296). Of these, the gravestones of SS. Anterus, Fabian, Lucius and Eutychianus have been discovered, with inscriptions in Greek. Though no inscriptions have been found of the other Popes mentioned, they are known to have been buried here from the earliest authorities. Over the site of the altar is one of the beautifully cut inscriptions of Pope St. Damasus (366-384), referring to the bodies of the saints that here lie buried and concluding with the touching words : "Here I, Damasus, wished to have laid my limbs, But feared to disturb the ashes of the Saints." He was buried in the chapel above the entrance, whence his body way translated to the church of S. Lorenzo in Damaso. (4)-The Crypt of St. Cecilia. From the Chapel of the Popes we are led to the tomb-chapel of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr, which is close by. The story of her martyrdom, which occurred in 177, will be related elsewhere. (1) Her body was carried to the Catacomb of St. Callixtus and there, hard by the vault where the Vicars of Jesus Christ slept in peace, laid to rest in a coffin made of cypress wood. After many centuries, Pope Paschal I (817-824), who translated into the different churches of Rome the relics of many Martyrs, wished also to remove those of St. Cecilia, but was unable to find them amidst the ruins which blocked up the whole place, and so was compelled to desist from his design. Four years afterwards he had a dream in which St. Cecilia appeared to him and told him where to find her body near the vault, whence he had removed the relics of the Popes. Accordingly, he renewed the search, found the body in the place specified, "fresh and perfect as when it was first laid in the tomb and clad in rich garments interwoven with gold, with linen cloths stained with blood rolled up at her feet, lying in a cypress coffin." It is he himself who gives us the account. He adds that he covered the body with silk, spread over it a covering of silk gauze, laid it in a white marble sarcophagus and placed it beneath the altar in the Church of S. Cecilia in Trastevere. (2) Close to the entrance of the chamber will be observed upon the wall a painting of St. Cecilia richly attired. Under it is a niche for a lamp, at the back of which is a head of our Saviour; to the right of this is a figure of St. Urban, friend of St. Cecilia, who here buried her remains (1) Allard gives the above date, Alban Butler has A. D. 230. (2) See Northcote. Roma Sotterranea, p. 151 seq. in the arcosolium, or altar tomb (now empty) (1) near the above paintings. Higher up are the figures of three Saints, Polycamus, Sebastian and Curinus. The chamber is lit by a luminare, or light shaft. (5)-Tomb Chamber of St. Eusebius, Pope and Martyr (310). Tomb of St. Cornelius, Pope and Martyr. The tomb chamber of St. Eusebius has one of the beautiful inscriptions of Pope St. Damasus, referring to the Pope's exile and death. At the top and bottom of the tablet is the title : Damasus Episcopus fecit Eusebio Episcopo et Martyri. The tomb of Pope St. Cornelius (251-253) is in the area of St. Lucina, which was begun in Apostolic times (A. D. 58) probably by Pomponia Græcina, the wife of Plautius, who conquered Britain. (2) It is connected with the cemetery of St. Callixtus by a labyrinth of galleries. The tomb has no chapel of its own, but is a mere grave in a gallery, with a rectangular instead of a circular space above (arcosolium) as in the chambers. On the wall, right of the tomb, are painted two figures of Bishops in sacerdotal garments, with inscriptions declaring them to be St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian of Carthage, who are thus associated because they suffered on the same day of the month (Sept. 14) though not in the same year. Two similar portraits are on a narrow wall projecting at a right angle from the tomb but the name only of one can be deciphered, that of St. Sixtus. These figures seem to be of Byzantine work of the seventh century. At the right hand of the tomb stands a truncated column about three feet high, concave at the top, intended for a lamp that in early ages burnt constantly before the Martyr's remains. St. Gregory the Great has in his list of oils sent to the Lombard Queen Theodelinda as relics, "Oleum S. Cornelii," the oil of St. Cornelius. A reason assigned why St. Cornelius was buried here, and not in the crypt of the Popes, is that he belonged to the noble family of the Cornelii, who probably owned this part of the Catacombs (Area S. Lucina) or had their graves here. (3) (6) Mural Paintings in the Catacombs. In the chambers known as Sacrament chapels," and in other parts of the Catacombs, the walls are adorned with frescos representing (1) An altar is placed here and Mass said on the feast of St. Cecilia, Nov. 22. (2) St. Lucina was probably the Pomponia Græcina of