The Art of the Roman Catacombs: Themes of Deliverance in the Age of Persecution

By Gregory S. Athnos

Every story in catacomb art is a tale of deliverance, a tale of the powerlessness of death and the certainty of the resurrection. Looking back through fifteen hundred years of Christian art, it appears the crucifixion of Jesus holds the highest place. We haven't looked back far enough. Go back to the first three centuries after Jesus walked among us. Walk the dark corridors of those subterranean burial chambers of the persecuted Christians. There we find a much different theology at work: a theology with resurrection hope and power at the center. If catacomb art were all we had of Christian theology and practice from the first three centuries AD--no Scriptures--we would have no choice but to conclude that the first message of the Christian faith was the Easter gospel.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Resource Publications
• Release date: Jul 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9781666777345

Gregory S. Athnos

Gregory S. Athnos is emeritus professor of music from North Park University in Chicago, where he served for thirty-two years as conductor and lecturer in music history and literature. He conducted numerous Messiahs, including the first performances in Russia and Estonia since the Bolshevik Revolution. Athnos is the author of three books: The Art of the Roman Catacombs (2011), The Easter Jesus and the Good Friday Church (2011), and his autobiography Eat In Harmony (2016).

Book preview

The Art of the Roman Catacombs

Themes of Deliverance in the Age of Persecution

Gregory S. Athnos

The Art of the Roman Catacombs

Themes of Deliverance in the Age of Persecution

Copyright © 2023 Gregory S. Athnos. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.

Resource Publications

An Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers

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Eugene, OR 97401

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paperback isbn: 978-1-6667-7732-1

hardcover isbn: 978-1-6667-7733-8

ebook isbn: 978-1-6667-7734-5

09/17/15

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright® 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Catacomb Art Plates

Preface

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1: Persecution in the Early Church

Chapter 2: The Art of the Roman Catacombs

Appendix I: The Search for the 2000th Birthday of Jesus

Appendix II: Resurrection Meals as a Model for Eucharist

Appendix III: The Resurrection Eucharist Description

The Resurrection Seminar

Celebration of the Traditional Eucharist

The Resurrection Eucharist

Bibliography

This book is dedicated to the memory of countless thousands of Christian martyrs whose sacrifice kept faith alive, and whose images of belief scrawled on the walls of their burial chambers in Rome changed my life.

Catacomb Art Plates

Catacomb Code:

