Le+Catacombe

=WELCOME TO YOUR YEAR 9 WIKISPACE. =

In chapter 4 of //Esplora// you are asked to explore the ancient catacombs of Rome. The catacombs were once a place of holy pilgrimage and are now a very popular tourist attraction. They started out as a cheap way to bury the dead for the early Christians. Then they became the preferred way to pass into the afterlife. Follow the link to read all about them and then answer the following questions. []

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 * 1) How were they originally used?
 * 2)  After the persecutions, especially in the time of pope Saint Damasus (366 - 384) they became real shrines of the martyrs, centres of devotion and of pilgrimage for Christians from every part of the empire ** . **
 * 3) Why did the early Christians prefer underground burial?
 * 4) When did the Christians begin burying their dead underground?
 * 5) When did the Christians stop burying their dead underground?
 * 6) Name some of the types of tombs in the catacombs.
 * 7) Who dug the catacombs?
 * 8) Give one reason for the speedy and enormous development of the catacombs.