The many-sided Rome, dating back several millennia, is the most mysterious city in Italy, where the pages of a historical novel come to life. The capital, which has been created over centuries, where the past, present and future are harmoniously united, surprises with a gigantic number of unique objects that have made it a real museum under open air. The historical and cultural heritage of the Eternal City is available to tourists who make an exciting journey into distant times and get acquainted with the pearl of Italy, which has preserved Christian shrines.
Catacombe di Roma
Not only Orthodox pilgrims, but also all vacationers eager to discover something new and unknown, the roads will lead to the underground catacombs of Rome, which are an extensive network of labyrinths made of tuff, in the walls of which niches for burials are carved. Multi-level galleries encircling the space under the capital of the country arose in the pre-Christian era. Pagan, Saracen and Jewish catacombs are known, and in total scientists have discovered more than 60 underground labyrinths and approximately 750 thousand crypts.
Most of them appeared in the early Christian era, and the very first galleries were created in 107 AD. and his disciples found loyal followers among people from all walks of life. The first Christians of Rome were often persecuted, since the emperor demanded that only he be recognized as god, and adherents of the new religion revered the one and only Christ.
Catacombs intended for burials
Previously, there was an opinion that people were hiding in the catacombs of Rome, pursued by the emperor’s soldiers, but this is not so: no one lived in the underground labyrinths, where it is always dark, since this is simply impossible. Having experienced the wrath of their rulers, Christians used abandoned quarries or private estates of the Romans who had adopted the new faith to bury their loved ones separately from the pagans. Feeling safe, they dug passages in the tuff and expanded existing corridors, creating a huge network of labyrinths ranging from 2.5 to 5 meters high. The porous rock is quite soft, crumbles easily, and it is not difficult to dig out a whole system of passages in it with an ordinary shovel or pickaxe.
Some facts about burial in galleries
On both sides of the corridors, Christians knocked out multi-tiered niches (loculi) in the walls, into which the bodies of the deceased were placed. Then the peculiar tomb was walled up stone slabs. Deceased co-religionists were washed, anointed with incense, since Christians did not embalm their bodies, wrapped in a shroud and placed in a dungeon niche, covering it with bricks or a slab on which the name of the deceased and laconic epitaphs were carved. Often built into the wall
Recesses in narrow corridors were carved into several tiers up to five meters high. In the underground corridors, cubicles were cut down - side rooms, which were family crypts or burial places of popes and martyrs.
It is curious that the people who dug underground galleries and subsequently kept the labyrinths in satisfactory condition were called fossori, and they were led by managers appointed by bishops. Many dungeons are named after them, for example, the Catacombs of Callistus in Rome received the name of Protodeacon Callistus, who became pontiff. At the beginning of the 4th century, when Christianity was declared the official religion, all persecution of believers stopped, and the dungeons dug by them were recognized as official burial places.
Opening forgotten dungeons
The catacombs of Rome were considered a very important phenomenon in the life of the country's capital, but after a century the labyrinths fell into disrepair as they ceased to be used for burying the dead. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims flocked to the dungeons, which turned into sanctuaries of martyrs. But soon, by the will of the Roman bishops, the relics were removed and transferred to the city churches.
Deprived of the remains of revered saints, the galleries were forgotten until 1578, when construction of the Via Salaria road began and the first cemetery was discovered. This is how the catacombs of Priscilla were found - an aristocrat who came from a noble and respected family and owned a large plot of land on which underground burials appeared.
A large-scale study of the catacombs of saints in Rome took place in the 19th century, and a major contribution to their research was made by the Russian artist Reiman, who painted about a hundred copies of the frescoes preserved on the walls of the galleries. Since 1929, the collection and inventory of objects preserved in the tunnels began.
Catacombe di Priscilla
The system of Christian dungeons is the most extensive of all, and the oldest of them is the beautifully preserved catacombs of Priscilla, which have become a real sensation. Unique samples were found in them ancient art: wall paintings depicting scenes from the New and Old Testaments, colorful frescoes, the main character of which is the Good Shepherd - a symbol of Jesus Christ. An important attraction of the Roman catacombs is small room with inscriptions on Greek, where benches for funeral meals (Cappella Greca) were installed.
