and the Fosse Ardeatine.Beware that buses in this area are not reliable, particularly in the morning orevening rush hours when journeys can be delayed or even arbitrarily cancelled.

From the main sites along the Appian Way, consider returning to Rome with awalk through the Caffarella Park, which will bring you toMetro Line A (2.8 km -see GE map) Colli Albani-Via Appia Antica Station

Catacombs of Callisto, Via Appia Antica 110-126 (Located in a large diamond-shaped park between the Appian Way and Via Ardeatino. To reach the AppianWay, see above. If you don't fancy the 1km walk from the main entrance, the 118goes further along the Via Appia and you can enter the catacombs through asmall gate to the right at the third stop. Beware, however, that the 118 runs onlyevery 40 minutes and is not reliable.), +39 06 513 01580. 9.00 - 12.00 and

14.00 - 17.00. Closed Wednesdays The price of admission is 8.-; reduced: 5.-Reference:sacred- destinationsalso: catacombe-roma

Fosse ArdeatineNational Monument of German atrocities 1944Via Ardeatina 174 ( End of (?) 218 bus takes you to the entrance. 300m east ofcatacombs of San Domitilla).

This was the site of the slaughter in 1944 of 335 Italians, including many Jewsfrom the ghetto, in retaliation for a partisan attack on German troops in Rome.The caves where the massacre took place are now a National Monument andMemorial Cemetery and can be visited daily.

Catacombs of DomitillaVia delle Sette Chiese 280Christian wall paintings 2nd-4th-cent.The large and impressive Catacombs of Domitilla are spread over 15 kilometers

of underground caves.The Domitilla Catacombs are unique in that they are the oldest of Rome'sunderground burial networks, and the only ones to still contain bones. They arealso the best preserved and one of the most extensive of all the catacombs.Included in their passages are a 2nd-century fresco of the Last Supper and othervaluable artifacts.Unfortunately the parts with the best frescoes can only be visited with organizedtour-operated groups at much higher prices
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Orpheus as Christ (2nd-3rd century)

Christ among the Apostles (4th cent)


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Via delle Sette Chiese 280 (continue on the 218 from the entrance to San Callisto.Get off at the junction with via delle Sette Chiese and walk northwest for 200m.).9.00 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 17.00. Closed on Tuesdays and in January.. TheCatacombs of Domitilla are considered to be the best preserved of all Roman

catacombs but the frescoes are not shown without special dispensation!

Catacombs of San SebastianoSame area: underneath Church of San Sebastiano, 3rdcent AD

The Church and Catacombs underneath

The Catacomb of San Sebatiano, founded in the 3rd century, is located beneath achurch of the same name on the Via Appia Antica, beyond the Catacomb of SanCallisto. It was dug out in a rock quarry in a valley, and was thus referred to bythe description in catacumbas from the Greek word for "sunken valley." Sincethis was the only underground cemetery to be maintained after ancient times, allother ones came to be called "catacombs" when they were discovered.


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The Church of San Sebastiano has been in continous use ever since. It wasrestoredy by Pope Hadrian I (772-95) and remodeled in the 12th or 13th century.Excavations of the catacombs were undertaken from 1892 to 1961.

(Bus 118 to the entrance. Bus 218 to Fosse Ardeatina then turn left on foot alongVia delle Sette Chiese for 400m.). 9.00 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 17.00. ClosedSundays and 15 Nov. to 15 Dec..

Catacombs of Santa ComodillaVia Ostiensis near St. Paolo Fuore le mure, 2ndcent AD

One of the earlyest necropolis. These catacombs, on the Via Ostiensis, containone of the earliest images of a bearded Christ. They originally held the relics of

Saints Felix and Adauctus.

Bearded Christ, from catacombs of Comodilla


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Early Christian Catacombs, Rome

Gallery in the Catacomb of San Callisto.Photo Jim Forest.

Loculi (burial niches) in San Callisto.Photo Jim Forest.

Chi-Rho and fish symbols in San Callisto.Photo Jim Forest.
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Fresco of Christ as the Good Shepherd in the Catacomb of San Callisto.

Christ as the Good Shepherd in the Catacomb of Domitilla.


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Fresco depiction of bread and fish in San Callisto.

4th-century fresco of a bearded Christ in the Catacomb of Commodilla.

Epitaph in the Catacomb of San Sebastiano.


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The Church of San Sebastiano.Photo Br Lawrence Lew, OP.

Early Christian terracotta lamps with Chi Rho from the catacombs, nowdisplayed in the Vatican Museums.Photo Sacred Destinations.

Location map and aerial view of Early Christian Catacombs. For a larger interactiveview, see ourRome Map.

The Early Christian catacombs are one of the most interesting and most popularsights inRome. Forming an underground maze in the outskirts of the city, thecatacombs provide a rare glimpse into the earliest centuries of Christianity. Inaddition to the countless burial chambers that line the tunnels, the catacombs arehome to some of the earliest examples of Christian art.

History

The burial custom of most ancient Romans tended to be cremation, with ashes stored

in urns. But Christian belief in the bodily resurrection led the early Christians toreject this practice and bury their dead instead. This method requires significantly
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more space, of course, and the early Christians did not own much land. So thecatacombs made a practical, even necessary, solution for burial of the faithful.

The catacombs had other advantages as well: they were an ideal way to strengthen thesense ofChristian community (both in life and death) and they provided quiet, out-

of-the-way places for memorial ceremonies and displaying Christian symbols.

The first large-scale Christian catacombs were excavated in the 2nd century AD.They were all located outside the city walls, as Roman law forbade burial within thecity limits. In addition to burial, the catacombs were used for memorial services andcelebrations of the anniversaries of Christian martyrs.

Many modern depictions of the catacombs show them as hiding places for Christianpopulations during times ofpersecution, but there is little evidence for this. Itprobably only occurred in exceptional cases during the persecutions, when thecatacombs were the only safe place to celebrate the Eucharist.

