Catacombs of San Callisto

...and she's found a cat.

Pictures aren't allowed inside of the catacombs. I've included pics taken from the website. We had the most wonderful guide, Don Sam, who is clearly very passionate about this site.

There are no remains left on site. They have all been reburied elsewhere.

This was the Christian burial ground for about 200 years. There are popes, saints, and many, many martyrs here. Christians would often visit and there were light shafts and small chapels for sevices.

"The Catacombs of St. Callixtus in Rome
They were the official cemetery of the Church of Rome in the 3rd century AD. Around half a million Christians were buried here, among them many martyrs and 16 popes.

They are named after the deacon St. Callixtus who, at the beginning of the 3rd century AD, was assigned by Pope Zephyrinus to the administration of the cemetery.

The Christians of Rome began to excavate their own community cemeteries (known today as ‘catacombs’) at the beginning of the second half of the 2nd century AD, when a few wealthy families, having been converted to the Christian faith, donated their lands to the Church.

The early Christians lived in a mainly pagan and hostile society. During Nero's persecution (64 A.D.) their religion was considered "a strange and illegal superstition". The Christians were mistrusted and kept aloof, they were suspected and accused of the worst crimes. They were persecuted, imprisoned, sentenced to exile or condemned to death. Unable to profess their faith openly, the Christians made use of symbols, which they depicted on the walls of the catacombs and, more often, carved them on the marble-slabs which sealed the tombs.

Like the ancient, the Christians were very fond of symbolism...The main symbols are: the Good Shepherd, the "Orante", the monogram of Christ and the fish."

It is the original burial place of St. Cecelia. She was martyred in and inspired many that she remained faithful even unto execution (her throat was slit).

"Of a noble Roman family, she was martyred in the 3rd c . and entombed where the statue now lies. She was venerated in this crypt for at least five centuries. In 821 her relics were transferred to Trastevere, in the basilica dedicated to her."

It was both humbling and all inspiring to walk through this place that is part of the history of outlr faith and reflect on the many archways that show that a martyr was buried there.Read more