Of particular interest to scientists is a bright fresco executed in the 2nd century, which depicts a woman in a bright crimson dress and a light veil. This is the most ancient image of a praying saint.
You can get into the underground labyrinths, located at Via Salaria, 430, by city buses number 86 or 92. You need to get off at the Piazza Crati stop and then follow the signs that say Via Priscilla. Access to all dungeons is possible only as part of an excursion group.
Catacombe di San Callisto
However, the largest Christian burial place is considered to be the catacombs of St. Callistus in Rome, which appeared in the 2nd century. Stretching for 12 kilometers under the Appian Way, they represent a four-level labyrinth that can be called " city of the dead", since it has its own streets, intersections and even squares. In the underground galleries in which cemeteries are combined different periods time, and now archaeologists are working, and not all burials are open to visitors. For long history About 50 martyrs and 16 popes found their final refuge here, and for this the catacombs are called the main monument of Christian cemeteries.
The most popular crypt is the tomb (Santa Cecilia), where wall frescoes and mosaics are perfectly preserved. In the square called "Little Vatican" the Roman pontiffs and holy martyrs who led the church rest.
The underground cemetery, the arrangement of which was carried out by Deacon Callistus, is recognized as the most famous catacombs in Rome. How to get to the Catacombe di San Callisto, located at Via Appia Antica, 110/126? City buses number 118 (you need to get off at the stop of the same name) or 218 (the final point of the Fosse Ardeatine route) will take you to the historical landmark.
Catacombe di San Sebastiano
The most accessible of all the underground galleries are the four-level catacombs of St. Sebastian. Located at Via Appia Antica, 136, they are much worse preserved than the others. Once upon a time, pagans buried their loved ones in labyrinths, and by the end of the 2nd century the consecrated necropolis became Christian. defied Emperor Diocletian, died in 298, and after the burial of his remains, the previously unnamed catacombs of Rome received their current name.
How to get into the unique tunnels in which religious meetings were once held during the persecution of Christians? You can get to them by city buses number 118 and 218, and you need to get off at the Cecilia Metella stop.
Attractive underground cemeteries for tourists
Tourists who have visited the underground galleries admit that it is difficult for them to describe the whole range of feelings when they see the gravestones that appeared many centuries ago.
Gloomy deserted corridors, which are always quiet, evoke thoughts of imminent death, but mysterious labyrinths that keep many secrets still attract visitors who love thrills. In the catacombs of Ancient Rome, untouched by modernity, everyone will touch the distant early Christian times.
There are more than 40 catacombs, the length of whose underground corridors is about 500 km! The exact number of burials is unknown, but it is believed that about a million people are buried! The deepest tunnel is in the catacombs of St. Callistas - 25 meters! The catacombs of St. Sebastian, St. Callistae and catacombs of Domitilla. All catacombs are under the care of monks of various orders.
In Ancient Rome, it was forbidden to bury people within the city limits - inside the city walls. In addition, the Romans cremated their dead, building huge funeral pyres for their great men, like Gaius Julius Caesar. Early Christians, on the contrary, did not recognize the custom of cremation. They understood the resurrection from the dead literally and therefore buried their dead in niches that were covered either with cypress or marble boards. Now all these niches are open and there are no human remains there. You can see small recesses above the niches in which the lamps burned.
Near the Appian Way (via Appia Antica) there are three complexes of catacombs: St. Callistus, St. Sebastian and the catacombs of Domitilla. The word “catacomb” itself originally referred only to the catacombs of St. Sebastian, a kind of network of wells, the underground galleries of which were used for the first burials of Christians. With the spread of a new religion, in which the burial ritual involved wrapping the body in cloth and burying it, the need arose to expand the network of underground corridors by tens of kilometers. Sometimes they served people as shelter from dangers. Roman pagans never descended into them, considering the catacombs a sanctuary for Christians.
The Romans did not know the word “catacombs”; they called them “cemeterium” - “chambers”. Only one of the cemeteries, St. Sebastian's, was called "katakumbas" (from the Greek "deepening"). In the Middle Ages, only she was known, so since then all underground burials began to be called catacombs.
The Catacombs of St. Callista are the official cemetery of the Roman bishops, named after Pope Callista, who expanded and put them in order. Ardeatine graves, where 335 Italians who were shot by the Germans during the Second World War are buried.