After Christianity became the religion of the Roman Empire (381) and the cult ofrelics became an established part of Christian worship, the catacombs became a placeofpilgrimage. But within a couple more centuries, the saints began to be buried inchurches rather than catacombs and the faithful dead joined them in churchcemeteries. By the 6th century catacombs were used only for martyrs memorialservices. The Ostrogoths, Vandals and Lombards that sacked Rome also violated thecatacombs, taking whatever valuables they could find.

By the 10th century the catacombs were mostly abandoned and they remainedforgotten until their accidental rediscovery in 1578. Antonio Bosio spent decadesexploring and researching them for hisRoma Sotterranea (1632) and, two centurieslater, the archeologist Giovanni Battista de Rossi (1822-1894) published the firstextensive professional studies about catacombs. In 1956 and 1959 more catacombswere discovered near Rome.

Today some of the catacombs are open to the public and they are one of the mostpopular stops in Rome for tourists and pilgrims alike.

What to See

There are 40 known underground cemeteries in Rome. Built along ancient Romanroads such as the Via Appia, the catacombs consist of vast systems of galleries and

passages built on top of each other. The galleries lie anywhere from 7 to 19 meters(22-65 ft) below the surface and the passages are about 2.5x1 meters (8x3 feet) insize. Narrow steps join the multiple levels.

The early Christians bound the bodies of dead in linen and placed them in burialniches (loculi), which were sealed with a slab bearing the name, age and the day ofdeath. Often Christian symbols such as the fish or chi-rho were included as well.These niches are about 40-60 cm (16-24 in) high and 120-150 cm (47-59 in) long.


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Wealthier families were able to construct cubicula housing several loculi, with theceilings and walls decorated with frescoes. These frescoes are some of the earliestexamples of Christian figurative art in the world.

Some of best-known Christian catacombs in Rome are summarized below, with more

detailed articles to replace them eventually.

Catacomb of San Callisto

One of the largest and most famous of the Roman catacombs, the Catacomb of SanCallisto (St. Callixtus) consists of five levels of galleries between the Via Appia(along the north) and Via Ardeatina (to the south). It covers an area of 15 hectares andcontains an estimated half-million tombs.

First excavated in the 2nd century and expanded in the following century, theCatacomb of St. Callixtus became the official burial place of the 3rd-century popes. Itis named for Pope St. Callixtus (217-22), who was not buried here but oversaw theexpansion and administration of the catacomb.

Further expansion took place under Pope Damasus (366-84) as part of an effort toincrease veneration of Rome's martyrs. He ordered the construction underground

basilicas to provide access to martyrs' shrines and places of worship for pilgrims.Damasus also built the main stairway into the Crypt of the Popes. By the 5th century,a large Christian complex had developed above ground as well, but almost none ofthis survives.

After Pope Paschal I (817-24) transferred its relics of saints and martyrs to churchesin the city, the catacomb was completely abandoned. It lay hidden until itsrediscovery by Giovanni Battista de Rossi in 1849. It was the first catacomb to berediscovered in modern times. Excavations began in 1852.

The main sights in the Catacomb of San Callisto are the Crypt of the Popes, with aninscription by Pope Damasus and early Christian graffiti, various other importantinscriptions, 3rd-century frescoes of Baptism and the Eucharist, and 6th-centuryfrescoes of bishops.

The Catacomb of San Callisto can be visited on guided tours, with reduced tours

during the busy summer to preserve the site.

Catacomb of San Sebastiano

The Catacomb of San Sebatiano, founded in the 3rd century, is located beneath achurch of the same name on the Via Appia Antica, beyond the Catacomb of SanCallisto. It was dug out in a rock quarry in a valley, and was thus referred to by thedescription in catacumbas from the Greek word for "sunken valley." Since this wasthe only underground cemetery to be maintained after ancient times, all other onescame to be called "catacombs" when they were discovered.

The quarry site was first used for burials in the 2nd century by pagan Romans. It cameinto Christian use in the 3rd century; in 258 it even temporarily hosted the relics of St.


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Peter and St. Paul during persecutions under Valerian. The complex included someabove-ground structures from the beginning, and in the early 4th century these werereplaced by a large funerary hall under Constantine the Great (306-37). From the 3rdto 9th centuries, the Church and Catacomb of San Sebastiano was one of the mostimportant pilgrimages sites in Rome. A pilgrim's guide written in 638 describes the

site as follows:

On the Appian Way you come to Saint Sebastian, the martyr whose body rests in aplace further down, and there are the graves of the Apostles Peter and Paul where theylay for 40 years; and in the west part of the church you can go down to where St.Quirinus lies.

The Church of San Sebastiano has been in continous use ever since. It was restoredyby Pope Hadrian I (772-95) and remodeled in the 12th or 13th century. Excavations ofthe catacombs were undertaken from 1892 to 1961.

Catacomb of Domitilla

The Catacomb of Domitilla, located along the Via delle Sette Chiese just west of ViaArdeatina, is named after the owner of the land in which the catacomb was dug.Domitilla was a member of the Roman imperial family and was not a Christian; nordoes the catacomb date from her lifetime.

In the 2nd century, Domitilla's descendants built a series of pagan catacombs on herland and in the 4th century they were reused by Christians. Linked with an existingChristian catacomb, the whole complex become known as the Catacomb of Domitilla.

In the early 4th century, the martyrs Nereus and Archilleus were buried in acubiculum on the third level of the catacomb. Their tombs attracted many pilgrims,and Pope Damasus (366-84) enlarged the cubiculum to make room for them.

After the early 5th century, pilgrims also venerated the tomb of St. Petronilla, whowas believed to be St. Peter's daughter. Beginning in about 600, a major construction

project created an underground basilica by hollowing out the area around the tombs ofNereus and Archilleus.