Anp = Catacomba di via Anapo

Cal = Catacomba di S. Callisto

Com = Catacomba di Commodilla

Din = Catacomba di via Dino Compagni

Dom = Cimitero di Domitilla

La = Musei Vaticani

Lau = Catacomba dei SS. Marcellino e Pietro

Mar = Catacomba dei SS. Marco e Marcelliano

Pri = Catacomba di Priscilla

Description Vatican Catacomb Archive #

1. Domitilla Catacomb Tunnel Plan Dom A1

2. Catacombs, Narrow Tunnel (Athnos photo)

3. Catacombs, Wide Tunnel (Athnos photo)

4. Epitaph for the Martyr Cesquet La

5. Fossore with His Tools Com Ts

6. Alexandrian Illusionism

7. Hellenic Style Noah in His Box, Orans position Din G 013

8. The Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus La

9. Christ-Orpheus with Birds Lau L 04

10. Christ-Orpheus with Animals Dom L 012

11. Bearded Philosopher (Athnos photo) La, Sarc 181

12. Christ, the New Philosopher, detail, Junius Bassus sarcophogus

13. The Calf Bearer (Athnos photo)

14. Christ, the Good Shepherd, sculpture La

15. Christ, the Good Shepherd, fresco Lau L 06

16. Anchor, with Martyr’s Wreath Dom Tg 9

17. Anchor, inverted with Ram’s Horns

18. Orans, Priscilla Catacomb Pri

19. Adam and Eve, Junius Bassus Sarcophagus (Athnos photo)

20. Hercules with Serpent (2nd Adam?) Din F 012

21. Moses tryptich, Striking the Rock Cal F 02

22. Abraham and Isaac Din E 02

23. Daniel with Lions, fresco Lau L 08

24. The Three Children in the Furnace, fresco Pri L 12

25. Jonah sarcophagus La A 58

26. Jonah Into the Fish, fresco

27. Jonah Out of the Fish. fresco

28. Susanna and the Elders, fresco Pri C 012

29. Apollo (Athnos photo)

30. Balaam Points to the Star Din G 015

31. Madonna with the Prophet Pri E 12

32. Detail from Madonna with the Prophet

33. Adoration of the Magi Mar C 10

34. Miracles Sarcophagus La A 9

35. Paralytic Runs with his Bed Lau L 14

36. Baptism of Jesus with Fisherman Cal E 07

37. Samaritan Woman with Jesus at Well Din C 010

38. Woman with the Issue of Blood Lau L 016

39. The Raising of Lazarus, fresco Din G 02

40. Wood carved doors of Santa Sabina Church

41. Rabbula Gospel Manuscript page

42. Multiplication of Loaves Din G 010

43. Fish with Bread Eucharist Cal C 06

44. Fractio Panis (Breaking of the Bread) Pri C 19

45. Eucharist Sarcophagus fragment La A 87

46. The Passion sarcophagus La A 34

47. Detail, Passion sarcophagus, Soldier and Jesus

48. Detail, Passion sarcophagus, Crowning of Jesus

49. Detail, Passion sarcophagus, Pilate’s Deliberation

50. Detail, Passion sarcophagus, Simon carrying the Cross

51. Detail, Passion sarcophagus, Empty Cross with Chi-Rho

52. Christus Victor Mosaic, St. Peter’s Cemetery, Scavi

53. Drawing of Sky Chart Constellations

Athnos copy of Smithsonian Magazine article, June, 1980

54. Samson, with the Lions Din E 03

55. Fish-Cross symbol for Eucharist

Preface

In our view of the history of Christian art it appears the crucifixion of Jesus holds the highest place. When we look back thirteen hundred years it does. Notice I said thirteen hundred years, not two thousand. We haven’t looked back far enough. We need to go back to the beginning, those first five to seven centuries after Jesus walked the earth, and walk the dark corridors of those subterranean burial chambers of the persecuted Christians. There we find a much different theology at work: a theology with resurrection hope and power at the center.

To suggest that Christian art is a mirror of Christian theology is indeed an accurate assumption. It is a well-known supposition that art mirrors life, that art is a true manifestation of the life and thought of the age from which it comes; every art historian believes that. Entire views of history have been conceived out of the truth that art is thought to reveal. If this concept of art is true, and there is absolutely no reason to doubt it, then we must admit that catacomb art reflects the Christian thought and practices of its time.

Shockingly, this art is not predisposed to the centrality of the cross as we would expect given the circumstances of their lives under persecution. Only three hastily sketched crosses scratched on the surfaces of pre-existing frescoes exist in catacomb art up to the mid-fourth century, and none before the Peace of the Church in 313 AD.

If art mirrors the thought of its time, and though crosses begin to appear in the mid-fourth century, it is interesting that we must wait until the beginning of the 6th century to see the first full manifestation of the Good Friday event: that is, Jesus on the cross. One of the principal functions of art in the early centuries was its use as a didactic tool, a teaching devise, geared to convey dogma and true faith to the illiterate. The post-persecution Church was the first great patron of art, and church hierarchy dictated what themes to portray; artists were not left to their own devises or creativity to make those decisions. If the crucifixion of Jesus had been the central theme of early Christian theology it would not have taken five hundred years or more, two centuries after the legalization of Christianity, to take root in the ‘visual bible’ that was the art of the Church.

What was true for the first five centuries of the Christian era was especially true of catacomb art. The complete corpus of early Christian art has as its themes the intervention by God into life-threatening situations, deliverance from death, and the resurrection. The predisposition of catacomb art is Life in all its guises and manifestations.

