REDISCOVER RELIGIOUS IDENTITY VISITING THE CATACOMBS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 9, 2001 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received in audience the participants of the plenary reunion of the Pontifical Commission of Sacred Archeology, which studied the theme "The Christian Catacombs of Italy and the Holy Year: Inventory of a Pilgrimage."

The Pope recalled that for the Holy Year "you proposed facilitating the pilgrimage of the faithful and making the catacombs which are open to the public more welcoming. These two objectives were considered in the creation of alternative itineraries within the Roman catacombs of St. Callistus, St. Sebastian, Domitilla, Priscilla, and St. Agnes, in the works of illumination and of restoration done in Rome and in the other catacombs in Italian territory."

The Holy Father showed his pleasure for the commitment given to the opening of the catacombs of St. Lawrence in Verano and, "despite the difficulties and the complexity of the situation, of St. Pancrazio and of Sts. Marcellinus and Peter."

"The modern pilgrim, often disoriented and uncertain, following the itineraries of the first Christians and their actions of devotion, can be more easily led to rediscover their religious identity and to choose with renewed enthusiasm the following of Christ, as did many martyrs of the first centuries of Christianity."

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