Beneath the city of Rome, among its ancient monuments, there are many catacomb complexes. One of the oldest of these is the one dedicated to Saint Agnes. Agnes (or Agatha) was a beautiful young woman who lived in Rome in the 3rd century AD, and who suffered an untimely death at the age of 12 or 13. She was heralded as a Christian Martyr for her steadfast in your beliefs in the face of all adversity. In recent centuries, thousands of people have explored the corridors of these catacombs. But what are they looking for? What is the big attraction of the Saint Agnes catacombs?
Catacombs of Saint Agnes, Rome. ( CC BY-SA 2.5 )
Corridor of forgotten stories
The dark and creepy atmosphere of the catacombs evokes thoughts about the ancient secrets of this place. The catacombs have no paintings, but there is a lot of interesting textual evidence that sheds light on the history of those who passed through the corridors. They spent their time there carving symbols on the walls, exploring, looting, and even destroying the complex. The catacombs are stacked on three levels. The corridors of the underground cemetery are divided into four sides of the world. They hide many secrets and stories that will probably never be revealed. However, this kingdom of the dead became a tourist attraction, so stories about mortals and souls were exposed.
The largest part of the catacombs is called Regio I, or First Regio. It dates from the 3rd century AD and lies under Via di Sant’Agnese. In ancient times, this was the meeting place of the first Christians. Regio I predates the reign of Constantine, whose reign stabilized the position of Christianity in the world.
Construction of the Second Regio began in the 4th century. The area suffered extensive damage due to the destructive activities of grave diggers. The desire for ancient treasures lasted for centuries, until modern laws began to protect the catacombs as a cemetery and ancient heritage.
Catacombs, St Agnes. ( santagnese.org )
The third area is from the same period as the Regio II area, but in this case the construction is more extensive and was not severely looted. Amateur archaeologists have recovered many precious artifacts buried in this part, currently in the collection of the Vatican Museums. Sadly, what was not plundered by robbers was unearthed by explorers, who disturbed the peace of those who hoped to find eternal rest there.
The fourth area is located among the ruins of the basilica of Constantine. There, researchers discovered many tablets with inscriptions from the pre-Christian cemetery located above the crypt. When church construction damaged the cemetery, the only remaining artifacts were in the crypt, in inscriptions. The oldest inscription discovered in the crypt dates from 314 AD and mentions the name Sisinnius.
Overall diagram of Saint Agnes Catacombs. ( santagnes.org )
Patron saint of catacombs
The catacombs are only part of the complex. In addition to the necropolis, there is also an impressive basilica built in the 4th century. It contains the private mausoleum of Constantine I’s daughter, who used to spend a lot of time in the complex praying at the mausoleum by Agnes. Due to the general fascination of the Royal Family, the fame of this place grew very quickly and spread throughout Europe.
According to Saint Alphonsus de Liguori:
”St Agatha was of Sicilian descent, from a noble and elegant family. These circumstances, added to her extraordinary beauty, caused Quintianus, a man of consular dignity, to love her so much that he determined to force her to become his wife. The edicts of the emperor Decius against the Christians were published, and he ordered Agatha to be arrested as a Christian and led to Catania, where he then resided. The holy virgin, Saint Agatha, after hearing the proclamation against the Christians, retired to a secluded place to avoid the snares of Quintinus, from whom he had received some secret information.”
Saint Agnes of Domenichino (Public Domain)
However, the governor’s messengers discovered her hiding place, and after her capture she prayed as follows: “O Jesus Christ, Lord of all, You see my heart and know my desire, which is to possess only You, for I have devoted myself completely to You. Lord, keep me from this tyrant and help me overcome the devil, who ensnares my soul. When Saint Agatha appeared before Quintianus, in order to more easily overcome her modesty, he entrusted her to Aphrodisia, an abominable woman, who with her daughters openly declared immodesty . In his infamous house, the saint endured torture more terrible than even the darkest and smelliest dungeon could endure. All the arts of Aphrodisia and her accomplices were constantly applied, to induce the saint to comply with the wishes of Quintianus; but Agatha, who from childhood had been consecrated to Jesus Christ, was enabled by His divine grace to overcome all their efforts.” ( http://www.roman-catholic-saints.com /st-agatha.html )
Sant’Agnese fuori le Mura, 7th-century mosaic detail, Saint Agnes. (CC BY-NA NC 2.0)
It is believed that she was buried in the crypt. Think what would happen if, in a public place in your city, such a famous religious person was buried. Can you imagine more and more people wanting to be buried next to a saint?
It should be noted here that not all those buried there were interested in Saint Agatha (St Agnes). As mentioned earlier, some of the remains and plates belonged to pagans. Furthermore, in the first centuries AD, the new Christian faith was not as dominant as is often presented. The story of the catacombs is dominated by the legend of the female martyr written long after the final burial took place.
Echoes of the catacombs
The complex was abandoned and probably forgotten in the early Middle Ages and rediscovered in the 16th century. During the 18th century, the treasure fever was so great that it seriously affected focus on sites such as the catacombs of Saint Agnes. Final. During the 20th century, it was professionally preserved and explored. Currently, the Saint Agnes catacombs are part of an impressive catacomb complex in Rome. They are one of the eternal city’s many tourist attractions, actively promoted by Vatican-affiliated tour guides.