Every story in catacomb art is a tale of deliverance, a tale of the powerlessness of death and the certainty of the resurrection—God delivers his people from the consequences of death situations and gives them life instead. The Old Testament deliverance stories of Daniel, the Hebrew young men in the fiery furnace, Abraham and Isaac, Noah, and Jonah were painted hundreds of times in the catacombs. The intention was to show God’s power of restoring life in situations that without his intervention would have led to certain death.

With this exceedingly great visual and theological treasure covering the first three centuries of the Christian era one must ask the question why it has been completely overlooked? How did we miss it? Allow me to venture two possibilities.

First, art historians have overlooked this treasure because it is not considered aesthetically worthy of very much attention. Their calling is to elaborate on art for art’s sake. In most if not all books on art history catacomb art rarely gets more than a passing reference—a few paragraphs and several art plates at best. Most art historians refer to catacomb art as a watered down, less than worthy version of the more admired Roman Imperial art. The result is that catacomb art has been essentially dismissed from consideration in the total scheme of the history of art.

Theologians study theology. They examine the Scriptures and other primary sources written by the important early Fathers of the Church. Their task is to elaborate on the authenticity, meaning, and application of the great theological treatises of history. Art does not enter into their considerations; consequently, theologians have also missed the significance of catacomb art. In other words, art historians dismiss catacomb art; theologians simply miss catacomb art. The great early Christian artistic witness, buried under the soil of Rome, has been overlooked by both camps.

My purpose in writing this book is to reveal the theological nature of the vast collection of primitive art in the catacombs of Rome, an art created by common people, not artists. It is fair to assume that the treasure reflects both the theological and spiritual attitudes of the Christian community living under the threat of the Roman Empire. These crude frescoes and scratchings in plaster reveal the fundamental basis and essence of faith and hope at the heart of the early Church living on the knife-edge between life and martyrdom. While I agree with the art historians that catacomb art is not great art, it is none-the-less great theology. Were it not for this subterranean treasure we most likely would have no idea regarding the sustaining faith of the early believers who, apart from the few well-known writers and theologians of the day, were otherwise illiterate. The only way they could express their hearts was through the medium of art, crude though it was. My study of this crude art has been transformative in my understanding of the rock solid promise of the resurrection of Jesus in the total scheme of faith. The Church at large has much to learn about that first elaboration of hope prior to Christianity’s legalization. It also has much to correct in its current practices of our life changing faith, which continues to emphasize the crucifixion side of the ‘great equation’ of Christ’s incarnational purposes at the expense of the resurrection event.

We live on this side of the resurrection, yet we act as if we are on the far side of the crucifixion. Staring into the cross from the Good Friday perspective makes it difficult to see beyond it. It consumes us. It blocks our vision. Even though we understand in our minds there was a Sunday we continue to stand in our hearts on Friday. Living in the post-resurrection era it would seem that the avenue, the road map to the cross would guide our way through the event of God’s power made manifest in the raising of his son. That seems not to be the case in the way we direct our activities to the cross while circumventing, or detouring around the event that gave it meaning. What I saw in the catacombs jarred me into a new reality. Reclaiming the power and centrality of Jesus’ resurrection became the single, fervent challenge of my study and, even more, the challenge of my life.

Since 1974 I have been reading, studying, and asking questions about theology, and about early Christian history. I have shared my questions and my research with several hundred groups of people across North America, Europe and Japan from many corners of Christendom: Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and many ‘stripes’ of Protestantism. I have found thousands of people who are yearning for a greater sense of the power of the resurrection of Jesus in their churches and in their lives.

I believe ample scriptural evidence is available to support our desire to be centered on the resurrection of Jesus without abandoning or downplaying his sacrificial crucifixion. There was another time, another place, another view. It was the art of the Roman catacombs that brought me closer to the truth of the New Testament than any of my previously held traditions and practices. I now believe that over the discourse of the centuries we have unknowingly allowed a distortion and disfiguration of that wonderful linkage between the death and resurrection of Jesus intended by the New Testament writers.

