Ten Facts about Catacombs

The final posting

1. Catacombs are a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that run for miles under cities of the ancient Roman Empire.
They still exist today.
2. They were also used as underground cemeteries. Bodies were placed in niches hollowed out in the side walls.
Usually 2 or 3 bodies would be placed in the opening and then sealed.
3. Christians had 2 reasons for burying their dead in catacombs:
Land was expensive and most Christians were poor.
Cremation was an option but they wanted to bury their dead as a reminder of Christ's death and resurrection.
4. Because they were used for burials, all people considered the Catacombs sacred. They were a place of
sanctuary which meant that fugitives could not be pursued or arrested. There were exceptions but the
labyrinth of tunnels gave the pursued an advantage.
5. The Roman Empire had numerous gods, Caesar being number one. The Christians refused to worship them. This was a problem for Caesar, he didn't like that some of his subjects would not bow down and made life very
difficult.
6. Because of their lack of scientific knowledge, Christians were blamed for natural disasters like fires, floods,
plagues and famines. They were also accused of everything from treason to atheism (because they wouldn't
worship the emperor).
7. Rome passed a law that gave the land of a convicted traitor to the person who turned them in to the authorities.
8. To be a Christian was dangerous, not only for the individual but also for his or her family. To choose to follow
Christ had a cost! Persecution included economic and social discrimination as well as physical harm.
9. Christians of the time needed to be very careful. They developed secret signs and met in secret places. One of
Those places was the catacombs.
10. They found them to be a safe place to be together as a community. They worshiped here and celebrated
the Lord's Supper. They could come together to support one another during difficult times.