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An Italian Catacombs of San Callisto Cross

Item: EU13200

An Italian Catacombs of San Callisto Cross

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An Italian Catacombs of San Callisto Cross

Italy: Silver, in the shape of a cross with emanating rays between the arms, obverse illustrating Christ carrying a lamb, a basket of bread and a fish above, an anchor below, inscribed "BONVS" at the right and "PASTOR" at the right, with each inscription flanked by a dove bearing an olive branch on either side, reverse illustrating the Crypt of S. Cecilia with the sculptural masterpiece of Stefano Maderno on the crypt, crossed olive branches above, surrounded by the inscription "CAECILIA DOMINO DECANTABAT: FIAT COR MEVM IMMACVLATVM", the upper arm with a ch-rho (a combination of the Greek letter chi (X) and rho (P), which are the first two letters of the Greek word for “Christ, flanked by a the Greek letters Alpha (A) on the left and Omega (ώ) on the right, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet), inscribed "CATACOMBE" on the left arm and "di S. CALLISTO" on the right arm, the bottom arm illustrating a lit lamp above "ROMA", 40.5 mm, integral suspension with ring, extremely fine.

Footnote: Built sometime between 250 and 300 A.D., the Catacombs of San Callisto (St. Callixtus) holds the graves of 500,000 Christians, including dozens of martyrs and 16 pontiffs. These galleries occupy a total of 15 hectares and count almost 20 km (12.4 mi) of underground passageways 20 m (66 ft) deep. At times, they branch out into five levels, lined with dug-out niches two or three rows high. In the upper levels of the complex (above-ground), two small basilicas are visible. They each contain three apses (“Tricore”). It is in the eastern part where S. Zeffirino and the young martyr of the Eucharist, S. Tarcisius were most likely buried. The subterranean area consists of several diverse zones. First, the Papal Crypt is the most important. Referred to as “the Little Vatican,” this area preserves the remains of at least five martyred and beatified Popes. Also highly-interesting is the Crypt of S. Cecilia, who was buried and where the astounding sculptural masterpiece of Stefano Maderno resides. In the year 821, the relics of S. Cecilia were transferred to her dedicated Basilica in Trastevere. The Crypt was decorated entirely in frescoes and mosaics, and on the wall of the skylight one can admire the depiction of three marytrs: Saints Policamus, Sebastiano and Quirinus.