The Christian Catacombs of Rome

Book excerpt: 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. Three renowned experts, who have been familiar with the subject matter for decades as professors at Roman universities, deal with all relevant questions concerning the topography, iconography and epigraphy of the catacombs: Vincenzo Fiocchi Nicolai discusses the origins and development of the catacombs from their creation in Severan times to their abandonment and decline in the early Middle Ages. Fabrizio Bisconti provides an account of the magnificent paintings in the catacombs, focusing in particular on the pagan and Christian pictorial themes and their mutual influence. Danilo Mazzoleni examines the content of the epitaphs on the basis of selected examples, gaining exciting insights into the everyday life of the early Christians, which captivate the reader with their immediacy and timeless closeness to life. This volume has been updated in terms of content and bibliography and is a reliable companion in this field of research.