THE CATACOMBS by Daniel Roberts

         The vast catacombs not only display the utmost persecution upon Roman Christians, but the catacombs also tell of the martyrs' triumph and victory in Christ. A catacomb was an underground tunnel in which tombs were built into the walls to bury people. There were over sixty catacombs in Rome, comprising about six hundred miles of tombs and graves. The catacombs were not only a burying ground for both believers and pagans, but the Roman Christians also used the catacombs as places of worship because the Roman soldiers were afraid of burying grounds and thus would not pursue the saved folk there.

            Under the rule of most Roman emperors, Christians were terribly persecuted. Christians were forced to the catacombs not only to inhume their dead, but they lived and worshipped in the catacombs. If one went to the catacombs and opened the grave of a martyr, he would be horrified to see broken ribs and shoulder bones, burned bones, and (even more disturbing) heads severed from bodies. The Roman emperors tortured in this gruesome way, because these early Christians had an unwavering faith in Jesus. 

            However, even though the death of a martyr was grotesque--the epitaphs (often engraved in a smooth marble slab or coarse bricks of mortar) above their graves are of victory through Christ and not of defeat. The following are just a few of the Christian’s epitaphs: 

        “Here lies Marcia, put to rest in a dream of peace.”

“Lawrence to his sweetest son, borne away of angels.”

“Victorious in peace and in Christ.”

“Being called away, he went in peace” (John Foxe). 

The great peace found in these epitaphs is astounding, considering the circumstances these fellow believers endured. In polar opposite to these epitaphs, the pagan epitaphs are hopeless:

“Live for the present hour, since we are sure of nothing else.”

“Once I was not. Now I am not. I know nothing about it, and it is no concern of mine.”

“I lift my hands against the gods who took me away 

at the age of twenty though I had done no harm” (John Foxe).

The utter hopelessness felt in these epitaphs shows that a life without God is one of utter despair and dejectedness.

            The persecuted Christians' buried dead shew their great peace and joy in contrast to the hopeless pagan people. The fact that these believers had constant joy, comfort, and peace in the face of such trial should compel us to put aside petty setbacks and constantly look up to Jesus for peace and joy.