On the Street of Seven Churches there are the Catacombs of Domitilla, named after the wife of Flavius Clementius, who was buried there. Let's return again to the Appian Way to explore the catacombs and the Church of St. Sebastian. In the three-tiered catacombs there is a bust of the saint by the sculptor Bernini. Inside the church are the Albani Chapel, the Chapel of St. Sebastian and the Chapel with Holy Relics. Further on are the Jewish Catacombs and the Catacombs of Pretextata, where pagan and Christian tombs are located.
The first to be found on the Appian Way are the catacombs of St. Callistus, the oldest Christian burial site in Rome. They are especially revered, since the tombs of almost all the popes of the 3rd century are located here. This is a grandiose complex located on four levels. Here we need to turn Special attention to the papal crypt and the crypt of St. Cecilia, in which the miraculously intact body of a young girl was discovered.
The nearby catacombs of Saint Sebastian are the only ones open to pilgrims at all times. The entrance to them begins in the Basilica of St. Sebastian, built in the 4th century, but which has come down to us in a converted form (architects Flaminio Ponzio and Giovanni Vasanzio). The catacombs are located in several tiers. The cubiculum of Geon with frescoes from the late 4th century is noteworthy. Let us also mention the so-called Roman Villa with architectural naturalistic decorations.
Our gaze is suddenly struck by the piazzola that appears at the intersection of narrow corridors. It faces the facades of three mausoleums, which were first used by pagans as urns for ashes, and then by Christians as graves for burials. The numerous wall inscriptions of believers are interesting.
They say that if you stretch all the Roman catacombs in one line, it will be longer than the entire coast of Italy.
The entrance to the catacombs of Domitilla opens through the Basilica of Saints Jereo and Achileus, completely destroyed in 1874 and then restored. There is a wonderful garden adjacent to the basilica. In these catacombs, the Cuculum of Veneranda deserves attention first of all. The frescoes decorating the walls are characterized by extraordinary intensity and luminosity, and can be distinguished even by candlelight.
Charles Dickens in Pictures from Italy described his impressions of visiting the catacombs of St. Sebastian (the only ones known in the 1840s): An emaciated Franciscan monk with a wild, burning gaze was our only guide into these deep and terrible dungeons. Narrow passages and holes in the walls, going this way or that way, combined with the stuffy, heavy air, soon displaced any memory of the path we walked... We passed between the graves of martyrs for the faith: we walked along long vaulted underground roads, diverging in all directions and blocked here and there by stone rubble... Graves, graves, graves!
The graves of men, women and their children ran out to meet their pursuers, shouting: “We are Christians! We are Christians!” so that they would be killed, killed together with their parents; graves with the palm of martyrdom roughly carved on the stone edges; small niches carved into the rock to hold a vessel with the blood of the holy martyr; the graves of some of them who lived here for many years, guiding the rest and preaching truth, hope and comfort at rough-built altars, so strong that they still stand there; larger and even more terrible graves, where hundreds of people, taken by surprise by their pursuers, were surrounded and tightly walled up, buried alive and slowly starved to death.
The triumph of faith is not there, on earth, not in our luxurious churches,” said the Franciscan, looking around at us when we stopped to rest in one of the low passages, where bones and dust surrounded us on all sides, “its triumph is here, among the martyrs for faith!
The capital of Italy is full of mysteries. One of these is the catacombs of Rome, which are underground labyrinths. Since the 1st century, deceased saints have been buried in them. Tourists are attracted to underground passages by their mystery, design and the opportunity to touch the history of the popular city.
Story
The first Christians were buried in tuff catacombs, as they considered this burial option to be the most worthy. Almost 750,000 people were buried this way in Rome. But in the 5th century, burials lost their significance and were discontinued. Pope Melchiades became the last whose remains were buried in underground labyrinths.
For some time, these places attracted pilgrims who wanted to pray at the graves of the martyrs, but due to the fact that the relics of the saints were gradually removed, interest faded away. Professor-theologian Onuphrius Panvinio was the first to study the tombs in the 16th century; his research was continued by Antonio Bosio.
Full-scale research papers in the dungeon began in the 19th century. They are managed by a specially created Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology.
