catacombs

23 May, 2023 - 18:51 Robbie Mitchell

Tales from the Crypt: Exploring the World's Most Famous Catacombs

Beneath the streets and buildings of many of the world's most historic cities lie mysterious and ancient catacombs. These underground burial sites hold the remains of thousands of people and have...

Catacombs of St Paul, Malta. Source: Konstantin Aksenov / Adobe Stock

9 April, 2022 - 18:58 Laura Tabone

Malta Underground: Religious Legends, Cave Churches and Subterranean Shrines

Religious visions have frequently taken place in the dark damp setting of caves and subterranean chambers making them attractive locations for shrines, chapels, pilgrimages and healing. One of the...

Inside the Palermo catacombs, Palermo, Sicily, Italy and an image of Rosalia Lombardo, who died in 1920, as she appeared in 1982. Source: toshket / Adobe Stock and Maria lo sposo assumed / Public domain

5 January, 2022 - 22:00 ashley cowie

Child Mummies in the Palermo Catacombs Cause of Death Investigation

The Palermo catacombs is a huge crypt full of mummified monks, professionals, and children. The child mummies in the Palermo catacombs literally look as if they are asleep in time. Now, 41 of these...

Agape Table at the St. Paul’s Catacombs in Rabat, Malta. Source: etfoto / Adobe Stock

5 December, 2021 - 21:57 Laura Tabone

The Mysterious Agape Tables: A Unique Feature of the Maltese Catacombs

The ancient man-made subterranean catacombs of Malta, make up an artificial tunnel system first built in prehistoric times. This vast network of tunnels connects temples, dwellings, sanctuaries and...

Capuchin Catacombs and the 'Sleeping Beauty' mummy

12 November, 2021 - 18:00 dhwty

The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo and Their Most Famous Mummy

Human beings have always had a fascination with death. In some cultures, the dead are never left alone, but continue to interact with the living. For instance, some set up ancestor cults to...

The Malta Catacombs. Source: Christoph Bisel / Adobe Stock.

27 June, 2021 - 14:57 Mark A. Carpenter

The Malta Catacombs: What Happened to Mike Mansholt in the Realm of the Dead?

In July of 2016, seventeen-year-old Mike Mansholt, a tourist from Germany, vanished after setting out to explore the catacombs of Rabat on Malta, also known as the “Realm of the Dead”. Mike’s frantic...

Left: St Januarius’ blood being examined in Naples. Credit: The Catholic Herald. Right: An early portrait of Saint Januarius. Note the two blood ampoules in the lower left corner. (Louis Finson / Public domain)

4 October, 2020 - 21:55 dhwty

The Blood of Saint Januarius and The Miracle of Liquefaction

Saint Januarius is a saint venerated in the Roman Catholic Church . He is the patron saint of Naples but is best-known for a miracle that happens several times each year – the liquefaction of what is...

San Gennaro catacombs Source: coca / Adobe Stock

9 May, 2020 - 01:56 Ed Whelan

Why the Bones of San Gennaro Were Removed from the Catacombs

The city of Naples in Italy has much to offer and is said to be the birthplace of pizza as well as being known for its beauty, culture, and art. One of the most unique historical sites in Naples are...

A bone wall was discovered at Saint Bavo’s Cathedral in Ghent, Belgium

21 February, 2020 - 18:55 ashley cowie

Skeletons in the Closet: Walls of Bones Discovered Beneath Cathedral

Walls constructed of human bones and skulls have been discovered beneath a Belgium cathedral. The nine walls composed of bones and shattered human skulls were discovered by archaeologists while...

19 August, 2019 - 13:59 Aleksa Vučković

The Odessa Catacombs: Lost in Eternal Darkness

Ukraine. A vast country that prides itself on a history rich with heroes and artists. A nation whose foundations stand on centuries of struggle and fighting for independence. Many of Ukraine’s cities...

21 April, 2019 - 01:41 dhwty

The Dark Underworld of the Paris Catacombs

Paris, the capital of France, is often called La Ville Lumière (meaning ‘The City of Light’), however, beneath this bustling European city of 12 million people, lies a dark subterranean world holding...

Frescos in the crypt of St. Agatha, including the outstanding inner chapel altar and fresco (center).

12 April, 2018 - 18:59 Dr Peter J Shield

Excavation of the Maltese Catacombs of St. Agatha Revealed Some of the Finest 12th and 15th century Frescos in Europe!

Located just some 60 miles of the coast of Sicily, smack in the middle of the Mediterranean lie the Maltese Islands. The three small islands are Malta, it's sister island of Gozo and the small island...

Inside one of the tunnels under Rome, Italy.

25 November, 2017 - 02:04 aprilholloway

A Labyrinth of Ancient Tunnels Exist Under Roman Streets

Few visitors recognize that there is a forgotten world below the Roman Colosseum and Forum. The ancient maze of tunnels and quarries date back to the very beginning of this famous city. Locals, on...

In this fresco, Jesus is shown seated on a throne with his disciples at hand. The painting is in the Catacombs of St. Domitilla in Rome, which have been newly restored.

2 June, 2017 - 23:02 Mark Miller

Burning off the Crust: New Laser Treatment Used to Clean Frescoes in Rome’s Largest 1600-year-old Catacomb Complex

Formerly blacked-out frescoes and ancient graffiti in some of Italy’s largest catacombs have been revealed using laser and scanner technology. Restorers, employed by the Vatican, have unveiled...

Orant, Catacomb of Priscilla. It has been argued that these catacombs provide evidence for women having a stronger role in early Christianity, perhaps even in the priesthood.

10 May, 2017 - 14:03 Kerry Sullivan

No Girls Allowed? Debate for Women in the Christian Priesthood Rages On

In many countries, laws prohibit employers from discriminating based on sex. However, exemptions to this law are often made for religious orders. The Roman Catholic Church is adamant that women...

Silver reliquary with skull purportedly Saint Agnes' - Santa Agnese in Agone Church at Piazza Navona in Rome.

8 April, 2017 - 22:32 Natalia Klimczak

The Fascinating Catacomb of Saint Agnes, a Young Christian Martyr Who Died for her Beliefs

Beneath the city of Rome, among its ancient remains, lie many complexes of catacombs. One of the oldest of these is the one dedicated to Saint Agnes. Agnes (or Agatha) was a beautiful young woman who...