This is not simply a book about catacomb art, though art it was that brought me to ask the great theological question addressed in my writing. I saw the entire collection of Christian art created during the first three centuries mirroring the truth of deliverance and resurrection promise declared gloriously by the authors of the New Testament Epistles.

Finally, if catacomb art were all we had of Christian theology and practice from the first three centuries AD—no Scriptures or discourses from the early Church Fathers—we would have no choice but to conclude that the first message of the Christian faith was the Easter gospel. It is precisely this joyful and hopeful promise that sustained the early Christians through their sufferings and martyrdoms and, through their willing sacrifices, brought the Roman Empire literally to its knees before the risen Christ.

My prayer is that in reading this book and viewing the first artistic images of the Christian faith you will rediscover that same resurrection joy and promise.

Acknowledgments

My journey into the catacombs began in 1974 with what I consider a providential meeting resulting from my rather brash request to speak with the director of the Vatican Museum. Much to my surprise Professor Enrico Josi welcomed me into his office and set in place all the resources and people necessary to my quest. His was a most gracious offering, as I had no credentials or expertise to merit his attention. He took me under his wing and became my first mentor in my quest for understanding. I remain eternally grateful to Professor Josi, though he did not live to see the result of his kindness toward me. He opened the doors, I walked through them, and found my life changed as a result.

To the Sisters of the Benedictine Convent of Priscilla in Rome, who welcomed this Protestant male into their inner chambers to study in the archives of the catacombs, I give my deep thanks.

Suor Maria Francesca Antongiovanni, archivist of the catacombs, was my second mentor. Her patient tutelage of this novice was a mark of her gracious life of service first to her Lord and second to the preservation of the great treasures of catacomb art. She walked me through thousands of photos, every work that has been discovered in those ancient Christian burial chambers in Rome, and taught me how to see them more deeply than the image would at first suggest. I had hundreds of questions. Sister Maria Francesca had the answers. I saw her on every one of my visits to Rome. I admired her greatly. She extended to me every consideration, and played a significant role in making this book possible. She encouraged my writing, even to the point of supporting some of my speculations regarding several of the catacomb treasures that were contrary to the position of the Vatican archeologists (who later came to agreement). Suor Maria Francesca deserves major credit for my work. If I may be so bold, she came to be a dear friend.

Permission to use the images displayed in this book, most of which have been taken from the negatives of the Vatican Catacomb Archives, was granted by Professor Monsignor Fabrizio Bisconti, Superintendent, Vatican Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archeology. Monsignor Bisconti was a leading expert on catacomb art and has written widely on the subject. Without his permission this book would not be published.

My deepest gratitude is to my beloved wife Doy, whose long-suffering encouragement has seen me through many years of work, many fits and starts, and many interruptions. I am blessed to have her as my wife and colleague.

1

Persecution in the Early Church

We are the imposters who speak the truth, the unknown men whom all men know; dying we still live on; disciplined by suffering, we are not done to death; in our sorrows we have always cause for joy; poor ourselves, we bring wealth to many; penniless, we own the world.

—St. Paul

Introduction

Paul’s words were indeed prophetic, not only for his own lifetime but for the life of the early Church until the fourth century. Only through understanding the severe testing of the early Christians can we begin to grasp the enormity of their resurrection faith. Only through this understanding can we truly stand in awe of the resurrection-centered art with which they adorned their burial chambers. Through a brief account of the era of persecution it will be possible to sense how nothing short of resurrection certainty could have sustained them in their trials.

Art never grows in a vacuum; there is always a motivating power source called ‘culture’. Catacomb art is subject to that same influence and must be seen in that light. Therefore, it is imperative that we proceed into a brief overview of the period of persecution. It is essential that we examine the time frame 70—340 AD, for Roman