References

Baruffa, A, Le Catacombe di S. Callisto. Librerie Editrice Vaticana, 1992.
Baruffa, A, The Catacombs. The fascination of an Unknown World. LEV, (n.d).
http://www.catacombe.roma.it/en/catacombe.php

Conclusion

As we end the visit to the Catacomb, we realised the enormous and profound meaning and sacredness of the place. Those who were buried underground were not just ordinary people but most of them were martyred and they are the first followers of Christ in the early days of Christianity here in Rome. The galleries, cubiculum, tombs and the arts excavated and painted underground demonstrates the great architectural and engineering capability, intelligence and artistic mentality of the first Christian community. Nothing but our admiration to this founders of the early Church here in Rome.

The Persecution and the Meaning of Martyrdom in the Bible

John 15:18-21

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you... If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you... because they do not know Him who sent Me."

John 16:1-4

“These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues [today it might be from churches]; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them."

John 17:14-18

"I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one."

John 12:42-44

"Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."

Matthew 10:16-20

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues....But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."

Romans 8:35-39

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ...Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Why Persecutions and Martyrdom?

If Rome was polytheist and tolerating all types of religion why the Christians where persecuted? While most of the citizens and entire Roman Empire was generally pagan and polytheist, Christians introduce new religion that is Monotheist. They rejected to adore and gave incense to the roman gods and believe in God Trinity. They refused to take part in the military services or frequenting public places and live a pagan life style. This irritates the romans including the Jewish community who also considered Christians as their enemy (heretics). Therefore they influenced the common civilians and the upper classes against the Christians, accusing them with all shorts of false accusations. In short Christians were accused of disobeying the decree of the emperor and refused to serve the roman deity.

Another reason why the Christians were persecuted was for political advantage of gaining the sympathy of the people to reach the power and at the same time to confiscate the lands and belongings of the wealthy roman citizens and aristocrats who converted to Christianity. This was seen in the case of St. Cecilia and Valerianus (the husband) who were martyred because of the ambition and personal greed of the Prefect of Rome.

One basic reason why the Christians were persecuted was because of a noble cause they defended, that they defended the social justice and the equality among people in the roman society. The Christians believe that all human beings are equal because they are children of God, including also the women and slaves. This principle was not approved and tolerated by the roman society, in particular manner by the Emperors. For this reason they accused the Christians as an underground political movement against the state. The Pope and the hierarchy of the Church were persecuted, with the intention that once they were killed the number of Christians will naturally be diminished and weakened. However the history demonstrated that, the more the Christians were persecuted and martyred the more they flourished and became numerous. This will justified the prophecy of Jesus when he said: "…they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.  This will result in your being witnesses to them.  But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.  For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.  You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death" (Luke 21:12-16).

By enduring the persecution the Christians believe and testified in the promise of Jesus to his disciples: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven..." (Mt 5,10-12).

The martyrdom of the Christians was fortified by the conviction given by testament of Paul when he wrote to the Corinthians: "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed - always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body" (2 Corinthians 4,7-11).

Persecutions of Christians

The history confirmed that the persecution against the Christians in Rome was started with Emperor Nero. He took advantage of the popular hatred against the Christians by the roman citizens by burning part of the city of Rome to build his ambitious residence Domus Aurea. It was in his time that St. Peter and St. Paul the two main pillars of the Church were martyred (67 AD and 68 AD).

The persecution of the Christians actuality was not programmatic and sequential, there at times when they live in peace under few roman emperors. The fieriest persecution came under the emperor Decius, Valerius and Dioclesianus. 

During the persecution particularly during the time of Emperor Valerian, many thought that the Christians took refuged in the catacombs in order to escape the persecution. However there was no evidence that could demonstrate that the Christians were hiding underground during difficult moments of persecution.

The Christians did not used the Catacombs to be their hiding place, because the Catacombs were a public cemetery and known to the public authorities including the emperors. The main reason was because the Roman law protected all types of cemeteries and necropolis including that of the Christians. Respect towards the dead was highly observed and it was prohibited under the law to live side by side with the dead. The temperature underground is 15 degree Celsius and there is high humidity underground, more or less 90% all the time.

One thing was certain that during the persecution, especially during the time of Emperor Valerian under the decree of the emperor it was prohibited to perform any gathering in Domus for any religious services such as Eucharist. Therefore the Christians decided to gather on Sundays underground in the catacombs to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. Probably meetings, gatherings where held underground and the sacraments of baptism were imparted to the newly converted members of the Church, as narrated in the "Passion of St. Cecilia" during the time of Pope Urbanus I and Pope Sixtus II.

Christian Cemetery

Few unsolved questions raised by the pilgrims. Why Christians opted for a separate cemetery apart from the necropolis? Were Christians hiding underground during the persecution? Why Christians were persecuted? What does martyrdom mean to us today?

Cemetery

The first Christian community opted for a separate burial site first and for most for a very simple reason: Economic condition of the people. As you visited the necropolis (City of the death) you will be aware that it was a very expensive burial places. In fact the poor people, including the Christians were not afforded to buy and pay for the tombs. Toward the end of the second century the Church thought of having a burial site dedicated to the poor people in order to be buried in a dignified way. Pope Zeferinus I started to acquired the first land here in this site and was then declared as the first official cemetery of the Church dedicated solely to the poor Christian community. It is also part of Church ministry of Charity, to help the poor and the needy and the orphans. The Catacomb of St. Callixtus was supervised directly under the jurisdiction of the Pontiff himself. As we know that the Pope assigned Callixtus to be the first administrator of this place. Latter he was elected as Pope Callixtus I as the successor of Pope Zeferinus.

The second reason why the Christians did not want to be buried in necropolis, because they didn't want to be cremated, for cremation was common among the romans. The Christians would like to preserve the biblical tradition, like that of Christ. And even the Bible expresses explicitly about the resurrection of body in the end of time.

One of the reasons why the Christians chose to be buried in the catacombs, because they wanted to transform the concept of death (necropolis) to a new concept of life (cemetery). The word cemetery derived from a Greek word "koimáo" means dormitory or place of rest in the hope of resurrection. Christians believes in the resurrection of body and eternal life. Therefore they wanted to transform the concept of death to a concept of life and hope in the resurrection. The word cemetery was first utilized by Christians and became a universal concept till our time.

The Crypt of Martyrs Calogerus and Parthenius

According to Depositium Martirium Calogerus and Parthenius both were martyred around the year 354 and were buried in the cemetery of St. Callixtus in the region called Eusebius.

Instead in the book of Baruffa, it is stated that there is no exact knowledge about the identity and the origin of the two martyrs. Presumably they were victims of persecution during the time of Diocletian in 304.

De Rossi found graffiti in the area of Pope Caius and Eusebius in a simple family tomb where both martyrs name were written (Cf. Le Catecombe di San Callisto, 104).