The Early Christians in RomeSpence-Jones, H. D. M. (Henry Donald Maurice)
History
The Early Christians in Rome
Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Henry Donald Maurice)
Church history -- Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600; Rome (Italy) -- Church history
A very early mention of these tombs, however, we find in the so-called
“Liberian” or “Philocalian” Catalogue, which was partly composed or
put together not later than the year of grace 334. The alternative name
of the Catalogue is derived from Filocalus, the famous calligrapher of
Pope Damasus, who most probably was the compiler of the work, which
consists of several tracts chronological and topographical of the
highest interest, some originally doubtless composed at a very early
date. It contains, among other pieces, a Catalogue of Roman Bishops,
ending with Liberius, and a piece termed “Depositio Martyrum,” in which
the burying-places of the seven sons of Felicitas are carefully set
out. This ancient memorandum has been of the greatest assistance to De
Rossi and Marucchi in their identification of the original graves of
the “seven.”
When De Rossi had penetrated into the cemetery of Prætextatus on the
Appian Way, he came upon what was evidently a highly decorated chamber,
once lined with marble, and carefully built and ornamented. It was,
he saw, an historic crypt of the highest interest. The vault of the
chamber was painted, and the fresco decorations were still fairly
preserved. The paintings represented garlands of vines and laurels and
roses, executed with great taste and care; the style and execution
belonged to work which must be dated not later than the second century.
Below the beautifully decorated vault was a long fresco painting of the
Good Shepherd with sheep; one sheep was on his shoulders. This painting
has been sadly interfered with by a loculus, or grave, of later date,
probably of the fourth or fifth century; on the loculus in question
could still be read the following little inscription--perfect save for
the first few letters:
. . MI RIFRIGERI JANUARIUS AGATOPUS FELICISSIM
. . . MARTYRES
Some sixth-century Christians, anxious to lay their beloved dead close
to the martyrs, had caused the wall of the chamber to be cut away, for
the reception of the body, regardless of the painting, and then while
the plaster was still fresh had cut these words of prayer, which may
be translated, “May Januarius, Agatopus,[139] and Felicissimus refresh
(the soul of ...).” Agatopus and Felicissimus were two of the deacons
of Pope Sixtus II, who had (probably in the same catacomb)
suffered martyrdom, A.D. 258. Their sepulchral chambers were
subsequently identified.
The question at once presented itself to De Rossi--was not this
chamber ornamented with paintings clearly of the second century, the
crypt where S. Januarius had been laid? All doubt on this point was
subsequently cleared up, for eventually in many fragments the original
inscription which Pope Damasus had caused to be placed over the door or
near the altar was found. The inscription ran thus:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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