The christian catacombs of Rome

The new edition of this book was created for the Holy Year 2025, which has the motto 'Pilgrims of Hope'. At the request of Pope Francis, the number of Roman catacombs that are open to the public has been expanded, as they are among the most important witnesses to early Christianity and preserve many martyrs' graves. These are proposed to the Roman pilgrims as important stops, also to commemorate the Christians who are persecuted for their faith in many countries.This book is the second edition of a comprehensive publication on the Christian catacombs of Rome in four languages, which presents the current results of international catacomb research in a clear, comprehensive and up-to-date manner.

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Three leading experts, who have been familiar with the subject for decades as professors at Roman universities, deal with all the relevant questions on the topography, iconography and epigraphy of the catacombs: Vincenzo Fiocchi Nicolai discusses the origin and development of the catacombs from their creation in the Severan era to their abandonment and decline in the early Middle Ages. Fabrizio Bisconti's comments on the splendid painting of the catacombs focus in particular on pagan and Christian pictorial themes and their mutual influence. Through selected examples, Danilo Mazzoleni examines the content of the funerary inscriptions, providing fascinating insights into the daily life of the early Christians, which captivate the reader with their immediacy and topicality. The volume, updated in content and bibliography, is a reliable companion in this field of research.