On the eighteenth centenary of the death of Pope Callixtus I (218–222), the Catacombs Day, now in its fifth edition, is based around the theme “Callixtus and the invention of the catacombs”. The pope’s story is linked to the Roman Catholic Church’s first official cemetery on the Via Appia Antica, as well as the catacombs of Calepodius on the Via Aurelia. The latter site, where Callixtus is buried, will be open to visitors on Catacombs Day.
The event aims to offer a series of routes through the city’s archaeological and artistic heritage, emphasising the central role played by Callixtus and, above all, helping visitors retrace the steps that led to the creation and development of these underground burial places.
From very early on, the Christian community felt the need for a space designed to accommodate the faithful in shared rest, guaranteeing all its members – even the poorest – a dignified burial and thus becoming the bearer of a message of equality and brotherhood. These spaces, called “cemeteries” – a term that is derived from Greek and indicates a “place of rest” – precisely reflect the Christian concept of death as a time spent suspended, awaiting the Resurrection.
Thus, the first catacombs were created and developed. They consisted of networks of underground tunnels that were carved out, sometimes making use of existing spaces. These underground tunnels involved the excavation of multiple vertically stacked loculi, as well as more complex forms of burial such as “tombe a mensa”, arcosolia and cubicula, often decorated with depictions of episodes and characters from the Old and New Testaments, bucolic and paradisical scenes, and moments from daily life.
The excavation and maintenance of the underground cemeteries was carried out by “fossori”, or grave diggers, chosen as the emblem of this fifth Catacombs Day: with their “dolabra”, a sort of pickaxe, they shaped the tuff banks, while with their ever-present oil lamps they cast light on the stories and symbols left behind by the first Christians to express their faith in Christ and their hope of eternal life.
Visits are always free, but booking is required.
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Catacomba di Commodilla
Largo delle Sette Chiese – Largo Giovannipoli
Catacomba dei Santi Marcellino e Pietro
Via Casilina, 641
(info e prenotazioni: santimarcellinoepietro@gmail.com)
Catacomba dei Santi Marcellino e Pietro
Via Casilina, 641
(info e prenotazioni: santimarcellinoepietro@gmail.com)
Catacomba di Domitilla
Via delle Sette Chiese, 282
(info e prenotazioni: https://Laboratorio_Lucerne.eventbrite.com)
Comprensorio Callistiano dal Quo Vadis? fino alla basilica di S. Sebastiano
Via Appia Antica, 78
Visita guidata nella lingua dei segni
Via Salaria, 430
(info e prenotazioni: catacombapriscillaseg@gmail.com)
Comprensorio Callistiano
Catacomba di Domitilla
Via delle Sette Chiese, 282
(info e prenotazioni: https://Laboratorio_Affresco.eventbrite.com)
Catacomba dei Santi Marcellino e Pietro
Via Casilina, 641
(info e prenotazioni: santimarcellinoepietro@gmail.com)
Catacomba dei Santi Marcellino e Pietro
Via Casilina, 641
(info e prenotazioni: santimarcellinoepietro@gmail.com)
Catacomba di Domitilla Basilica dei SS. Nereo ed Achilleo
Via delle Sette Chiese, 282
Catacomba di Priscilla – Basilica di S. Silvestro
Via Salaria, 277
They can be visited free of charge upon reservation, subject to availability
Ingresso principale Via Appia Antica, 78
Visite ogni 30 minuti (9:30-12:00 e 14:00-17:00)
(info e prenotazioni: catacombe.sancallisto@gmail.com)
Via Appia Antica, 136
Visite ogni 30 minuti (10:00-17:00)
(info e prenotazioni: www.catacombe.org)
Via delle Sette Chiese, 282
Visite ogni 30 minuti (09:00-17:00)
(info e prenotazioni: info@domitilla.info)
Piazza San Pancrazio, 5/D
(info e prenotazioni: tinyurl.com/2p9ankx3)
Via di Sant’Agnese, 3
Visite ogni 30 minuti (10:00-17:00)
(info e prenotazioni: catacombe@santagnese.net)
Via Salaria, 430
Visite ogni 30 minuti (9:00-17:00)
(info e prenotazioni: catacombapriscillaseg@gmail.com)
Via Casilina, 641
Visite ogni 30 minuti (9:00-13:00 e 15:00-17:00)
(info e prenotazioni: santimarcellinoepietro@gmail.com)
They can be visited free of charge upon reservation, subject to availability
Opening hours: 10:00-18:00
Visits every 45 minutes for groups of up to 15 people
Via Aurelia Antica, 354
(prenotazioni: Catacomba_di_Calepodio.eventbrite.com)
Via delle Sette Chiese, 42
(prenotazioni: Catacomba_di_Commodilla.eventbrite.com)
Piazzale del Verano, 3
(prenotazioni: Catacomba_di_S_Lorenzo.eventbrite.com)
Via Appia Pignatelli, 11
(prenotazioni: Catacomba_di_Pretestato.eventbrite.com)
Comprensorio Callistiano
Via Appia Antica, 110
(prenotazioni: Regione_di_Lucina.eventbrite.com)
Comprensorio di Domitilla
Via delle Sette Chiese, 282
(prenotazioni: Regione_dei_Fornai.eventbrite.com)
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