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 Eastem one were perhaps laid to rest
pope Zephyrinus and the young martyr of the
Eucharist, St. Tarcisius.
The underground cemetery includes several areas.
The Crypts of Lucina and the area of the Popes
and of St. Cecilia are the most ancient areas
(2nd c.). The other areas are named after St.
Miltiades (half of the 3rd c.), St. Gaius and
St. Eusebius (end of 3rd c.), the Western Area
(first half of the 4th c.) and the Liberian
Area (second half of 4th c.).