The Catacomb of Domitilla remained in use until the early 9th century, after which

the saints' relics were transferred to the Church of Sant'Adriano in the Forum. Thecatacomb was then abandoned until its rediscovery in 1873.

A cubiculum in the Catacomb of Domitilla contains a fresco that is the earliest knowndepiction of Christ as the Good Shepherd. Other notable artworks include a late 4th-century relief of the martyrdom of St. Achilleus and a 4th-century fresco of adeceased woman named Veneranda being led into Paradise by St. Petronilla.

There is also an important 4th-century mosaic of the Raising of Lazarus, the ThreeHebrews in the Furnace, and Christ Enthroned between Sts. Peter and Paul. Mosaicsare very rarely found in the catacombs, and this one is important not only for its

images but for the inscription accompanying the portrait of Christ: "You who arecalled the Son are found to be also the Father." This may reflect the sect (later


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declared a heresy) called Modalism, which explains that God is one being whovariously expresses himself as Father, Son and Spirit.

The Catacomb of Domitilla can be visited on guided tours, with reduced tours duringthe busy summer to preserve the site. Unfortunately the parts with the most frescoes

can only be visited with special permission.

Catacomb of Comodilla

The Catacomb of Comodilla is located near that of Domitilla on Via delle SetteChiese. Also named for the landowner, it contains an underground church built byPope Siricius (384-99) with many important frescoes. Admission is by special

permission only.

Quick Facts

Site Information

Names: Early Christian Catacombs; Le Catacombe Cristiane di Roma

Location: Rome, Lazio, Italy

Faith: Christianity

Dedication: various

Category: Catacombs; World Heritage Sites

Architecture: Paleochristian

Date: 2nd-5th century AD

Features: Early Christian Frescoes

Status: ruins

Visitor Information

Address: San Callisto: Via Appia Antica, 110/126 - 00179 Rome Italy

Coordinates: 41.858889 N, 12.511111 E (view on Google Maps)

Lodging: View hotels near this locationPhone: 0039 06 513 01 51

Website: www.catacombe.roma.it

E-mail: [email protected]

Officialtours:

Admission is by guided tour only, available in various languages

Services: Mass can be performed for groups who book ahead and bring their ownpriest.

Parking: San Callisto: large parking area 1000m from entrance
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Note: This information was accurate when published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening

hours can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a specialtrip.

Catacombe di S. Domitilla


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In principio fu Domitilla, dellagens Domitia - dal latino "domitus", docile, mansueto:la santa Flavia Domitilla, nipote o forse moglie (le fonti sono incerte e contraddittorieal riguardo) di Flavio Clemente, console nel 95 d.C, a sua volta nipote di Vespasianoe cugino di Domiziano, che lo fece uccidere per le sue simpatie religiose. FlaviaDomitilla fu mandata al confino a Ponza, mentre la zia, dallo stesso nome Flavia

Domitilla, nonch figlia di Flavia Domitilla minore, fumandata a Ventotene.La santa lasci i suoi terreni nell'area dell'Ardeatina, pressoTor Marancia, ai cristiani. In questo modo sorse nel tempo il

pi grande cimitero sotterraneo cristiano dell'intera Roma: lecatacombe di Domitilla, anche conosciute col nome diCatacombe dei Santi Nereo ed Achilleo. Si trovano nei

pressi di altrettanto note catacombe quali S. Sebastiano e S.Callisto, e come queste sono composte di ambulacri(corridoi) scavati interamente nel tufo -in parte riadattandocunicoli preesistenti-, sviluppandosi addirittura su 4 livelli

per una estensione complessiva di oltre 15 km, davveroragguardevole, lungo la quale hanno trovato posto oltre 150.000 sepolture,organizzate come loculi, arcosoli (nicchie arcuate), cubicoli (camere sepolcrali

familiari a pianta quadrata), molti dei quali affrescati.Le catacombe di Domitilla risalgono al III secolo efurono in seguito interessate da diversi interventi dimodifica e di ampliamento nel corso del IV e del Vsecolo. Furono riscoperte a fine 1500: ritenute parte diquelle di S. Callisto, soltanto nell'800 si arriv adeterminarne origine e nome."Ospiti di rilievo", i santi Nreo e Achlleo [si noti lacorretta posizione degli accenti], due soldati vittime

probabilmente della persecuzione di Diocleziano (304d.C.), ai quali fu poi dedicata la omonima basilica, delIV secolo: una maestosa aula absidata del tempo di

papa Damaso (366-384), preceduta da un nartece esuddivisa in tre navate da 4 colonne per lato, con

capitelli di recupero. Una basilica nata semi-ipogea, nel luogo di sepoltura dei martiri,ma che prende luce in alto da ampi finestroniaffacciati sull'esterno. Ivi si trova anche latomba di S. Petronilla. Su una colonnina

appartenuta al ciborio dell'altare ancorapossibile ammirare la scena del martirio diAchilleo.Quando nel Medioevo si perse memoria delleCatacombe, ai Santi Nereo e Achilleo fudedicata una nuova chiesa, che ancora si trova

presso le Terme di Caracalla.Le Catacombe di Domitilla sono consideratetra le meglio conservate e come tali hannoofferto e offrono uno sterminato repertorio di studio epigrafico, dal quale si evinceuna disuniformit di linguaggio, simbologia e tecniche costruttive, anche dovuto a

differenze di censo e di epoca realizzativa. Ci ha fatto concludere agli studiosi che,pi che di una entit monolitica, si tratta di un "cimitero collettivo".


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Un nucleo molto antico delle catacombe di Domitilla l'ipogeo dei Flavi, che haorigine alla fine del II sec. d.C. come ipogeo privato pagano per poi accogliere,durante il III sec., sepolture cristiane decorate con scene tratte dalle Sacre Scritture.

