The underground region of Rome would hardly seem a likely place to find a surprising confirmation of our beliefs; but it is a fact. Since 1578, when the vast labyrinth of tunneled corridors was discovered and explored, much study has been given to the writings and symbols of the stone tablets that were then recovered. These provide first-hand evidence to the beliefs and practices of the earliest Christian believers in Rome.
It is of great interest and importance to find that this evidence does not support the reputed church teachings of today, but does substantiate the claim of believers in the Truth to have re-discovered the Faith of Apostolic times. Many writers of an earlier day spoke of these “Catacombs” as being a witness to the authenticity of Christianity; in more recent times however, there seems to be little attention given to the subject. There is one author who, in 1933, showed that a study of the inscriptions reveals much more than an historical verification of events and living people. He says that although “the records were written in the darkest hour of history, and in the gloomiest vaults, where sunshine never penetrated, there is not a dull page in one of them, not even a sigh between the lines. . . . They may be crude, mere slabs of stone with pictures scratched on them, but their message is a tonic to the soul. They contain the thoughts and hopes of the early Church” and as only a fraction has been recovered “one wonders that with such a treasury within reach of modern spades, there is no greater effort to unearth it”. He suggests that the “present world does not want its medicine, they would be reluctant to learn more of the thoughts of these people—they were so much in advance of us, and it would demand a readjusting of accepted ideas, and that is too uncomfortable a process for a luxurious age it is better to leave them alone”.
We would not think so after seeing how the engraved pictures reflect the words of Christ and His Apostles. We would detect the astonishing note of victory and peace that faced the severest persecutions when the Christians hid within the winding tunnels of their rock-hewn sanctuary, and secretly worshipped under the light of a suspended lamp from the ceiling of an enlarged gallery where tunnels met. Along both sides of every corridor, which were about eight feet high and five feet wide, niches were formed one above the other, where, enclosed with a stone slab, a christian was laid to his or her last rest. Early writers referred to them as “coemeteria”— the “sleeping places”. The extent of the “catacombs” is amazing (they are, incidentally, within walking distance from the centre where a false Christ is presented to the world), as it has been estimated that if set end to end they would extend for 587 miles; the distance by rail from Melbourne to Sydney ! and provide in the tiers on each side the incredible number of four million burials. And we know that for about 300 years the entire christian population of Rome were buried there. Our main interest centres in the epitaphs with pictures and symbols that marked each enclosing slab of stone.
No words are given, or needed, to explain the engraving of a shepherd with the sheep coming at his call, a nearby hireling roughly dragging by the hind leg, a sheep that is on its back. But we can stay to read and catch the actuating spirit of only a few of the inscriptions, words and tokens of peace, hope, anticipation, and triumph; especially the many epitaphs that include “IN CHRIST”. Did they not receive that in the letter from the Apostle Paul, sent to those in Rome who were “called to belong to Jesus Christ”, and dosed with personal greetings to those referred to repeatedly, as “IN CHRIST” or “IN THE LORD”.
But there is a surprise coming, that many today will find hard to understand — because all Christendom presents the symbol of the Cross, typifying a dying Christ, in all their places of worship. For the first 300 years no sign of the cross is found in any Christian inscriptions. The first in the catacombs is in A.D. 331 and then was derived from an ancient pagan source. The early Christian believers “saw the symbol of a triumph, a promise of mercy, a conquering redeemer”. They engraved simple pictures of the dove of peace, the branch of palm for victory, and the combined initials of the Greek words meaning “Jesus Christ, Son of God—Saviour”, and in some instances the inclusion of the first and last letters from the Greek alphabet, “Alpha and Omega” that was given by Christ Himself. Sometimes a simple outline of a “seven-branched” lamp is seen, indicating a Jewish origin.
Paul had met and talked with the Jews in Rome, and the influence of that faithful apostle, preaching Christ, was felt by many in and about the Roman capital. Many centuries passed before the clear light of Truth was dimmed by the entry of false teaching from pagan sources; which also is detected in the inscriptions.
The truth relives again today, with those who have accepted it. But do they manifest the same spirit as those of the Roman Ecclesia?
Fellowship with the Maker and Brethren