The Crypt of the Popes

There were sixteen popes buried underground but in different Crypts underground. Inside the papal crypt there were nine (9) Pontiffs of the third century buried and eight representatives of the ecclesiastical hierarchy were also buried. When the crypt was rediscovered only six Popes were identified: Pope Pontian (21 July 230 - 28 September 235), Pope Anterus (21 November 235 - 3 January 236), Pope Fabian (10 January 236 - 20 January 250), Pope LuciusI (25 June 253 - 5 March 254), Pope Eutychian (4 January 275 - 7 December 283) and Pope Sixtus II (30/31 August 257 - 6 August 258).

Pope Sixtus II

In the year 258 during the reign of emperor Valerian, there was a huge persecution against the Church. Under the decree of the emperor, Christians were forbidden to celebrate the Eucharist in "Domus". On the 6th of August, Pope Sixtus II celebrated the Holy Eucharist underground with four deacons including archdeacon Lawrence (who was martyred few days latter) and some Christians. Sixtus II was captured and on that same day he was sentenced to death and decapitated in the catacomb, most probably in the surface. He was the only Pope to be martyred here in this catacomb, while the other Pontiffs remains were brought from different parts of the Roman Empire, because this was the only official cemetery of the Church.

Curiosity

There were few Popes from the modern era who came here to pray over the tombs of the Popes, they were Pope Pius IX, Pope St. John XXIII (1961), Pope Paul VI (1965) and Pope St. John Paul II (1984).

There were also few saints who visited the place after its discovery: St. Philip Neri (1515-1595), St. Carlo Borromeo (1538-1584), St. John Bosco (1815-1888) and St. Teresa of Lisieux (1873-1897).

The Dimension

The catacomb of St. Callixtus is a massive and grand structure underground. It is 20 m deep from the surface to the lowest part. There are four floors underground. There are 20 km of galleries of tunnels excavated. In three hundred years half million of people were buried underground from the 3rd century till the 5th century.

The Catacomb of St. Callixtus is important and well known because there were sixteen Popes of the second, third and fourth century buried there and more than seventy martyrs and confessors were also buried underground. One of the popular martyr who had the privilege to be buried near the pontifical tombs was St. Cecilia. The catacomb was transformed into an underground shrine towards the end the 4th century.

History

There are more than 60 catacombs in Rome. This is the biggest complex and was declared as the official cemetery of the Church in the third century by Pope Zephyrinus I.

In the early first century, the first Christian community didn't have their own cemeteries here in Rome, most of the martyrs were buried in "Necropolis", including St. Peter and St. Paul, the two pillars of the Church.

In the Second century, few of the Roman wealthy families and the aristocrats converted to Christianity. They started to donate their lands and belongings to the Church. Few of these lands were utilized to bury the martyrs and their Christian brothers and sisters, in particular way the poor and the slaves.

Pope Callixtus I

In the third century, Pope Zephyrinus I (199-217) acquired a land along the oldest road of Roman Empire in "Via Appia Antica", and built the actual catacomb. This was declared as the "official cemetery of the Church".

He appointed deacon Callixtus to be the first administrator of this Catacomb. Callixtus came from a very poor family and was an ex slave (Liberti). According to some sources, he worked for a Roman rich person by administrating a bank, however this bank got bankrupt and was accused as the cause and eventually was imprisoned in Sicily with hard labor in a mine. Later he was freed. He was ordained deacon by the Pope and assigned as the first administrator of the catacomb for 20 years. After years of dedication in the catacomb, deacon Callixtus (217-222) was elected Pope succeeding Pope Zephyrinus. Eventually this Catacomb was named after him. He was buried in the catacomb of Calepodius on the Aurelian way. At present his remain believed to be found in the basilica of St. Mary at Trastevere.

St. Cecilia martyr

In the 4th century, Christianity reaches its golden era. Emperor Constantine with the edict of Milan (313 AD) gave the freedom of Cult to the Christians. Eventually, this catacomb became very important to the first Christian community, and became a pilgrim place and turned to be an underground shrine. There were 16 Popes of the third century buried underground and more than 70 martyrs buried underground too, including the young martyr St. Cecilia. The catacomb contained half a million deceased people buried from the 3rd-century till 5th-century.

Welcome

Welcome to the Catacombs of St. Callixtus!

The catacomb of st. Callixtus is situated along the Appian way, just few miles away from the Aurelian wall. Nearby we can also visit other Christian Catacombs such as, the catacombs of St. Sebastian, Domitila and Pretestato. Other interesting monuments that can be visited: Quo Vadis Church, Circus of Maxentius and Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella.

This Christian site attracts many pilgrims from all over the world, in a special way during the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy declared by Pope Francis (2015-2016). Everyday almost one thousand pilgrims and visitors are visiting this site. Each and everyone who visited this place will experience the history of the Church in it's early existence. As you pass through the galleries underground you actually entering the reality lived by the first Christian community in the early first century and you will absorb the spirit of the protomartyrs who defended their faith by offering their lives during the persecution period started from the first century until fourth century.

The Catacomb offers you history, arts, great engineering work, archeology and above all great faith in God of the first Christian community. You'll be amazed and wondered by many surprises underground.