When it comes to visiting Italy, you’re likely to start or end your journey in Rome. As one of the most popular cities in Italy, it attracts the most visitors who are eager to explore. While most people who come to Rome flock to the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps, there’s another side of the city waiting beneath the surface that most people never see.
If you’re looking for a theme or want to explore the city from a different perspective, then you’ll love exploring Christian Rome. From the underground burial sites and places of worship to religious relics and homes of early Christians. There is a lot to discover in Rome that takes death and devotion to a totally different level.
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The life of early Christians in Rome
In the past, life wasn’t easy. Death was a common occurrence, and if you were a Christian in Rome, you could be persecuted for your beliefs. For most people, life was violent, full of disease and with little or no medical care.
Roman society was full of many things, but equality wasn’t among them. The Romans perceived the afterlife as bleak or reserved for the privileged. So, it’s easy to see how the Christian message of resurrection and hope for an eternal, blissful existence with God appealed to those who felt alienated or oppressed by the rigid class divisions and the harsh realities of Roman society.
The appeal of Christianity to the ancients
Christian communities offered a strong sense of belonging and support to everyone, including those who were marginalized, enslaved or poor. They took on the functions of extended families, providing mutual aid, charity, and a network of care for their members.
Many early Christians were wealthy converts who hosted secret gatherings for others in their homes. In those days, being a Christian in the open was dangerous, and people had to hide their faith. Christians faced job discrimination, social ostracism, and potential arrest. Even those who converted had to hide their faith from family members, who might not have approved.
Death and devotion in Christian Rome
Early Christians held a different perspective on death than we do today. They didn’t perceive death as an end but rather as a passage, a transition to a promised eternal life. They incorporated these beliefs in art and decor in churches and other religious buildings. If you know where to look, you will find Christian iconography all over the city, and it will challenge your perceptions of life, death, and everything in between.
One of the best ways to explore this eerie and fascinating world of death and mortality is by visiting the catacombs and crypts beneath the ancient city streets.
Catacombs in Rome
There are over 60 catacombs in Rome, but only a few are open to the public. You can find them along the Via Appia, one of the oldest Roman roads dating back to 300 BC. The name catacombs comes from the Greek phrase “kata kumbas,” meaning “near the hollows” or “by the quarry.” There used to be an active quarry near the catacombs, hence the name.
Catacombs were underground burial sites that also functioned as clandestine meeting spaces for persecuted Christians. Along the tunnels carved out of the soft tufa rock were horizontal niches on both sides. Bodies of the deceased were wrapped in sheets and placed in niches that were then sealed with a slab of marble or brick.
You had three options for burial here. The first was a simple niche recessed into the wall along the tunnel. The second option was a larger space where you could have several of these shelves. The third was a room with more spaces for niches where bodies could be laid to rest.
Capuchin Crypt and the bone chapels
Another place to learn about Christian Rome is by visiting the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and the Capuchin Crypt. From the outside, the church looks like another church in Rome. However, inside is another world filled with human bones.
The Capuchin Crypt is located beneath the 17th-century church. Inside, you can explore a museum and learn about the history of the Capuchin monks. There are numerous images and objects from the past that tell the story of the order. Once you get through the standard-museum-design space, you enter the famous bone crypts.
When the monks moved to this location, they brought the remains of other dead monks with them. They had to do something with them, so they somehow decided to decorate their new digs with the remains of others. To the monks, it was an expression of devotion. The bones serve as the concept of memento mori, a Latin phrase meaning “remember you must die.”
There are several small chapels decorated with the bones of over 3,700 people. The chapels have different themes, including the Crypt of the Skulls, Crypt of the Pelvises, Crypt of the Leg Bones and Thigh Bones, to give you an idea of the decor. The intricate bone arrangements, with their geometric patterns and draped robes, showcase a surprising level of artistry and devotion. It’s not for everyone, but it definitely goes with the theme.
Church of the forgotten dead
Now, if you want more bones, death and devotion, head to the Church of Santa Maria dell’Orazione e Morte, also known as St. Mary of Prayer and Death, in the historic via Giulia. At first glance, this looks like any other ornate church until you stop and look at its facade adorned with skulls. There is also a skull and an inscription above the entrance, Hodie mihi, cras tibi (Today me, tomorrow you), which serve as a stark reminder of death’s inevitability.
The church, dedicated to the forgotten dead, was founded in the 16th century by the Brotherhood of Prayer and Death. The brotherhood members took on the responsibility of collecting discarded or abandoned corpses and providing them with a dignified burial.
Due to poverty and the lack of public cemeteries at the time, many people couldn’t afford proper burials. The dead were often abandoned on the streets or died where they were. Over time, the church had to be expanded to accommodate all the remains. Today, you can visit the church and the underground crypt decorated with human bones.
Key figures of Christian Rome
Everyone knows about the apostles Peter and Paul, and their significance to the Catholic church. Here are some other key figures that have played a role in shaping Christian Rome.
