St. Paul's Catacombs

St. Paul’s Catacombs

File:St. Paul's Catacombs, Malta (1).JPG
Location	St. Agatha Street, Rabat, Malta
Type	Catacombs
Public transit access	Buses 51, 52, 53 from Valletta terminus.
Website	www.heritagemalta.org

St. Paul’s Catacombs are some of the most prominent features of Malta’s paleochristian archaeology. The archaeological clearing of the site has revealed an extensive system of underground galleries and tombs dated from the fourth to the ninth centuries AD.

The site was first fully investigated in 1894 by Dr. Antonio Annetto Caruana. It is now managed by Heritage Malta.

Two catacombs are open to the public, but these are only a small part of the entire St. Paul's and St. Agatha’s complex.

History

St. Paul’s catacombs are part of a large cemetery once located outside the walls of the ancient Greek city of Melite, now covered by the smaller Mdina and Rabat. It also comprises the catacombs of Saint Agatha, San Katald, St. Augustine and many others.

The cemetery probably originated in the Phoenician-Punic period. Like in Roman tradition, Phoenician and Punic burials were located outside city walls. The many tombs discovered in areas outside the known line of the Roman city suggest that the city of Melite was close to equal size.

The early tombs consisted of a deep rectangular shaft with one or two chambers dug from its sides. This type of burial was used well into the Roman occupation of the islands, but the chambers grew larger and more regular in shape over time. It is probable that this enlargement joined neighboring tombs and led to the creation of small catacombs, which became the norm by the fourth century AD.

Site

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St. Paul's catacombs

The site that is currently open to the public comprises two catacombs out of the 24 in the St Paul’s cluster. The main complex, covering an area of more than 2000 square metres, is so far the largest catacomb ever to be found on the island. It is large enough to have served as a communal burial ground in successive phases of Malta’s history. The two halls at the bottom of the entrance stairs show two agape tables (circular tables hewn out of the living rock and used for ceremonial meals commemorating dead relatives). One of the halls was transformed into an early church following the expulsion of Arab conquerors in the second century AD.

Although the complex contains almost all of the burial types found in the Maltese repertoire, the best represented are so-called baldacchino tombs. These free-standing, canopied burials dominate the main corridors of the complex; their four elegant arches and supporting pillars are exemplary. Other decorations within this catacomb include illustrations and written messages in red paint.

The second catacomb that can be visited is much smaller than the first. The surgical tools carved in relief on one of the three blocking stones in the inner chamber suggest that it was the burial place of a particular family or group of surgeons.

Religious diversity

The catacombs of St. Paul illustrate the religious diversity of the Maltese islands during the Roman period. The 24 catacombs show evidence of Christian, Pagan and Jewish burials side-by-side and no visible divisions.

Excavation and conservation

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St. Paul's Catacombs

The excavation of the catacombs began in the late 1800s and, other than the construction of protective rooms, no further conservation was undertaken in the twentieth century.

With funds from the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund (Operational Programme I – Cohesion Policy 2007-2013), Heritage Malta is performing extensive archaeological and environmental research. Various other studies will be conducted in the coming few years, culminating in the development of new visitor facilities as well as the opening to the public of most of the smaller catacombs.

Opening hours

The catacombs are open every day from 9am till 5pm, with last admission at 4:30pm. They are closed on Good Friday, Christmas Eve and Day, and New Year's Eve and Day.

Tickets

Visitors can access the Domvs Romana, St. Paul’s Catacombs and the National Museum of Natural History in one day with the Rabat–Mdina multi-site ticket.

In Literature

The catacombs are a setting in David Beckett's popular 2013 novel The Cana Mystery (See Times of Malta 10 December 2013)

See also

• List of catacombs in Malta

External links

• Heritage Malta
• St. Paul’s Catacombs on Euromuse.net