The Catacombs of Rome

Peace to my Brothers and Sisters on these Logos Forums! *smile*

This morning on one of my calendars I noticed that the Catacombs of Rome were discovered on this day in 1578.

A few years ago my daughter took my wife and myself on a trip to Italy and to Rome which also included a tour in one of the catacombs near The Appian Way. It was awesome!

Absolutely fascinating! I thank God for the experience.

Now, I'm wondering .... is there -- within Logos Resources -- or elsewhere? a good book on the history and content of the catacombs?

As I grow older, I'm getting "more nostalgic" every day, and I'd love to review and renew my brief taste of the catacombs. ................

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catacombs_of_Rome

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

HJ. van der Wal

There is a chapter on "The Church in the Catacombs" in Schaff's History of the Christian Church:

logosres:schaff;ref=VolumePage.V_2,_p_285

But it would be nice to have a more recent resource on the Catacombs.

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/493644#Comment_493644

There is also a chapter in "Studies in Early Church History" by Henry Thorne Sell

https://www.logos.com/product/1165/studies-in-early-church-history

HJ. van der Wal

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/493647#Comment_493647

I've started a reading list:

http://topics.logos.com/Catacombs_of_Rome

There is also a chapter in "Studies in Early Church History" by Henry Thorne Sell

Thanks, I've added the chapter to the reading list.

Milford Charles Murray

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/493647#Comment_493647

A big thank you to both of you! *smile* Indeed!

I have a few errands to run this morning ... then ....... a pleasant study of what I presently have (both of them!) that at first glance seems to be very much what I was looking forward...

I am grateful ....

Ronald Quick

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/493649#Comment_493649

Biblical Archaeology Review May/June 1980 has an article titled:

Were Christians Buried in Roman Catacombs to Await the Second Coming?

BAR 06:03 (May/June 1980). 1980 (H. Shanks, Ed.). Biblical Archaeology Society.

Milford Charles Murray

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/493659#Comment_493659

Thank you all! And! What a wonderful reading list! *smile*

I'm going to start a new layout called "Catacombs of Rome," and begin my in-depth studies of this rich Christian heritage! Peace!

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/493727#Comment_493727

Thank you all! And! What a wonderful reading list! *smile*

I'm going to start a new layout called "Catacombs of Rome," and begin my in-depth studies of this rich Christian heritage! Peace!

I would be interested to see what you finally decides works best for you. Would you mind sharing when you have one you like?

Milford Charles Murray

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/493752#Comment_493752

Hi Bruce! I'm using the Reading List to help me populate my new layout called "Catacombs of Rome." I will be doing various searches of various items of interest to me, bringing them into my layout. Then, as I progress, I will be using clippings and OneNote and (who knows?) eventually developing a .docx file I can use as my own personal book.

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/493759#Comment_493759

Sounds exciting Milford. The topic also interests me as I really don't know that much about it. Feel free to share as you learn.

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/493648#Comment_493648

I've started a reading list:

http://topics.logos.com/Catacombs_of_Rome

There is also a chapter in "Studies in Early Church History" by Henry Thorne Sell

Thanks, I've added the chapter to the reading list.

Thanks for the reading list, H.-J. I noticed that "Web Links" is repeated twice in it.

Milford Charles Murray

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/493761#Comment_493761

Sounds exciting Milford. The topic also interests me as I really don't know that much about it. Feel free to share as you learn.

Thank you, Bruce! *smile* I DO "feel free to share"! Indeed!

Actually having been at one of them, I am quite excited and am very interested in studying what I can of primitive Christian symbolism, Christian Worship at that time and other customs. There's a great deal of Christian "art" involved also with a study of the Catacombs of Rome. Also am copying part of the Wikipedia article for you re. The Jewish Catacombs. Also copying for you the Wikipedia Gallery of paintings from the Catacombs!

Am looking forward to my study which could end up taking a long time since my congregation also has me quite involved in Evangelism and Church Council ministry.... One day at a time, eh???

Bruce, if you "click" on the paintings below, you will get a very pleasant surprise! *smile* Peace!

Jewish catacombs

There are six 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 two entrances, one on via Syracuse and the other inside Villa Torlonia. The catacombs extend for more than 13,000 square metres (140,000 sq ft), and date back to the period between 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 religious symbols.

The other catacombs are not open to the public because of the instability of their structure and the presence of radon.

Gallery of paintings from the catacombs of Rome

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/493798#Comment_493798

Wow Milford. Those are amazing. I have never been to Rome but, if I am ever blessed to go I would love to visit the catacombs. I didn't realize that there was so much art in them.

Milford Charles Murray

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/493816#Comment_493816

Wow Milford. Those are amazing. I have never been to Rome but, if I am ever blessed to go I would love to visit the catacombs. I didn't realize that there was so much art in them.

There are so many ... and they are so big and complicated .... I stayed by our tour guide because I don't enjoy being underground in a small, dark place ... *smile* (I remember back in the 60's or 70's I toured one of the Hannibal, Missouri Tom Sawyer caves ... they actually turned out the lights on us! *smile* Not appreciated!)

This part of Ontario, Bruce -- where you and I live -- is close to Buffalo .... Can you imagine walking an undergroud tunnel from Buffalo to Chicago ... (that info comes from the book you recommended to me this morning....)

Here is the quote:

^{^[1]} Sell, H. T. (1998). Studies in early church history. Willow Grove, PA: Woodlawn
Electronic Publishing.

The Mode

of construction was as follows: a piece of ground having been selected, the workmen dug through the soil, sinking a shaft at an angle of forty-five degrees until they were well into the rock at a distance of about fifty feet from the surface. Steps were made as they went down, in order that the descent might be easy. At the bottom of the shaft a tunnel or corridor was begun, say two and a half to five feet wide, and ten to twelve feet high, extending 200 feet (or to the limit of the holding) turning at right angles 200 feet again and again, and so back to the starting point.

Lateral passages were then made from corridor to corridor chapels, some of considerable size, were hollowed out from the sides of the passageways. The bodies of the dead, wrapped as Christ’s body, were placed in graves made in the side walls of the corridors. After the bodies were placed in their rocky niches, they were sealed by suitably inscribed slabs of marble or terra cotta. The graves were made one above another with only a thin layer of rock between them. Usually five graves were made one above the other on either side of the corridor. When this story of the Catacomb was filled, the workmen (called Fossors) would begin a new one beneath it. In some of these subterranean cities of the dead there are five stories, one below the other.

Sanctioned by Law

—The Catacombs were made under the sanction of Roman law; the Christians organizing for this purpose under the name of Burial Clubs. There was no attempt to conceal the entrances; many of them in fact opened from well-travelled roads. The conclusion is irresistible that they were laid out by competent civil engineers; ample provision was made for ventilation; every sanitary precaution was taken; they were well lighted. The chapels were plastered or lined with marble. Many of the corridors were also plastered and decorated with ornamental and Christian symbols.

Extent

—De Rossi, one of the best authorities on this subject, estimates that there are over 600 miles of passages. We get an idea of their extent when we consider that they, if placed in a continuous line, would make an underground tunnel from Chicago to Buffalo, N.Y. Some conception of the great sum of money spent in their construction is gained from this illustration, for such a tunnel would be from fifty to one hundred feet underground. From four to eight millions of the bodies of Christians were here buried.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/493795#Comment_493795

I noticed that "Web Links" is repeated twice in it.

Not really. It appears once under topics which applies to searches and once in the reading list which applies to reading lists. Topic entries are not automatically included in a reading list but must be repeated.