San Calisto

Today we went into the Catacombs at San Calisto. Rediscovered in 1852, they lay unused, and unentered for nearly a thousand years. They were however found looted, but have been restored and are now cared for by the Salesian fathers. There are many catacombs around Rome, San Calisto alone being the tomb of nealry half a million Christians and dates back to the 1st and 2nd Centuries. The Romans respected the Dead and, even though they knew they were Christian tended to leave them alone. However various Emperors persecuted the Christians and in the early 3th Century, During the riegn of Valerian, Pope Sixtus 2 was killed by Roman Soldiers in the Catacombs of San Calisto. He was buried there, with various other Pope's, their remains being moved some 500 years later. Mass at times was also celebrated there, as we did this morning.

The early christian's would dig out burial chambers in the volcanic rock and then seal each catacomb. After exhausting a level they would then dig down and start again. The rubble being hauled out by rope and pully. In some places the catacombs are as deep as 120 metres. It was amazing to be standing on so much history.