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.