A. D. 58. See Northcote, Roma Sotterranea, p. 124. (3) See Northcote, Ibid., p. 177. biblical, liturgical and symbolical subjects. One of the most frequent of these representations is that of the Good Shepherd, generally painted on the central space of the arched ceiling, subjects of minor interest being introduced around it in compartments. Accurate chromolithographs of these frescos will be found in De Rossi's great work, Roma Sotterranea, vol. II, a few of which are reproduced in Northcote's Roma Sotterranea. Among the biblical subjects are: 1, The Fall of Adam and Eve ; 2, Noah in the Ark; 3, Sacrifice of Isaac; 4, Moses receiving the law; 5, Moses striking water from the rock; 6, the Three Children in the fiery furnace; 7, Daniel in the lions' den; 8, Jonas swallowed up by a whale; 9, Jonas disgorged by the whale; 10, the Nativity of our Saviour; 11, the Epiphany; 12, the multiplication of the loaves and fishes; 13, the Raising of Lazarus, etc. The Sacraments are represented as follows: Baptism, under the figure of Moses or St. Peter striking the rock. Penance, by the paralytic carrying his bed. Holy Eucharist, by a tripod, or sacrificial table, on which are placed bread and a fish, and at one side a priest with hands imposed in the act of declaring that what seemed bread was in truth the Ichthus, i. e., Jesus Christ, son of God, the Saviour. Holy Communion, or the Eucharistic banquet, and the agape are also depicted. Another symbol of the Blessed Sacrament is that of a live fish rearing its head above the water, carrying on its back a basket of bread and a flask of wine, denoting that what you see seems bread and wine, but they are only sacramental appearances; the reality underneath is no other than the living Body and Blood of the Ichthus, i. e., of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Saviour. (1) There are also representations of our Lord, His Blessed Mother, and the Saints. (2) (7)-Inscriptions in the Catacombs. This is a subject that would take many pages and even a whole book; we can only touch on it very briefly. (1) For full information on this subject, see Northcote, Roma Sotterranea, p. 202 seq. (2) The reason why symbolical representation is so frequently used was probably disciplina arcani, i.e., the law requiring Christians to conceal from the unbeliever the greater mysteries of faith, lest they should be an occasion of desecration and blasphemy. They desired to convey instruction and to excite devotion among themselves, and at the same time to protect the truths of faith from malicious interpretation. Cardinal Wiseman observes that the word to bury is unknown in Christian inscriptions. "Deposited in peace," "the deposition of N. N." are the expressions used; that is, the dead are left there but for a time, till called for again, as a pledge, or precious thing, intrusted to faithful but temporary keeping. The word "cemetery" suggests only a place where many lie, as in a dormitory, slumbering for a while; till dawn came, and the trumpet's sound awake them. The grave is called "the place," locus, or more technically "the small home," loculus, of the dead in Christ. A few examples are here given of inscriptions on the loculi or tombs : "Live in the Lord and pray for us." "Live in peace and pray for us." Sabbatius, sweet soul, pray and entreat for thy brethren and comrades." Atticus, thy spirit is in bliss: pray for thy parents." "Jovianus, may you live in God and pray." "Anatolinus, may thy spirit rest well in God, and do thou pray for thy sister." "Pray for us, because we know that thou art in Christ." These are most of them inscriptions on the tombs of Martyrs. The belief in Purgatory appears in countless inscriptions: thus: "Sweetest, dearest Antonia, may God refresh thee in peace." "May thy spirit, Victoria, be refreshed in the good (God)." "May thy soul, Victorinus, live in refreshment." "May God, Christ the Almighty, refresh thy spirit." "Eternal light shine upon thee, Timothea, in Christ," etc. (1) XIV. THE CATACOMBS OF PRETEXTATUS. Leaving the Catacombs of St. Callixtus we follow the Appian Way in the direction of the Church of St. Sebastian which is about half a mile further on. (1) The Epitaphs on pagan tombs of the same date contain expressions of overpowering grief. Lanciani gives a few specimens: “O cruel, impious mother that I am, to the memory of my sweetest children. Publilius, and Aeria Theodora. “Oh, miserable mother, who hast seen the most cruel end of thy children. If God had been merciful, thou hadst been buried by them.” "The preposterous laws of death have torn thee from my arms.' "An impious hand (i.e. death) separated us." "Anyone who injures my tomb or steals its ornaments, may he see the death of all his relatives. Not unfrequently the expression is one of a despairing, eternal farewell. "In aeternum vale." |