CHAPTER I.

ORIGIN OF THE CATACOMBS.

St. Jerome’s description of the Catacombs—More detailed description of their galleries, chambers, and tombs; their depth, extent, and number—They were not deserted sandpits or quarries, but made expressly to be places of burial for Christians—This shown to have been rendered easy by the Roman laws and practice about burial—Pagan burial-clubs in Rome—Perfect freedom and safety of the Christian cemeteries in the beginning 1