Nei pressi si trova un piccolo cubicolo dipinto, datato alla fine del III sec. d.C., nelquale, tra ghirlande, cesti di fiori e uccelli raffigurato il mito pagano di Amore e

Psiche rappresentati come putti che raccolgono fiori.La visita avviene scendendo alla basilica e da questa alle catacombe, rigorosamenteaccompagnati dalla guida e in piccoli gruppi per motivi di sicurezza. Il percorso divisita tocca una porzione del primo livello ed un "assaggio" del secondo, abbastanza

breve ma sufficiente a dare una idea delle caratteristiche dell'ipogeo.Intorno all'ingresso vi un bel giardino e una zona verde, miracolosamente salvati damolteplici tentativi di abusivismo, anche in tempi recenti.A partire dal 2006, un'equipe guidata dal professor Zimmerman dell'Universit diVienna ha portato avanti il progetto START, effettuando il rilievo completo dellecatacombe tramite laser scanner. Si cos ottenuto il modello virtuale dell'interaestensione dei cunicoli. Uno sforzo notevole per un risultato mozzafiato: si faccia

riferimento allinteressante articolo di Scheiblauer, Zimmermann e Wimmer 2009"Interactive Domitilla Catacomb Exploration"Al riguardo si legga anche:http://www.schliemann-carter.it/News/2009.05.05%20Catacombe%20di%20Domitilla.htmlUno stupendo video illustra il risultato.

Tutte le informazioni per il visitatore sul sito ufficiale www.domitilla.info

Fonti: "Le catacombe romane e i loro martiri" di E. Kirschbaum.Per la documentazione epigrafica cliccare qui.

per Roma Sotterranea, Vittorio Colombo
http://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/research/publications/2009/SCHEIBLAUER-2009-IDCE/SCHEIBLAUER-2009-IDCE-Paper.pdfhttp://www.schliemann-carter.it/News/2009.05.05%20Catacombe%20di%20Domitilla.htmlhttp://www.schliemann-carter.it/News/2009.05.05%20Catacombe%20di%20Domitilla.htmlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8027650.stmhttp://www.domitilla.info/http://ciegl.classics.ox.ac.uk/html/webposters/30_Felle.pdfhttp://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/research/publications/2009/SCHEIBLAUER-2009-IDCE/SCHEIBLAUER-2009-IDCE-Paper.pdfhttp://www.schliemann-carter.it/News/2009.05.05%20Catacombe%20di%20Domitilla.htmlhttp://www.schliemann-carter.it/News/2009.05.05%20Catacombe%20di%20Domitilla.htmlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8027650.stmhttp://www.domitilla.info/http://ciegl.classics.ox.ac.uk/html/webposters/30_Felle.pdf


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Archaeology and the New Testament

File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick ViewRoman armies after the time of Christ,once in A.D. 70 and again in 135.. The Catacomb of Domitilla is noteworthy becauseit is called after a member of

CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Roman Catacombs

From the time of Constantine the monogram of Christ was a favourite symbol for useThus in the catacomb of Domitilla a man and his wife are represented
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YouTube - AllNationsAngel2B's Channel

"This fresco of Christ among the Apostles is in an arcosolium of the Crypt ofAmpliatus in the Catacombs of St. Domitilla in Rome.

Roman Catacombs - Original Catholic Encyclopedia

21 Jul 2010 From the time of Constantine the monogram of Christ was a favoriteThus in the catacomb of Domitilla a man and wife are represented
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Rome / South Sights: The Appian Way zone - Rome Travel Guide - iGuide

The 118 goes to the catacombs of San Sebastiano before turning off the Appian Way.had a vision of the risen Christ while fleeing persecution in Rome. The Catacombs ofDomitilla are considered to be the best preserved of all
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Catacombs and Appian Way
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The catacombs are subterranean systems of rock-cut hallways and niches, excavatedto house the closed mid-Nov-mid-Dec 6; Catacombs of Domitilla. in the pavement,supposedly left by Christ when he had the chat with Peter.

HUM 2211 - TRAY #21 ISLAMIC, (cont.) = I 1. Mina'l ware bowl, Iran

File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick ViewCatacomb of St. Domitilla, theunderground Basilica Christ as the Good Shepherd (again), mosaic, Mausoleum ofGalla Placidia

Early Christian Art

Early Christianity grew apart from Judaism and established itself as a Oriental TextDescription: Anchor and fish, tomb slab from Catacomb of Domitilla,

Skip The Line: Crypts & Catacombs Tour | Dark Rome Tours and Walks

Go below and beyond to a time when Christianity was considered a simple cult whosemembers were Catacombs of Domitilla, San Callisto or San Sebastiano

Roman Catacombs - Catholic Encyclopedia - Catholic Online

The Greek monogram of the name of Christ Chi-Rho , and the "ICHTHYS" scratchedon. Thus in the catacomb of Domitilla a man and his wife are represented

Early Christian Images: Roman forms and emerging iconographies

File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick Viewaerial diagram of the catacombsbeneath Domitilla, Rome (Spiro Kostos). These are images depicting Christ, but here,as in the Sarcophagus of Junius

Rome Sights and Activities - The Appian Way - Let's Go Travel
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Arguably the most historically significant of the Appian Way catacombs, From the#218 bus stop near San Callisto and Santa Domitilla, walk down V. Sette fourth-century portrait of Christ and the Apostles remains intact) and its

Holy presence: Martyr's bones lie beneath St. John's - Clinton, MA

25 Dec 2008 Here, in Clinton, are physical remains of a Christianity less than whereDomitilla is buried at St. Domitilla's Catacombs the burial

ORPHEUS THE CHRISTIAN CONNECTION (MORE)

In the two frescoes in the Catacomb of Domitilla (one is probably based on the .. inthe frescos on the stone walls of the catacombs symbolised Christ.

Catacombs, Rome - Things to Do - VirtualTourist

Domitilla catacombs are located in the same area and are very worthy to be seen, too.You take metro line B, of deacon severus - 300 after christ.

