Pope Francis calls the catacombs a sign of hope

By Sr Francine-Marie Cooper, ISSM

On Friday morning, during a meeting at the Vatican with participants of the plenary meeting of the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archeology, Pope Francis acknowledged that “the Christian catacombs will naturally be one of the most important destinations” for pilgrims during the Jubilee Year.

The Holy Father welcomed the group and expressed his gratitude for the work of the former president of the Pontifical Commission, Cardinal Ravasi, and for the commitment of the current president, Archbishop Pasquale Iacobone, who has led the Commission since 2022.

Pope Francis thanked the Commission for its initiatives to raise awareness and understanding of the catacombs.

He notably mentioned the creation of “Catacomb Days, with the participation of families and children in educational workshops; the presentation of the different catacombs both in television programs and on social networks; the awarding of scholarships; annual archaeological research projects in collaboration with various universities.

Pilgrims of Hope on the paths of the catacombs

“The theme of the Jubilee, “Pilgrims of Hope,” finds a unique and evocative expression precisely in the paths of the catacombs,” Pope Francis underlined.

“In the catacombs, everything speaks of hope: of life beyond death, of deliverance from dangers and from death itself through the work of God,” he added.

The many paintings on the underground walls show symbols and images of hope, plants, gardens and animals, representations of paradise, the Holy Father said.

And he recalled that the catacombs are “cemeteries”, that is to say “dormitories”, which “testify to the expectation of the Christian, to the hope in the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of the flesh “.

Visiting the catacombs gives pilgrims “the feeling of Christian expectation and hope; it reminds us that we are all pilgrims, on the journey towards an encounter with God, who, in the risen Christ, calls us to share his happiness and his peace,” Pope Francis explained.

Projects for the Jubilee Year

Memorials and ancient tombs of the martyrs are scattered along the path to the catacombs, the Holy Father noted. He said he was “very satisfied with the proposal to highlight the tombs of the martyrs in view of the Jubilee, by offering them to pilgrims as significant stops on the visiting routes”.

Faced with current persecutions, the pilgrimage to the tombs of the martyrs “confronts us with the courageous example of these Christians, still current, and invites us to pray for the many brothers and sisters who today suffer persecution because of their faith in Christ,” Pope Francis said.

He urged the Commission to continue its activities with competence and passion. And to conclude: “It is a service to memory and to the future; to roots and evangelization. Because the message of the catacombs is addressed to everyone, to pilgrims and even visitors far removed from an experience of faith.