On Friday, our group headed to Rome. We had quite the adventure and saw many of the eternal city's beloved sights such as the Collesium, the Roman ruins, the Parthenon, the Roman Forum, the Vatican City, St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Trevi Fountain.
Yet, something random that we saw was the catacombs of San Castillo. This catcacomb, built right outside of the Roman walls, was Rome's first official Christian cemetary. It is four levels deep and we went down to two of them where we got to see the former tombs of over 500,000 people.
However, before you get too grossed out, please know that the bodies are no longer down there. They were moved by their owner, The Vatican City, because years ago their tombs were opened and raided in search of treasure.
As our tour guide explained, those criminals were out of luck.
"Christians bury only with bones," said she.
This statement has resonated with me since.
Christians bury only with bones.
It keeps repeating itself over and over in my head. A slightly morbid but lovely sound.
The more I think of it, the more two intertwined concepts come to mind.
They buried only with bones because their bones were all they had; Christ was all that could be found in those dry bones.
"And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it." -Mark 8:34-35
They buried only with bones because their treasures were not of this world. Their lives were hid with Christ on high.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."-Matthew 6:19-21
O how vast the differences between present-day American Christianity and the Roman Christianity of the past...
Yet, something random that we saw was the catacombs of San Castillo. This catcacomb, built right outside of the Roman walls, was Rome's first official Christian cemetary. It is four levels deep and we went down to two of them where we got to see the former tombs of over 500,000 people.
However, before you get too grossed out, please know that the bodies are no longer down there. They were moved by their owner, The Vatican City, because years ago their tombs were opened and raided in search of treasure.
As our tour guide explained, those criminals were out of luck.
"Christians bury only with bones," said she.
This statement has resonated with me since.
Christians bury only with bones.
It keeps repeating itself over and over in my head. A slightly morbid but lovely sound.
The more I think of it, the more two intertwined concepts come to mind.
They buried only with bones because their bones were all they had; Christ was all that could be found in those dry bones.
"And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it." -Mark 8:34-35
They buried only with bones because their treasures were not of this world. Their lives were hid with Christ on high.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."-Matthew 6:19-21
O how vast the differences between present-day American Christianity and the Roman Christianity of the past...
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