The catacombs of Rome are divided into:
- Christian;
- syncretic;
- Jewish
In total, there are more than 60 known tombs, with a total length of about 160 km. A significant part of them passes under the Appian Way.
Christian catacombs
The Roman catacombs, created for the first Christians, are considered the oldest. There are quite a lot of them, but only 5 are open to tourists, which are mentioned below. The visit is carried out with a guide as part of a full-fledged excursion tour. The remaining labyrinths are not equipped with electric lighting and are dangerous, so entry into them is possible only with the permission of the Pontifical Commission.
The burials are named after a martyr who lived in the early Christian years. It is noteworthy that these were originally pagan tombs, which eventually became Christian. The transition of religion is visible in the images where pagan and Christian subjects are intertwined.
It is believed that in the 3rd century the apostles Paul and Peter rested in the catacombs of Rome. Of the reminders about this, only the inscription has been preserved: “Saints Peter and Paul rested here.” In the 4th century, the temple of San Sebastiano Fuori le Mura of the same name was built over the burials, where Sebastian’s relics were transferred.
Address: via Appia Antica 136.
Working hours: daily, from 10:00 to 16:30 , except Sunday.
Price: 5 euros for children and beneficiaries, 8 euros for adults.
Official site
These burials are the oldest. Previously, this territory was owned by Aquilius Glabrius, to whose family Priscilla belonged. It is believed that she was executed for her loyalty to Christianity. In the catacombs of Priscilla, a chapel with Greek inscriptions and drawings depicting heroes of the Bible was erected. The most significant drawing is the Virgin Mary and Child.
Address: via Salaria, 430.
Working hours: every day, from 09.00 to 17.00, except Monday.
Price: 8 euros – full ticket and 5 euros – reduced price.
Official site
The dungeon is named after the granddaughter of the Roman Emperor Vespasian, Domitilla, who suffered martyrdom for her faith in Christ. So many people were buried here that the niches for the bodies are located on four floors, each of which is at least 5 meters high.
The tomb has an interesting design. On its walls there are paintings with a unique image of Jesus Christ, as well as early Christian symbols with certain values. This dungeon is real art, opening the door to the ancient world.
Address: via delle Sette Chiese, 282.
Schedule: daily, from 9.00 to 17.00, except Tuesday.
Price: adult ticket – 8 euros, reduced ticket – 5 euros.
Official site
Agnes of Rome, after whom the tomb is named, was canonized for her unshakable faith. There are no traditional Christian paintings on the walls, but several galleries contain epitaphs.
The Basilica of Sant'Agnese Fuori le Mura was erected above the labyrinth in 342, where the relics of St. Agnes have rested ever since. Constance, the daughter of Emperor Constantine the Great, insisted on this.
Address: via Nomentana 349.
Working hours: 9.00-15.30.
Price: 8 euros – full ticket, 5 euros – for beneficiaries and children.
Official site
This underground complex is the largest in Rome. Its length is more than 20 km, and the galleries contain 170,000 graves on four floors. The burials are named after the Roman clergyman Callistus, who during his lifetime organized Christian funerals.
The labyrinths have not yet been fully explored, so tourists can only visit part of them. Among the galleries, there are three main crypts where skeletons are buried:
- Cave of the Popes, named after the 6 popes whose relics are kept within its walls. Many holy people are buried here.
- The crypt of the holy sacraments, where there is enough space for the burial of the whole family. The room is decorated with frescoes depicting the sacrament of baptism, the rite of future resurrection and communion.
- The Crypt of St. Cecilia, which is the burial place of Cecilia of Rome, a martyr canonized. She led almost 400 Romans to God and was faithful to her faith until her last breath.
Each gallery is amazing in its own way and decorated in unique style. Using drawings and inscriptions, historians and scientists study real events, legends, and the culture of Christianity.
Address: via Appia Antica 110/126.
Schedule: from 9:00 to 15:30, every day except Wednesday.
Price: adult ticket – 8 euros, reduced ticket – 5 euros, children under 6 years old admission is free.
Official site
Jewish catacombs
Archaeologists know the Jewish catacombs located under Villa Torlonia and Vigna Randanini. They were discovered in 1859, but the entrance was walled up until the end of the 20th century. Only then were they restored and allowed to be visited. Scientists have determined the age of the burials to be approximately 50 BC.
