Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On 25 September a small exhibition was opened in the west part of St. Callisto catacomb on the Appian Way. The exhibition is part of initiatives organised on the occasion of European Heritage Days embraced some years back by the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology an institution opened in 1852 at the request of Pope Pius IX to protect and valorise Christian catacombs in Italy.
“The theme of the exhibition this year is “traditio ecclesiae in intercultural dialogue: reflections on the art of the catacombs” - Bishop Mauro Piacenza, Commission President writes in the exhibition’s presentation - looking at the catacombs as an early and authentic testimony of relations between those first Christian brothers and sisters of ours and members of other religions, communities, peoples and civilisations, in an attempt to identify the path taken by the Church in the cultural context of those times creating her own tradition and history.”
Organised by the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology the aim of the exhibition is to “photograph the religious reality of Roman society from the 2nd century when the first catacombs were opened to the 5th century when they no longer served as cemeteries and became places of devotion instead. The most eloquent testimony comes from the art of the catacombs, hundreds of paintings on tombs, walls, cubicles. In the early years catacombs were embellished with art which was a combination of symbols evidently salvific , such as Noah saved from the deluge, Isaac saved from sacrifice, Susanna saved from false accusations, three young Jews in Babylon saved in the burning furnace, Daniel saved from the lions.”
The exhibition is open until 25 October, catacomb S. Callisto, Tricora Occidentale, Rome, via Appia Antica 110, 10 - 5. Closed Wednesday. Free admission (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 19/10/2005, righe 27, parole 345)