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Catacombs of Rome

See also Rome Catacombs Tours

"HIC CONGESTA IACET QUAERIS

SI TURBA PIORUM CORPORA SANCTORUM

RETINENT VENERANDA SEPULCRA SUBLIMES ANIMA RAPUIT,

SIBI REGIA CAELI"

("Here, for those who seek, rest together a moltitude of Saints: their venerated tombsconserve their bodies, but the Kingdom of Heaven has taken to its bosom their elected

soul")

Ancient places where the Christian were buried, and where they meet to prey secretly.Roman catacombs date back to the II century, and generally rose outside the citywalls. Find here all information about the most important and famous catacombe inRome.

At bottom find also our suggestion to visit the Catacombs of Rome.

Photo credit

SAINT SEBASTIAN CATACOMBS - CATACOMBE DI SAN SEBASTIANO

St. Sebastian who was martyred under Diocletian in 288, was buried here.From the3C to the 9C this was the most venerated area of subterranean Rome.

Address: Via Appia Antica 136Phone ( 0039)06 78 50 350 -
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Opening Times: 9.00 - 12.00 / 14.30 - 17.00 (17.30 in summer time); closed onSundays and from 13/11 at 11/12Entry: Euro 5,00

Photo creditCALLISTO CATACOMBS - CATACOMBE DI SAN CALLISTO

The VIA APPIA was the of ancient Rome. Here, from the firstcenturies the largest labyrinths of underground Christian cemeteries in all of Romewere built. Asiede from these, there are innumerable hypogea and minor catacombsfor private use which no availeble or yet discovered written records can tell us about.

Here was also built the catacomb of St. Callixtus, in the most excellent of all the

cemeteries of the Christian community. Its name comes from the deacon Callixtuswho, although buried in the cemetery of Calepodius on the Via Aurelia, was put incharge, during the 3rd century, of the wealth of the curch.

Address: Via Appia Antica 110Phone (0039) 06 51 30 15 80Opening Times: 9.00 - 12.00 / 14.00 - 17.00 (17.30 in summer time); closed onWednesdays and in FebruaryEntry: 5,00 full price; 3 reduced feeWebsite:www.catacombe.roma.it
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Photo creditPRISCILLA CATACOMBS - CATACOMBE DI PRISCILLA

It was built on the Via Salaria, together with other three catacombs. The catacomb ofPriscilla is one among the largest and oldest in Rome, with origins that date back tothe end of the 2nd century.. Priscilla was the founder of the camatery. She was amember of the patrician family who had their hypogeum here.-

Address: Via Salaria 430Phone (0039) 06 86 20 62 72Opening Times: 8.30 - 12 / 14.30 - 17; closed on Mondays and JanuaryEntry: 5,00

Website:www.romecity.it/Catacombedipriscilla.htm
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Photo credit

DOMITILLA CATACOMBS - CATACOMBE DI DOMITILLA

Flavia Domitilla was the member of a Flavian imperial family, who owned the landon wich the cemetery was built. Beside the name Domitilla, the catacomb was alsoknown under the name of Sts. Nereus and Achilleus. This cemetery is one of theoldest and largest in the entire complex of underground cemeteries in Rome.

Address: Via delle Sette Chiese 282Phone (0039) 06 51 10 342Opening Times:8.30 - 12 / 14.30 - 17; closed on Mondays and JanuaryEntry: 5,00

Website:www.domitilla.it/Catacombe
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Photo by Lindsey Horner

CATACOMBE DI SANT' AGNESE

Placed on the Via Nomentana, it is one of the four catacombs which were built on thisVia. We still do not know when St. Agnes was martyred. It could have been underValerianus (257-58) or under Diocletian in the first years of the 4th century. Her bodywas buried in an area probably owned by her family.

Address: Via Nomentana 349Phone: 06 86 10 840Opening Times: 9 - 12 / 16 - 18; closed on Mondays afternoon, Sundays and highdays.Entry: 4,00

Website:www.santagnese.org

Our Suggestion

VISIT THE CATACOMBS - GUIDED TOURS

Catacombs and Roman Countryside Half-Day Walking Tour

By bus and by foot, explore beyond the city walls of Rome on the Catacombs andRoman Countryside tour. Travel along the Appian Way through rolling countryside,ancient roads and underground tombs, all making for a fantastic three hour escapefrom the hustle and bustle of central Rome.
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Duration: 3 hoursPrice: Starting from EUR 48.00 per person

Click here for more information and Booking Details >>

Crypts and Catacombs Walking Tour - The Underside of Rome

A trip through underground Rome to discover the crypts, catacombs, undergroundburial chambers and pagan temples that now lie deep below the city's surface. Afascinating way to spend 3 hours in this great city.

Duration: 3 hoursPrice: Starting from EUR 54.00 per person

Click here for more information and Booking Details

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Roman Catacombs


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The Catacombs of Rome (Italian: Catacombe di Roma) are ancient catacombs,underground burial places under or near Rome, Italy, of which there are at least forty,some discovered only in recent decades. Though most famous for Christian burials,either in separate catacombs or mixed together, they began in the 2nd century, much

as a response to overcrowding and shortage of land. Many scholars have written thatcatacombs came about to help persecuted Christians to bury their dead secretly. Thesoft volcanic tuff rock under Rome is highly suitable for tunneling, as it is softer whenfirst exposed to air, hardening afterwards. Many have kilometres of tunnels, in up tofour stories (or layers).

The Christian catacombs are extremely important for the art history of early Christianart, as they contain the great majority of examples from before about 400 AD, infresco and sculpture. The Jewish catacombs are similarly important for the study ofJewish art at this period.

There are at least 40 catacombs in and around Rome depictinghow burial for earlyChristians, Pagans and Jews in Rome worked.

