This morning the class visited the Catacombs of St. Callistus (S.
Callisto) outside the city of Rome near the Via Appia Antica, the
ancient road leading into the city where, according to the legend, the
Lord appeared to St. Peter who was fleeing the persecution in the city.
Peter asked the famous question "Quo Vadis, Domine?" and the Lord
responded by saying he was going into Rome to suffer again, which caused
Peter to turn around himself and go to his glorious martyrdom.
The
catacombs of St. Callistus, the largest complex in Rome, consist of
four subterranean levels, in which are found some 500,000 gravesites,
spread over some 15 hectares. The early Christians buried their dead
here, since no burials could take place in the city. Numerous martyrs
and early popes were among the dead buried in these catacombs, including
Saint Cecilia, until her body was transferred in recent centuries to
the Basilica in Trastevere which bears her name. Contrary to popular
belief, the early Christians did not
live in the catacombs.
Rather, they would bury their dead and conduct liturgies in them. No
photography was allowed during the course of our tour, except at the end
when we celebrated Mass, so enjoy:
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| Before entering the catacombs, our guide explains some of the markings we will see down below |
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| Beginning of Mass |
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| Manuel Gomez-Reza, proclaiming the Word of the Lord |
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| Deacons Peter Akudugu and Robert Abotzabire, assisting Fr. Juan Miguel Betancourt |
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| Deacon Robert preaches deep underground in this holy place |
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| The Doxology |
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| Class photo |
To my brother seminarians: I am so pleased that your J-term so far is fruitful. Your photos and words about the catacombs are exciting. The idea of going underground reminds me of some of the exciting locations in the Holy Land. I am also happy for the Ghanaians, for their appearance on the Vatican Radio. I share your excitment. Finally, I cannot imagine how words could describe in being able to see the Pope in person. I am sure those will be great memories for many years.
ReplyDeleteNote from home (in the Twin Cities): we still have no snow to speak of.
God bless you all.
Andrew Stueve
Dear Deacons,
ReplyDeleteOur boys Joseph and John Paul enjoyed the information on the catacombs. We also enjoyed the views from atop the NAC. Be safe all of you!!!!
Mary Therese, Jon, Joseph and John Paul
What a moving experience! We are enjoying the spiritual updates and beautiful photos. We pray that your time there continues to be as fruitful and life changing as it seems to be. God bless you all.
ReplyDelete