THE CATACOMBS OF ST. CALLIXTUS They are on the right of the
Appian Way, after the church of "Quo Vadis?". The catacombs of
St. Callixtus are among the greatest and most important of Rome.
They originated about the middle of the second century and are
part of a cemeterial complex which occupies an area of 90 acres,
with a network of galleries about 12 miles long, in four levels,
more than twenty meters deep. In it were buried tens of martyrs,
16 popes and very many Christians. They are named after the
deacon Callixtus who, at the beginning of the third century, was
appointed by pope Zephyrinus as the administrator of the
cemetery and so the catacombs of St. Callixtus became the
official cemetery of the Church of Rome. In the open area are
two small basilicas with three apses, known as the "Trichorae".
In the Easter one were perhaps laid to rest pope Zephyrinus and
the young martyr of the Eucharist, St. Tarcisius. The
underground cemetery includes several areas. The area of the
Popes is the most important and v