History

Precursors

The Etruscans, like many other European peoples, used to bury their dead inunderground chambers. The original Roman custom was cremation, after which the

burnt remains were kept in a pot, ash-chest or urn, often in a columbarium. Fromabout the 2nd century AD, inhumation (burial of unburnt remains) became morefashionable, in graves or sarcophagi, often elaborately carved, for those who couldafford them. Christians also preferred burial to cremation because of their belief in

bodily resurrection at the Second Coming.

Christian Catacombs

The first large-scale catacombs were excavated from the 2nd century onwards.Originally they were carved through tufo, a soft volcanic rock, outside the boundariesof the city, because Roman law forbade burial places within city limits. Furthermore,

the pagan custom was to incinerate corpses, while early Christians and Jews used tobury. Being most of the latter of lower classes and slaves, they usually lacked the


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resources to buy land for burial purposes, thus using the soft volcanic rock of thewhereabouts of Rome to dig tunnels in which to bury their dead. At first they wereused both for burial and the memorial services and celebrations of the anniversaries ofChristian martyrs (following similar Roman customs).

They probably were not used for regular worship. Many depictions of the catacombsshow them as hiding places for Christian populations during times of persecution.There are sixty known subterranean burial chambers in Rome. They were built alongRoman roads, like the Via Appia, the Via Ostiense, the Via Labicana, the ViaTiburtina, and the Via Nomentana. Names of the catacombs like St Calixtus and StSebastian, which is alongside Via Appia refer to martyrs that might be buried there.

Bodies were placed in chambers in stone sarcophagi in their clothes and bound inlinen. Then the chamber was sealed with a slab bearing the name, age and the day ofdeath. Fresco decorations were typically Roman. The catacomb of Saint Agnes is asmall church. Some families were able to construct cubicula which would house

various loculi and the architectural elements of the space would be a support fordecoration. Another excellent place for artistic programs were the arcosoliums.

Decline and Rediscovery

In 380, Christianity became a state religion. At first many still desired to be buried inchambers alongside martyrs. However, the practice of catacomb burial declinedslowly, and the dead were increasingly buried in church cemeteries. In the 6th centurycatacombs were used only for martyrs memorial services, though some paintingswere added as late as the 7th century, for example a Saint Stephen in the Catacomb ofCommodilla. Apparently Ostrogoths, Vandals and Lombards that sacked Rome alsoviolated the catacombs, presumably looking for valuables. By the 10th centurycatacombs were practically abandoned, and holy relics were transferred to above-ground basilicas.

In the intervening centuries they remained forgotten until they were accidentally

rediscovered in 1578, after which Antonio Bosio spent decades exploring andresearching them for his volume, Roma Sotterranea (1632). Archeologist GiovanniBattista de Rossi (18221894) published the first extensive professional studies aboutcatacombs. In 1956 and 1959 Italian authorities found more catacombs near Rome.The catacombs have become an important monument of the early Christian church.

Today


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Currently, maintenance of the catacombs is in the hands of the papacy, which hasinvested in the Salesians of Don Bosco the supervision of the Catacombs of St.Callixtus on the outskirts of Rome. Responsibility for the Christian catacombs lieswith the Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archaeology (Pontificia Commissione diArcheologia Sacra), which directs excavations and restorations. Study of the

catacombs is directed by the Pontifical Academy of Archaeology.

Typology

Roman catacombs are made up of underground passages (ambulacra), out of whosewalls graves (loculi) were dug. These loculi, generally laid out vertically (pilae),could contain one or more bodies. Another type of burial, typical of Romancatacombs, was the arcosolium, consisting of a curved niche, enclosed under a carvedhorizontal marble slab. cubicula (burial rooms containing loculi all for one family)and cryptae (chapels decorated with frescoes) are also commonly found in catacomb

passages. When space began to run out, other graves were also dug in the floor of thecorridors - these graves are called formae.

List of Catacombs in Rome

The Roman catacombs, of which there are forty in the suburbs, were built along theconsular roads out of Rome, such as the Appian way, the via Ostiense, the viaLabicana, the via Tiburtina, and the via Nomentana.

Catacombs of Marcellinus and Peter

These catacombs are situated on the ancient Via Labicana, today Via Casilina inRome, Italy, near the church of Santi Marcellino e Pietro ad Duas Lauros. Their namerefers to the Christian martyrs Marcellinus and Peter who, according to tradition, were

buried here, near the body of St. Tiburtius.


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Catacombs of Domitilla

Close to the Catacombs of San Callisto are the large and impressive Catacombs ofDomitilla[2] (named after Saint Domitilla), spread over 15 kilometers of undergroundcaves.

The Domitilla Catacombs are unique in that they are the oldest of Rome'sunderground burial networks, and the only ones to still contain bones. They are alsothe best preserved and one of the most extensive of all the catacombs. Included intheir passages are a 2nd-century fresco of the Last Supper and other valuable artifacts.

They are the only catacombs that have a subterranean basilica; entrance to thecatacombs is achieved through this sunken 4th-century church, at via delle SetteChiese 280. In the past, the basilica had become unsafe, and was abandoned in the 9thcentury. It was rediscovered in 1593, and much of it was reconstructed in 1870.

In the beginning of 2009, at the request of the Vatican, the Divine Word Missionaries,a Roman Catholic Society of priests and Brothers, assumed responsibility asadministrator of St. Domitilla Catacombs.

Catacombs of Commodilla

These catacombs, on the Via Ostiensis, contain one of the earliest images of a beardedChrist. They originally held the relics of Saints Felix and Adauctus.

Catacombs of Generosa

Located on the Campana Road, these catacombs are said to have been the restingplace, perhaps temporarily, of Simplicius, Faustinus and Beatrix, Christian Martyrswho died in Rome during the Diocletian persecution (302 or 303).


