The Constitutional. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1860-1861, 1861-02-09
The Cataconlbs Ct Rome.

Rev. Dr. Lcyburn in his editorial cor
rcspondcncc from Italy, to the Pres5te-
run, gives an interesting glimps, Of the
famous Catacomljs of Rome rs well NJ Of
ihe faith and trials OF the early Christians
He writes
W hen one hcs gore the rounds fall the
palaces, galleries. churches, and mins of
Rome, he has still EOt exhausted all the
sources Of interest concentrated in this rr-
markab!e locality. There is another city
beneath the surface Of the soil, Which the
Christian Traveller can not contemplate but
with the deepest emotions The Cata-
combs OF Rome were the refuge and sane
tu1ry OF eaily Italian Christianity, as well
as the sepulchrr for It's saintcd dead. The
product Of the direst prosecutions, they are
@;nonS the most affecting memorials exfaif
Of the zeal, dcvotcdness. and endurance of
the followers of Christ. Not being per-
mitted TO indulge their preferences and
convictions as to the proper mode of bury
ing their dead in any public place they
eXcavated these subterranean labyrinths,
and here deposited the precious dust. The
number and extent of these excavations
fill one with astOnsbment, while the esti-
mate of the aggregate of burials in them, |
am sure, taxes my creduity to the very
last extreme.
In addition to places Of interment, the
Catacombs were also used as places Of wor-
| ship. No opportunities being allowed them
| elsewhere, they sought these "dens and
caves of the earth" and here amid chilly
damps, and by the dim Pickering of their
lamps, they sang praises and poured out
prayers TO Jesus, their divine Master.
About sixteen different catacombs have
been discovered. They are, for the most,
comprchen3ed withia a circumference Of
three miles, though one Of them reaches
distance Of six Minis; bat the manner of
their construction, with streets running in
all directions, readc:s the aggregate of their
internal extent immense. Father March.
who devoted much attention to the subject
has hazardcd numerical conjecturcs uhich,
after making n heavy Discount for the viy
'dness Of Roman imagination, NAV i'm
part to the reader some proxilnatc idea of
the magnitude OF these singlar sepulchers.
According TO this authority, they embrace
eight or esue hundred miles Of streets, and
SIR or Serc" m1lions of graves. They be-
gan to be used in the first century, apd
continued in use until the fifth The Ia
test date fouad on any grave being A. d.
40.
Under the guidance of dirty Caruchin
monk, and each Of us provided with a can
die, We descended a steep, narrow stairway,
to the entraucc-2f the cGtacombs, and made
or way for a short distance through the
narrow, gloomy labyrinths. The passages, |
which are rudcly cut, are, on an average,
about eight feet high, and 40 narrow that
two persons can scarcely walk abreast,
The walks are pierced with shelves, tier
above tier something like the shelves of n
library.
Thrsc were tie places of intcrmcnt, all
OF which, however, are ROW empty, because |
of the removal OF the bodies. Originally
they were closed with cement, and slabs Of
tile or marble, Oh which were cut or pain |
ted inscriptions and emLlens. Among the
rude mOsa!cs was one often found and evil |
IDENTITY favorite with these early saints
representation Of the Good Shepherd with |
little lamb bound around his neck. The |
inscriptions, though often rudcly cut, sim |
ply traced with tLr point of the trowcl, or |
daubed with paint, and frequently badly |
spelled, az already intimatcd, are full Of |
resignation and hope. Instead of inscribiDg |
as on the Pagan tombs, dead" paid the |
debt OF nature, "torn away" etc, we uni |
forlnly lind here those sweet words in ref !
erence 20 departed friends, "s.rrps." 'rcsts" /
Very commonly the name Of the deceased
stands quite alone, with the simple words /
subjoined, "ln peace" or "ln God" Some |
record loving testimonial to departed |
worth as for instance, "Fricnd of all, lover |
OF the poor :" or on a child's grave, Little |
lamb of God; dove without gall" The |
following was found inscribed ON the grave |
Of wife and mother:
"Petrona, wife OF priest, model of mod
esty, here | leave my mortal remains You, |
my cherished daughters aud my husband, |
spare yOur tears, and believe it is not prop
er to weep for her who lives in God. Bur
led in peace" The two following will show
the contrast between Paganism and Chris
tianity, mourning the death of chill. \ |
Pagan mother inscribcs thisou her ilian. |
tomb:
80 cruel fate who dost rtvcl amid sad
ot,eluies, Why Aast thou tom a~dy 80