Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-01-03
The Catacombs OF Rome.

The Rome Catacombs are long and mar
row passages or cross galleries, excavated
in the bowels of the earth, in the hills out
side and around the city, for the burial o.
the dead. They are dark and gloomy, with
only an occasional ray of light from above
The galleries have two Or more stories, all
| filed with tombs and form an intricate net
work or subterranean labyrinth. Small
compartments for the reception of
the dead were cut out like shelves in the
perpendicular walls, and rectangular cham
| bers for families or distinguished mar
tyrs. They were closed with slab OF
marble or tile. The more wealthy were laid
in sarcophagi. The ceiling is fiat, sometime
slightly arohed. Space was economical so
as to leave room usually only for a singleper.
son, the average width Of the passages being
two and one-half to three feet. This econo-
my may be traced to the poverty of the early
Christians, and also to their strong sense Of
community in life and in death. The little
oratories with affairs and Episcopal choirs
cut 10 the tufa ere probably of later con-
struction, and could accommodate only a
few persons Mt time. They were suited
for funeral services and private devotions,
but not for public worship.
The furniture of the Cetacombs is in-
structive and interesting, but most Of it has
been removed to churches and museums,
and must be studied outside Articles of
ornament, rings, seals, bracelets, necklaces,
mirrors, tooth-picks, ear-picks, buckles,
brooches, rare GOING, innumerabe lamps Of
clay terra cotta), or of bronze (even of sill
yer and AMBER, all sorts Of tools, and in the
case of children variety OF play things were
iuclosed with the dead. Many Of these ar
ticles are carved with the monogram of
Christ or with other Christian symbols. (The
lamps in Jewish cemeteries generally bear 3
picture of the golden candlestick
A great number of TASKS and cups, with
or Without ornamentation, are also found,
mostly outside of the graves and fastened to
the grave-lids. These were formerly cup
posed to have been receptacles for tears, or,
from the red, dried sediment in them, for
the blood of martyrs. But later arcbeolo-
gists consider them drinking-yessels used in
the agape and oblations. a superstitous
habit prevailed in the fourth century, al
though condemned by council of Carthage
1917 to give to the dead the eucharistic
wine, or to put cup with the consecrated
wine into the grave.
The instruments of torture which the
fertile Imagination of credulous people had
discovered, and which were made to prove
that almost every Christian buried Ia the
Catacombs was martyr, are simply impie-
ments Of handicraft. The instinct of nature
prompts the bereayed to deposit in the
graves of their kindred and friends those
things which were constantly used by them.
The idea prevailed also, to large extent,
that the future life was continuation of the
occupations and amusements of the present,
but free from sin and imperfectior.
On opening the graves the skeleton fire.
quently appears even now very we'll pre-
served, sometimes in dazzling whiteness, as
covered with glistening glory, but falls
into dust al the touch.-Janaary Century.