The architecture of Jewish and Christian catacombs is almost the same. The only difference is that the Jewish tombs were first created in the form of separate crypts, and only later connected by special passages.
The design is striking in its beauty and majesty; the drawings depict various animals, birds, symbols and figures. The only thing missing are images of episodes from the Old Testament, which is also a distinctive feature of these dungeons.
Syncretic catacombs
The mystery of the Roman catacombs lies in the questions of who and when exactly created them. For example, syncretic burials were made under temples, but their design combines motifs of Christianity, as well as Greek and Roman philosophy. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately determine the year of their formation.
The most famous syncretic catacombs is the underground church discovered near Termini Station in 1917. Its depth is 12 meters, and the walls are decorated with stucco with images of mythological characters.
How to get there?
The main question that worries tourists is: “How to get to the Roman tombs?” Underground labyrinths are located in different areas of the city, so there is no definite answer. To build a route, you need to choose a specific excursion. Most of the catacombs have official websites where you can see directions.
For example, the most visited catacombs of Priscilla are located near the Villa Ada park. Buses No. 92 and 86 go in this direction; the desired stop is called Piazza Crati.
According to legend, the first Christians used the catacombs as a refuge during persecution, but this is just a legend: in fact, the catacombs were intended for burial, and then turned into sanctuaries of martyrs, where pilgrims flocked from all over the Roman Empire.
In contact with
Today these dungeons are long corridors very popular among tourists because many sculptures, frescoes and inscriptions have been preserved here, telling about the customs and traditions of the original church.
Perhaps few people know that there are more than sixty catacombs in Rome; the most famous are in the area of the Old Appian Way and the Porta Ardeatina (catacombs of St. Sebastian, St. Callistus, St. Domitilla).
If you are looking for an unusual route around the Eternal City, this material is for you.
Catacombs of Saint Callistus
These catacombs are the oldest and best preserved necropolis on the Appian Way, built at the end of the 2nd century. AD on the territory of a large area provided to the church authorities for independent use and reserved for burials. After his election to the papal throne, Bishop Zephyrinus (199-217) summoned Deacon Callistus and appointed him caretaker of the cemetery. Having become pontiff, he expanded the funerary complex, which became the resting place of sixteen popes of the 3rd century. (this part is called the "Papal Crypt"). A steep staircase leads into the catacombs; After passing through the “Papal Crypt”, through a small passage you enter the cubicula where the tomb of St. Cecilia was discovered. Paintings from the 5th-6th centuries have been preserved on the walls, including the oldest image of a praying saint.
After leaving this chamber, you can go down into the ossuary, which consists of several levels and reaches 4 meters in height, and then walk through a tunnel in which the entrances to the “Cubicles of the Sacraments” open, named after the scenes of baptism and the Eucharist depicted on the walls. Next you can examine the monumental “sarcophagus of Pope Miltiades”, other sections - Saints Gaius and Eusebius, as well as Pope Liberius (352-366), where three inscriptions of that era and arched niches with burials (arcosolia), decorated with paintings with scenes of their Old and New Testaments. And only after this you will find yourself at the original core of the entire structure - the “Crypts of Lucina”. Here stands the sarcophagus of Pope Cornelius, decorated with paintings in the Byzantine style, and on the walls there are two notable frescoes: “The Good Shepherd and the Prayers”, as well as a painting depicting two baskets full of bread and a glass goblet filled with wine in the middle (symbols of the sacrament of the Eucharist) .
Catacombs of Priscilla
Of the entire vast territory of the necropolis, which stretched around the Salt Road (via Salaria), Priscilla's catacombs are the best preserved. The original core of these ancient catacombs were burials from the end of the 2nd century. AD, which are dated by numerous inscriptions mentioning the names of Peter and Paul. They are named after the Roman Christian Priscilla, the owner of this land plot, whose son, according to legend, gave shelter to Saint Peter. The oldest part is called the "Greek Chapel" because of two inscriptions in the Greek alphabet made in red paint in the niches of the room, which was originally used as a shelter from summer heat; there were probably even fountains and decorations. The paintings on the walls depict scenes from the Old and New Testaments. In the 3rd century. a second level was excavated, including a long main tunnel and more than twenty small tunnels on the sides. Around the old core, another section appeared, where there is a fresco with the oldest image of the Madonna and Child that has reached us. In the 4th century. the Basilica of St. Sylvester was built above the catacombs; its current building is mainly the result of reconstruction.
