Catacomb of Priscilla

The Catacombs of Priscilla, located in Rome, Italy, are an ancient subterranean cemetery dating back to the 1st century CE. Christians, adhering to Jewish burial customs and believing in bodily resurrection, utilized these underground spaces outside the city walls, as Roman law prohibited burials within the city.12

These catacombs consist of a vast network of galleries, rooms, and stairways with thousands of graves carved into the walls. They served not only as burial sites but also as places for funeral feasts and celebrations of the Eucharist. While not secret meeting places for worship, they could offer refuge during times of persecution and civil unrest. The catacombs remained in use until the 5th century CE, and many relics were later transferred to churches, leading to their eventual rediscovery in the 16th century.12