File:The church in the catacombs - a description of the primitive church of Rome - illustrated by its sepulchral remains (1846) (14595336970).jpg

Identifier: churchincatacom00mait (find matches)
Title: The church in the catacombs : a description of the primitive church of Rome : illustrated by its sepulchral remains
Year: 1846 (1840s)
Authors: Maitland, Charles, 1815-1866
Subjects: Catacombs Christian art and symbolism Church history
Publisher: London : Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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Text Appearing Before Image:
UMAL-I /V V \J L//V lived ninety-one years, ^, — more or less. He Y ( T I r X I I 1-1 chose a home during A^IULU AM V hig Hfe.time In O/WMUIL/SINPACE peace- The substitution of the numeral G for V is socommon, that the age of Martyrius is uncertain.From his having lived to choose a tomb, the num-ber of years is more probably ninety-one than six-teen : the monogram has been reversed, throughthe inattention of the stone-cutter. The nameMartyrius has no connection with martyrdom, itbeing merely a proper name, as well as that of Marty ri a: p 4 72 THE CATACOMBS MARTYRIAIN PACE Martyria in peace. (Lap. Gall.)There existed formerly on the walls of the Cata-combs many paintings, representing persons dressedin the manner of the lowest class of Romans, em-ployed in excavating an overhanging rock, with alamp suspended from the summit. One of thesepaintings, copied in the Roma Sotteranea, has thewords Fossor Trofimus added. The one here givenwas found by Boldetti, in the cemetery of Callistus.
Text Appearing After Image:
iliiiHHFfnoiiiiiniiiHiiiiiiiiiiiinmiJJiiiiiniiiiiniiiiiiiiiHii The inscription signifies— Diogenes the Fossor,buried in peace on the eighth kalends of October. AS A CHRISTIAN CEMETERY. 73 On either side is seen a dove with an olive branch,a common emblem of Christian peace. The pick-axe and lamp together plainly designate the sub-terranean excavator: the spike by which the lat-ter is suspended from the rock, the cutting instru-ments and compasses used for marking out thegraves, and the chapel lined with tombs, amongwhich the fossor stands, mark as distinctly thewhole routine of his occupation, as the cross figuredon his dress, his Christian profession. The paint-ing is on a retiring part of the wall, and beneath itis a hollow oblong pit, which seems to be the mouthof a grave. From the instruments figured in this valuablepainting, as well as from the testimony of authors,we conclude that the fossors were also employed toexcavate and adorn parts of the Catacombs. Agreat portion of the

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