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Catacombs of Praetextatus

These are found along the via Appia, and were built at the end of 2nd century. Theyconsist of a vast underground burial area, at first in pagan then in Christian use,housing various tombs of Christian martyrs. In the oldest parts of the complex may befound the "cubiculum of the coronation", with a rare depiction for that period ofChrist being crowned with thorns, and a 4th century painting of Susanna and the oldmen in the allegorical guise of a lamb and wolves.

Catacombs of Priscilla

The Catacomb of Priscilla on the Via Salaria in Rome, Italy, is situated in what was aquarry in Roman times. This quarry was used for Christian burials from the late 2ndcentury through the 4th century. Some of the walls and ceilings display finedecorations illustrating Biblical scenes.

The Catacombs of Priscilla are believed to be named after Priscilla, a member of the

gens Acilia and who was probably the wife of the Consul Acilius who became aChristian and was killed on the orders of Domitian. They contain a number of wallpaintings of saints and early Christian symbols. Christian symbols such as thepainting reproduced in Giovanni Gaetano Bottari's folio of 1754, where the GoodShepherd is depicted as feeding the lambs, with a crowing cock on His right and lefthand.

Particularly notable is the "Greek Chapel" (Capella Greca), a square chamber with anarch which contains 3rd century frescoes generally interpreted to be Old and NewTestament scenes, including the Fractio Panis. Above the apse is a Last Judgment.

New, and somewhat controversial research has begun to suggest that the scenes

traditionally interpreted as the deuterocanonical story of Susannah (Dn 13) mayactually be scenes from the life of a prestigious Christian woman of the 2nd centuryAD. Near this are figures of the Madonna and Child and the Prophet Isaiah, alsodating from the early 3rd century.

The Priscilla catacombs contain the oldest known Marian paintings, from the earlythird century. Mary is shown with Jesus on her lap. The catacomb also has a depictionof the Annunciation.

The catacomb of Priscilla, mentioned in all the ancient liturgical and topographicsources, has its modern entrance on the Via Salaria through the cloister of the

monastery of the Benedictines of Priscilla. The Catacombs of Priscilla is divided into


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three principal areas: an arenarium, a cryptoportico from a large Roman villa, and anunderground burial area of the noble Roman family Acilius Glabrio.

Catacombs of San Callisto

Sited along the Appian way, these catacombs were built after AD 150, with someprivate Christian hypogea and a funeral area directly dependent on the CatholicChurch. It takes its name from the deacon Saint Callixtus, proposed by PopeZephyrinus in the administration of the same cemetery - on his accession as pope, heenlarged the complex, that quite soon became the official one for the Roman Church.The arcades, where more than fifty martyrs and sixteen pontiffs are buried, form partof a complex graveyard that occupies fifteen hectares and is almost twenty km long.

This catacomb's most ancient parts are the crypt of Lucina, the region of the Popesand the region of Saint Cecilia, where some of the most sacred memories of the placeare preserved (including the crypt of the Popes, the crypt of Saint Cecilia, and thecrypt of the Sacraments); the other regions are named the region of Saint Gaius andthe region of Saint Eusebius (end of the 3rd century), West region (built in the firsthalf of the 4th century) and the Liberian region (second half of the 4th century), allshowing grandiose underground architecture.

A modern staircase, on the site of an ancient one, was built by Pope Damasus I,giving access to the region of the Popes, in which is to be found the crypt of the

popes, where nine pontiffs and, perhaps, eight representatives of the ecclesiasticalhierarchy had been buried - along its walls are the original Greek inscriptions for the

pontiffs Pontian, Anterus, Fabian, Lucius I and Eutychian. In the far wall Pope SixtusII was also buried, after he was killed during the persecution of Valerian; in front ofhis tomb Pope Damasus had carved an inscription in poetic metre in charactersthought up by the calligrapher Furius Dionisius Filocalus.

In the adjoining crypt is the grave of Saint Cecilia, whose relics were removed by

Pope Paschal I in 821: the early 9th century frescoes on the walls represent SaintCecilia praying, the bust of the Redeemer and Pope Urban I. A short distance away,an arcade dating to the end of the 2nd century gives access to the cubicula of thesacraments, with their frescoes from the first half of the 3rd century hinting at

baptism, the Eucharist and the resurrection of the flesh; in the region of SaintMilitiades next door, a child's sarcophagus has a front sculpted with biblical episodes.

In the region of Saints Gaius and Eusebius are some crypts set apart, opposite eachother, with the tombs of Pope Gaius (with an inscription) and Pope Eusebius, whodied in Sicily where he had been exiled by Maxentius and whose body was translatedto Rome during the pontificate of Militiades; on a marble copy of the end of the 4th

century (of which fragments may be seen on the opposite wall) may be read of an


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inscription by Damasus on the schism provoked by Heraclius over the matter of thelapsi.

Joining onto the arcade itself are, in succession, the crypt of the martyrs Calogerusand Parthenius and the double cubiculum of Severus, which contains a rhythmic

inscription (dated to no later than 304) in which a bishop of Rome (at that timeMarcellinus is first called pope and first openly professes belief in the finalresurrection.

In a region further from there is the burial of Pope Cornelius, whose tomb still has itsoriginal inscription giving him the title of martyr and, on its sides, splendid paintingswith figures in 7th and 8th century Byzantine style representing popes Sixtus II andCornelius and the African bishops Cyprian and Ottatus. In a nearby cubiculum aresome of the most ancient burials, after AD 175, with Roman frescoes of (on theceiling) the Good Shepherd and orantes and (on the far wall) two fish with a basket ofloaves behind it, a symbol of the Eucharist.

Catacombs of San Lorenzo

Built into the hill beside San Lorenzo fuori le Mura, these catacombs are said to have

been the final resting place of St. Lawrence. The church was built by Pope Sixtus IIIand later remodeled into the present nave. Sixtus also redecorated the shrine in thecatacomb and was buried there.