Catacombs of Saint Sebastian
These catacombs have four levels; they are located in a deep hollow where pozzolan was mined - construction material, which is a mixture of volcanic ash, pumice and tuff. Pagans also buried their dead here, and towards the end of the 2nd century. AD The necropolis became Christian and was consecrated in honor of Saints Peter and Paul. According to legend, it was here that the remains of saints were hidden before the basilicas were built in the Vatican and on the road to Ostia. Only in the 4th century, when Saint Sebastian was buried here (died in 298), did the catacombs receive their current name.
According to legend, the young Roman legionnaire Sebastian preferred torture with arrows to renunciation of the Christian faith; He miraculously survived, and barely recovered, he again challenged Emperor Diocletian. He took him into custody and ordered Sebastian to be taken to the Palatine Hippodrome, where he was beaten with sticks; The body of the martyr was thrown into the Great Cloaca. Soon he was picked up by the Christian woman Lukina, to whom the saint appeared in a dream; It was she who transported the remains to the catacombs.
Catacombs of Saint Domitilla
These are among the largest Roman catacombs, the original core of which was a series of burials in plots owned by Flavia Domitilla - niece of the consul Titus Flavius Clement (died 95 AD) and a relative of the Emperor Vespasian - and given to her to her freed slaves.
Catacombs of Pontian
© Wikimedia Commons
It is assumed that the catacombs of Pontian are named after the owner of the land. Burials here reached their maximum area in the 4th century. Saints Abdon and Sennen are buried here - freed slaves from Persia who converted to Christianity and were killed in the Roman amphitheater, as well as other holy martyrs. There are paintings from the 6th-7th centuries. and a room serving as a baptistery.
Jewish catacombs of Vigna Randanini
These catacombs are privately owned and protected by the Roman Archaeological Authority. They were discovered in 1859 and are one of the best examples of such structures in the city. The Jewish community in Rome was formed already in the 2nd century. BC, and became especially numerous during the era of the empire. The entrance to the catacombs is a spacious rectangular hall (originally roofless, then divided into two parts and covered with a vault - probably used as a synagogue). Below you can see graves dug into the floor, burial niches walled with bricks, arched niches with sarcophagi and traditional multi-level burials "kohim" of Phoenician origin. Some cubiculas contain paintings with floral designs and animal images, as well as elements of traditional Jewish iconography (such as the Ark of the Covenant and the seven-branched menorah); but there are no inscriptions in Hebrew here. The catacombs reached their maximum extent in the 3rd-4th centuries. AD
Catacombs of Saints Peter and Marcellinus
© laboratorio104.it
This complex of springs is called “between two laurels” (“inter duas lauros”) - this is what this area was once called. It includes the catacombs of Peter and Marcellinus, the basilica of the same name and the mausoleum of St. Helena (also known as the Mausoleum of Tor Pignattara). The entrance to the catacombs is in the courtyard of the basilica. Originally, the crypt where the saints were buried consisted of two simple niches; in the 4th century Pope Damasius (366-384) - legend says that about martyrdom Peter and Marcellinus were personally told to him by their executioner - he ordered them to be decorated with monumental marble decoration. An entrance staircase was built and a mandatory inspection route for pilgrims was equipped, which passed both above-ground and underground parts. The bodies of the saints remained in the crypt until Gregory IV ascended the papal throne in 826, when they were transported first to France and then to Germany.
Numerous inscriptions scrawled on the walls of the small apse and the tunnels leading to the tombs of the saints vividly testify to the popularity of this place among believers: here you can see prayers written not only in Latin, but also in runes (among the pilgrims there were many Celts and Germans). The walls of the catacombs are covered with paintings of biblical scenes (note the scene of the Epiphany with two figures of the Magi), and they are the third largest in Rome in terms of area.