Constantine the Great (c. 272-337 AD)
Constantine was officially the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. His Edict of Milan in 313 AD granted religious tolerance throughout the empire, which officially ended the persecution of Christians. Constantine’s conversion was also pivotal in the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman world.
Key sites to visit:
- Arch of Constantine: Outside the Colosseum is the magnificnet arch built to commemorate Constantine’s victory at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. This was the battle he attributed to winning after a vision of the Christian cross.
- St. John Lateran (Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano): Considered the oldest public church in Rome and the official cathedral of the Pope, this basilica was commissioned by Constantine.
- Basilica of St. Peter’s and the Vatican: Constantine ordered the construction of the original St. Peter’s Basilica on Vatican Hill, on the burial site of St. Peter. The marble you see at the Vatcian today came from the Colosseum and the Forum, creating another connection between the pagan and the Christian worlds.
Helena, Constantine’s mother (c. 248-330 AD)
St. Helena was Constantine’s mother and a key figure in early Christianity. She was an avid reclic colletor and was credited with discovering the True Cross in Jerusalem. She also greatly influenced Constantine’s policies towards Christians.
Key sites to visit:
- Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem): Helena brought many relics from the Holy Land to Rome, which are housed in this basilica. These include fragments of the True Cross and the Holy Nails.
- Scala Santa (Holy Stairs): Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano. Helena brought these stairs from Jerusalem and they are believed to be the steps Jesus ascended during his trial before Pontius Pilate.
St. Cecilia (c. 2nd-3rd century AD)
Cecilia came from a wealthy Roman family sometime during the 2nd or 3rd century AD. According to tradition, she was a devout Christian from a young age and was forced into marriage with a pagan nobleman. Her faith and devotion convinced her husband and his brother to convert to Christianity as well. Eventually, all three were all executed for their faith.
Key sites to visit:
- Basilica of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere: This church stands on the site of St. Cecilia’s family home. It features beautiful mosaics and the crypt where her body was discovered in a remarkably well-preserved state. Pope Urban I consecrated the basilica on the spot of her home in the 3rd century. The current basilica, however, was rebuilt in the 9th century by a different pope.
Additional sites to add to your Christian Rome tour
- The Mamertine Prison: Located in the Roman Forum, the site is known as the prison where Saints Peter and Paul were held before their executions. Here, you can explore the cells where, according to tradition, Peter performed baptisms while he was imprisoned.
- Basilica of St. Clement: This three-tiered church in via Labicana near the Colosseum, features layers dating back to different eras. The 12th-century basilica, which sits on the previous church from the 4th century, features beautiful mosaics and frescoes of St. Clement’s miracles.
- The Catacombs of Priscilla: Located in Via Salaris, this underground burial site was used from the 2nd to the 5th century. The frescoes here are among the oldest Christian art, depicting the Virgin Mary and early Christian symbols.
- The Colosseum: While primarily associated with gladiatorial contests, the Colosseum is also a symbol of Christian martyrdom. Pope Benedict XIV consecrated the site in the 18th century to commemorate the early Christian martyrs. Each Good Friday, the Pope leads the Stations of the Cross here, drawing connections between ancient persecution and modern faith.
- The Pantheon: Originally built as a pagan temple, the Pantheon was converted into a Christian church dedicated to St. Mary and the Martyrs in the 7th century. This transition from a Roman temple to a place of Christian worship was one of the main reasons the Pantheon stands today intact.
- The Basilica of Santa Prassede: This lesser-visited gem houses stunning Byzantine mosaics and relics of early Christian saints. According to tradition, St. Prassede collected the remains of early Christian martyrs, and the church’s Chapel of St. Zeno is a stunning visual representation of faith and martyrdom.
Christian Rome practical tips for visiting
The best time to visit these sites is early morning or late afternoon. As many of the sites mentioned above are churches, be respectful when entering, especially if services are being held. As 2025 is the year of the Jubilee, expect larger crowds in religious sites. If you plan to visit Rome in 2025, book your accommodations way in advance.
Don’t forget about the dress code. When visiting churches in Italy, make sure you have appropriate attire. That means no shorts, tank tops or short dresses. If you’re not dressed appropriately, you will be turned away, especially if you want to visit the Vatican.
Make the most of your visit with guided tours. This will give you deeper insights and some context, especially for places like the Catacombs and the Colosseum. Visiting the Vatican with a group can give you better access as groups benefit from bypassing the lines. Make sure to book your tours ahead of time to avoid disappointment.
Conclusion
The religious and spiritual side of Rome is an integral part of the history here, and it’s probably not something most people think about. Most visitors associate Vatican City with St Peter’s Basilica as the main symbol of Christian Rome, but there is so much more than that.
Rome has over 900 churches and other places of religious significance where you can learn about the spiritual history of the Eternal City. Exploring this version of Rome is a great way to enrich your visit and give you a better understanding of how much Rome and its people have gone through. I think you’ll love learning more about Christian Rome, as well as the theme of death and devotion.
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