Catacombs of San Pancrazio

Established underneath the San Pacrazio basilica which was built by PopeSymmachus on the place where the body of the young martyr Saint Pancras, orPancratius, had been buried. In the 17th century, it was given to the DiscalcedCarmelites, who completely remodeled it. The catacombs house fragments ofsculpture and pagan and early Christian inscriptions.

Catacombs of San Sebastiano


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One of the smallest Christian cemeteries, this has always been one of the mostaccessible catacombs and is thus one of the least preserved (of the four original floors,the first is almost completely gone). On the left hand end of the right hand wall of thenave of the primitive basilica, rebuilt in 1933 on ancient remains, arches to end the

middle of the nave of the actual church, built in the 13th century, are visible, alongwith the outside of the apse of the Chapel of the Relics; whole and fragmentarycollected sarcophagi (mostly of 4th century date) were found in excavations.

Via a staircase down, one finds the arcades where varied cubicula (including thecubiculum of Giona's fine four stage cycle of paintings, dating to the end of the 4thcentury). One then arrives at the restored crypt of S. Sebastiano, with a table altar onthe site of the ancient one (some remains of the original's base still survive) and a bustof Saint Sebastian attributed to Bernini.

From here one reaches a platform, under which is a sandstone cavityad catacumbas

which once may have been named "ad catacumbas", thus giving this and all othertombs of this type their name. 3 mausolei of the second half of the 2nd century (butalso in later use) open off the platform. The first one on the right, decorated on theoutside with paintings of funereal banquets and the miracle of the calling out ofCerasa's demons, on the inside contains paintings (including a ceiling painting of aGorgon's head) and inhumation burials and has a surviving inscription reading"Marcus Clodius Hermes", the name of its owner.

The second, called by some "tomb of the Innocentiores" (a burial club which ownedit), has a refined stucco ceiling, Latin inscriptions in Greek characters, and a graffitowith the initials of the Greek words for "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour". On theleft is the mausoleum of Ascia, with an exterior wall painting of vine shoots risingfrom kantharoi up trompe-l'il pillars.

A room called the "Triglia" rises from the platform, roughly in the middle of thebasilica and cut into from above by the present basilica. This covered room was usedfor funereal banquets; the plastered walls have hundreds of graffitoes by the devoteesat these banquets, carved in the second half of the 3rd to the beginnings of the 4thcentury, with appeals to the apostles Peter and Paul.

From the "Trigilia" one passed into an ancient ambulatory, which turns around into an

apse: here is a collection of epitaphs and a model of all the mausolei, of the "Triglia"and of the Constantinian basilica. From here one descends into the "Platonica", aconstruction at the rear of the basilica that was long believed to have been thetemporary resting place for Peter and Paul, but was in fact (as proved by excavation) atomb for the martyr Quirinus, bishop of Sescia in Pannonia, whose remains were

brought here in the 5th century.

To the right of the "Platonica" is the chapel of Honorius III, adapted as the vestibuleof the mausoleum, with interesting 13th century paintings of Peter and Paul, theCrucifixion, saints, the Massacre of the Innocents, Madonna and Child, and othersubjects. On the left is an apsidal mausoleum with an altar built against the apse: on

the left wall a surviving graffito reading "domus Petri" either hints at Peter having


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been buried here or testifies to the belief at the time the graffito was written that Peterwas buried here.

Catacombs of San Valentino

These catacombs were dedicated to Saint Valentine. In the 13th century, the martyr'srelics were transferred to Basilica of Saint Praxedes.

Catacombs of Sant'Agnese

Built for the conservation and veneration of the remains of Saint Agnes of Rome.Agnes' bones are now conserved in the church of Sant'Agnese fuori le mura in Rome,

built over the catacomb. Her skull is preserved in a side chapel in the church ofSant'Agnese in Agone in Rome's Piazza Navona.

Catacombs of via Anapo

On the via Salaria, the Catacombs of via Anapo are datable to the end of the 3rd or thebeginning of the 4th century, and contain diverse frescoes of biblical subjects.

Jewish catacombs

There are 6 known Jewish catacombs in Rome, two of which are open to the public:Vigna Randanini and Villa Torlonia. The Jewish catacombs were discovered in 1918,

and archaeological excavations continued for twelve years. The structure has twoentrances, one on via Syracuse and the other inside Villa Torlonia. The catacombs


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extend for more than 13,000 square metres (140,000 sq ft), and date back to the periodbetween the 2nd and 3rd centuries, and possibly remained in use until the 5th century.There are almost a century of epitaphs, but these do not show any examples of a

particular relief, beyond some rare frescoes showing the classic Jewish religioussymbols. The other catacombs are not open to the public because of the instability of

their structure and the presence of radon.

In the News ...

Sacks of Human Waste Reveal Secrets of Ancient Rome National Geographic - June25, 2011

Now excavated, an ancient Roman chamber once held tons of decayed garbage andhuman waste. Flushed down sewers from apartment blocks and shops, the deposit -the largest collection of ancient Roman garbage and human waste ever found,researchers say - dates to about A.D. 79. That year a catastrophic volcanic eruption ofMount Vesuvius buried Herculaneum, along with its more famous neighbor, Pompeii.

Lost jewelry, coins, and semiprecious stones from a gem shop have been found, alongwith discarded household items such as broken lamps and pottery, according to
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/06/110623-ancient-rome-human-waste-herculaneum-science-diet-excrement-italy/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/06/110623-ancient-rome-human-waste-herculaneum-science-diet-excrement-italy/


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Wallace-Hadrill, director of the Herculaneum Conservation Project, a PackardHumanities Institute initiative. And, coming from a onetime district of shopkeepersand artisans, the organic material has revealed just what your run-of the-mill Romanmight have eaten in this coastal town, according to project scientists, whocollaborated with the British School at Rome and the archaeological authorities for

Naples and Pompeii.

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