These ancient christian cemeteries are mostly underground passages running beneath large sections of Rome. More than 600 miles of galleries had been tunnelled out of the sandstone rock by the early Christians, and here they lived during times of persecution, here they had their meetings and here they buried their dead. I came across whole chapels carved out where large numbers could be accommodated. Inscriptions and paintings were here and there. In fact, it is claimed that our modern likeness of Christ, that is the accepted picture to-day, had its origin in the catacombs.

The long maze of galleries became the place for burial. Little cubicles about six feet long and two feet high were dug into the sides of the tunnels, often in tiers of three and four, and a marble slab was placed across the front. On these slabs epitaphs were written. When the graves have been opened the skeletons tell their own terrible tale. Many times heads are found severed from the body, shoulder blades are broken and bones are often calcined by fire, but nevertheless the hope of the Resurrection always shone through and there are references and signs pointing to that glad day.

The most frequent symbols of the Catacombs are the Good Shepherd with a lamb on his shoulder, crowns, vines and the fish.

The hopelessness of pagan despair can be seen in these lines. It was the glorious hope of the Resurrection and the coming of Jesus that enabled those 80,000 to witness for their faith in the Colosseum and the untold thousands to die in other places during those early centuries of blood.

In 380, Christianity became a state religion. At first many still desired to be buried in chambers alongside martyrs. However, the practice of catacomb burial declined slowly, and the dead were increasingly buried in church cemeteries. In the 6th century catacombs were used only for martyrs? memorial services. Apparently Ostrogoths, Vandals and Lombards that sacked Rome also violated the catacombs, possibly looking for valuables.

By the 10th century catacombs were practically abandoned, and holy relics were transferred to above-ground basilicas. In the intervening centuries they remained forgotten until they were accidentally rediscovered in 1578, after which Antonio Bosio spent decades exploring and researching them for his volume, Roma Sotterranea (1632).

Few people know that the catacombs of Rome belong to the vatican and once you visit them you have to feel like being in a different country. This kind of territorial exception is the result of an agreement signed in 1932 between the prime minister of that time, Mussolini, and the Pope Pius XI.

The catacombs are visited by millions of people every year and many customers do not know which one to visit and their opening hours. The best deal you can have to visit these ancient burials is to hire a private minibus company which can lead you through the south districts of Rome where you can have the chance to understand the development of Christianity visiting the cathedral of Rome, saint John in Lateran and the Appian way.