Pope Honorius I (625-638) ordered the construction of a small underground basilica with an apse, capable of accommodating increasingly numerous pilgrims, and doubling its size. entrance staircase to the basilica, after which he consecrated the altar installed directly above the two burials. In the V-VII centuries. here a new sanctuary appears in honor of the four crowned martyrs (Claudius, Castorius, Simpronian and Nicostratus), connected to the original core of the complex by one-way corridors and skylights; to facilitate the movement of pilgrims, the entrances to secondary tunnels and cubicles were blocked, and new staircases were built. IN last time the complex expanded under Pope Adrian I (772-795).
Catacombs of Saint Agnes
The catacombs are part of a monumental complex that also includes the Basilica of Sant'Agnese Fuori le Mura and the Mausoleum of Saint Constance (Constantina), built in the 4th century, the resting place of the daughters of Emperor Constantine the Great - Constantine and Helena. The tunnels of vast catacombs stretch under the basilica building and cover the neighboring areas; Numerous inscriptions discovered there by archaeologists testify with certainty that underground passages and rooms were dug even before St. Agnes was buried here. Scientists stumbled upon these catacombs by chance in 1865. There are no paintings here, and the space is divided into three levels and four sections. The most ancient section is to the left of the basilica; The cubicula here is filled with massive stone, as in Jewish burials. The fourth section is located directly under the portico of the original church building.
Address: Catacombs of St. Callixtus, Via Appia Antica, 110/126, 00179 Roma, Italy.
Opening hours: daily from 09:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00.
Day off is Wednesday.
Entrance fee: 8 EUR.
We can talk endlessly about Rome, who has experienced many bright events in his lifetime, beautiful and tragic, but each time, like the Phoenix bird, who managed to be reborn from the ashes, to remain just as proud and indestructible. There is another Rome, invisible and unknown to many, lying right under our feet, where each layer reflects an entire era. To touch him centuries-old history, hidden under thousands of acres of land, you must make your way to the underground kingdom...
What the dungeons “told” about
Roman catacombs- the most amazing monument that conveys the history of Christians for three centuries since the birth of Christ. For many centuries they remained in oblivion. And only in the middle of the 19th century. they were accidentally discovered by the Italian archaeologist Giovanni Battista de Rossi.
Trying to find objects of ancient Christians, he came across a marble piece of slab with the inscription “Cornelius the Martyr.” The find was carefully examined. It turned out to be part of a tombstone from the grave of Pontiff Cornelius, who lived in the 3rd century. after the birth of Christ. Tortured to death in 253, he was buried in a country cave. This was the beginning of the search for ancient burials.
Now we have discovered about 60 such burials. The origin of the word “catacombs” is attributed to the name of the area where the cemetery was located. There is no confirmation of this, but all the tombs received this name. Ancient city literally surrounded by them. If extended in a single row, their length would exceed 500 km. The first appeared in the pre-Christian period.
The Romans more often burned their dead outside the city limits. Christians, having adopted Jewish customs, interred them. This is how Lazarus, resurrected by the Lord, was buried, and Christ, wrapped in a shroud, was laid in the cave after Golgotha. The dead were placed in a niche, with a slab placed on top. Some graves were distinguished by installed stone sarcophagi. The catacombs were given the names of the great martyrs.
As time passed, the grottoes occupied a large area, becoming intricate deep labyrinths connected by narrow passages. During the period of persecution of Christians, the dwellings of the dead became a reliable shelter for the living. The first temples were formed in the deep depths of the earth, where ancient believers ate spiritual food. The Resurrection of the Lord gave confidence in the absence of death and great hope of eternal, cloudless life. The burial places of people who took a step into eternity became for the living the door to the kingdom of heaven.
Meaningful wall paintings
The walls in the dungeons were painted with various frescoes. They were the first masterpieces of ancient Christian art. Without looking at the persecution, the images do not have scenes of martyrdom, and the epitaphs are devoid of traces of resentment, although the majority died at the hands of the persecutors. There are only words calling on the Almighty.
The intertwined stories of the Old Testament with numerous Gospel images convey to descendants the concept of good and evil, show the difference between truth and lies, life and death. The depictions of Adam and Eve, who committed original sin, are located next to a white lily flower - a symbol of purity. The soul that truly knew God was symbolically depicted as a bird. With a look full of love, Christ looks from the walls in the guise of a shepherd, carrying a lamb on his shoulders, symbolizing the lost one. human soul. The Son of God was depicted as a vine, where the branches are those who believed in him. His words: "I am the true vine, and my father is a winegrower,” they call to follow him. Symbolic images are firmly entrenched in the art of all subsequent centuries.
