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CATACOMB OF PRISCILLA

October 14, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Rome, Italy

Catacombs of Priscilla (www.catacombepriscilla.com)

Catacombs of Priscilla (www.catacombepriscilla.com)

The Nativity of Jesus, and related subjects such as the Madonna and Child, the Massacre of the Innocents and the Adoration of the Magi, is one of the most common subjects and important influences in art in history.  Countless artists have attempted to tackle the Nativity over the last two thousand years.  From early amateurs to Renaissance masters; from the first crèche of St. Francis of Assissi to the stained glass windows of Marc Chagall; the birth and first days of Jesus of Nazareth is one of the most depicted events in art history.

During the first three centuries of Christianity, practitioners and followers worshipped underground, literally.  And that is where the oldest Christian art can be found: deep underground, in the Catacombs of Rome.  Virtually all of the earliest depictions of Christ and the New Testament stories are in these ancient, long neglected tunnels: a 2nd-century painting of the Last Supper in the Catacomb of Domitilla; the Bearded Christ in the Catacomb of Commodilla; the Baptism in the Catacomb of San Callisto.

But among the oldest of all is the depiction of the Madonna and Child in the Catacomb of Priscilla.  Named in honor of a Roman aristocrat who converted to Christianity and who was subsequently martyred during the reign of the Emperor Domitian, many Christians were entombed in the Catacomb of Priscilla in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th centuries. The image of the Nativity in question is located in a niche of a major gallery and is most easily found by taking a tour.  It clearly shows a woman (Mary) holding a suckling infant (Jesus) while a robed man looks on, apparently offering a blessing.  The resemblance between this painting, which was forgotten for many centuries, and later depictions is undeniable.

First Depiction of the Nativity (wikipedia.com)

First Depiction of the Nativity (wikipedia.com)

The Catacomb of Priscilla is located along the Via Salaria on the northeastern side of what was the ancient city.  It is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 8:30am-5:00pm (closed for lunch).  Admission is E8.00 for adults.  Web: www.catacombepriscilla.com (official website of the Catacomb of Priscilla)

Filed Under: Christmas, Early Christian Site, Roman Catholic Tagged With: Italy/Malta

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About Howard Kramer

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is a culmination of years of his work and passion.

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Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

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Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

Contact Us

Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

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