Visit the Catacombs of Ancient Rome
by Rachel Deutsch
A visit to
the catacombs is a fascinating part of any trip to Rome. The
catacombs in Rome are a place where art meets history and
religion in a very powerful way. There are several catacombs
along via Appia Antica, but not all are open to the public.
The catacombs are located on the ancient way that
connected Rome to southern Italy - Via Appia Antica. This
ancient road was opened in 312 B.C. and went all the way to
Brindisi on the Adriatic sea.
At the time, there was a law against burying the dead
inside the city, so Via Appia Antica became the place of
choice for burials. The catacombs and fantastic burial
monuments are located along the way from Casale Rotondo to
Cecilia Metella's tomb.
If by now you imagine yourself spending your day in dark,
gloomy caves, staring at bones, you can forget about it. Via
Appia Antica has a great view. It is one of the most
luxurious areas in Rome. The rich people of modern Rome live
nowadays next to the burial location of their ancient
ancestors, so while you admire the art work of the tombs,
don't forget to take a glimpse at the houses and gardens of
the area.
Inside the catacombs you will not see bones, but the work
of art that decorated the ancient tombs of the rich and
important.
Entry to the catacombs is only possible with a guide, for
safety reasons. The guide, a priest or friar, will explain
you all about the history, art and symbolism of the place,
and then walk you through the catacombs.
The Catacombs of San Callisto (or Callixtus) - The burial
location of the Bishops and Popes, are named after Callisto
who restored and enlarged them.
Until the third century, Christians in Rome had no
official grave yards. At the beginning of that century, the
Pope nominated St. Callisto to be in charge of the burial
lands on Via Appia Antica. This was the beginning of the
custom of burying Christians in lands that belonged to the
church. As time passed, these underground grave yards that
were dug in a soft rock, evolved to a maze of canals, layer
upon layer.
Whenever the room in one layer was exhausted, another
layer was dug, so the most ancient layer is at the top.
Santa Cecilia was buried in one of the graves here.
Later, her tomb was moved to the church of Santa Cecilia,
and a copy of her statue now stands in the place of the
grave.
The tunnels here resemble a dark labyrinth, so stay close
to your guide. The guides walk rather quickly through the
place to make room for the next group. A tour takes about 40
minutes.
Continuing on Via l'Appia Antica, we find the catacombs
and church of San Sebastiano. There are four floors of
catacombs here, and a statue of St. Sebastian by Bernini.
These were the first to be named "catacombs" after the greek
words "Kata Kymbas" that mean "by the graves". These
catacombs are the only ones that are easily accessible to
visitors. Of the four floors only the second is usually
open.
In the Tricila area of the catacombs there are hundreds
of graffiti writings on the walls, mentioning St. Peter and
St. Paul. Those are probably from the time their relics were
kept here, until they were transferred to the Vatican.
Christians used to gather here in order to commemorate them.
About the Author
Rachel Deutsch is the creator of
http://www.dream-vacation-in-rome.com . This article is
an addition to the series of Rome walking tour plans that
appears on
http://www.dream-vacation-in-rome.com/Rome-vacation-itinerary.html