Emperor Constantine the Great, by his decree of 313 on the recognition of the Christian religion, freed believers from oppression. The prayerful chanting of the Lord was transferred from the dungeon to the spacious vaults of the above-ground light temples.
Largest burials
The largest underground tombs of the capital are rightfully recognized as the catacombs of St. Callistus, located on the Appian Way, along which Roman legionnaires once walked for another victory, where the Apostle Peter met Christ. Here is the stone tomb of Romulus, the Roman Cain who killed his twin brother. 20 km long, they accommodate 170 thousand burials. Four of them are visited today.
When persecution became a thing of the past, there was no longer any need to sneak to the dead. Pontiff Damasius constructed a staircase that provided access to the tombs. In its lower part, the hallways are greeted by the Good Shepherd, reminding of the freedom of choice given to everyone living on earth. He is ready to lend a helping hand to a lost person.
Crypt dads
It is considered the center, which was surrounded, growing, by others. In the 3rd century. turned into the tomb of bishops. Rectangular shape The room, quite spacious, is supported by columns with beautiful carved capitals holding up the vault. Nine metropolitan pontiffs and eight non-resident pontiffs found peace here. Six names remained preserved: Pontian, who finished life path in the mines, Anter - his successor, who died within the walls of the prison, Fabian, beheaded during the reign of Decius, Lucius and Eutyches. All of them were great martyrs. Their relics were transferred to different churches in the capital, where they are preserved to this day.
The resting place of the martyr Cecilia
This is a fairly spacious room, with a niche on the left side where her sarcophagus was installed. Paschal I decided to redirect her relics to the capital, but could not find her. Exhausted, he turned to her for help in a dream; the woman indicated the exact location. Only one wall separated him from the tomb. After this, the remains were safely transferred to the Basilica of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, dedicated to Cecilia. While rebuilding the church, the sarcophagus was opened. The eyes did not believe the miracle they saw: the body remained incorrupt. After looking at the body, the amazed sculptor Stefano Maderno made a statue depicting Caecilia in the position in which she lay in the sarcophagus. The crypt contains a copy.
Why was she tortured to death? A native of a noble family, from a young age she believed in the teachings of Christ. She converted her husband and brought many who believed in him to God, for which they decided to execute the woman. Having placed her in a hot bath, the torturers wanted to kill her in such a terrible way, but three days later they found her alive. Then they decided to cut off the head. The executioner struck several times, but was unable to cut him off immediately. Being mortally wounded and half alive, she continued to preach the faith of Christ, trying to convert those present to it. She succeeded.
A cross rises above her grave, around it two angels and three martyrs froze in sorrow: Polikam, Sebastian and Quirinus. There are also images of Christ and the martyr Pope Urban I.
Cubes of the Mysteries
Designed for one family, consisting of five compartments. Frescoes telling about the sacrament of baptism are well preserved here. The same ritual performed by John the Baptist in the waters of the Jordan is depicted, striking the imagination with the power of faith. Jonah, rescued from the belly of a huge fish, “watches” the newcomers. There is a staircase along which the murdered bishops were secretly brought to rest.
Section of Blessed Miltiades
It is adjacent to the cubes of the Sacraments. Formed in the 2nd century, it became a connecting bridge leading to the crypt of Lucina - the resting place of the soul of the martyr Pope Cornelius. He is rarely mentioned by historical sources. He served as pontiff for too short a time, a little more than two years. On icons he is depicted with a cow's horn, he is the patron saint of animals, and he healed the unfortunate from many diseases. Here you can see the radiance of the phoenix, signifying the death of the flesh and eternal life in Christ, doves symbolizing the Holy Spirit, a fish, a bird drinking from a cup, which personifies the soul that has found solace in God.
People perceive these sacred places differently. For a cold person who has visited dark, damp vaults, they will remain so. A completely different impression will be made on a thinking and understanding person. Numerous corridors will tell about a handful of people who passionately loved life, but died for their faith, blessing the Lord, praying for their enemies. Fate destined this handful to carry out the greatest revolution in the world - to destroy paganism. Their victory lies in fiery love and fortitude. And with faith in the heart and great love, everything is available to a person.