- Catacombs, Crypts, and Converts: Early Christian Life in Naples
- Between Purgatory and Paradise: A Death Descent in Naples
The New Testament does not explicitly mention Italy’s Naples, which in Greek would be called Neapolis. Yet Acts 16:11 mentions the name Neapolis, but that refers to the Greek city, modern Kavala, Greece, a port where Paul first brought the Gospel into Europe. However, the Bible in Acts 28:13-14 states that Paul landed at Puteoli, which is near to the port of Naples. His ship journey from Malta towards Rome stopped in the Bay of Naples for a few days. In this way, early Christianity in Naples links to the pages of Scripture.
Biblical Naples
Local tradition in Naples claims that Saint Peter the Apostle, while passing through Naples, shared the gospel and baptized believers. Saint Aspren and Saint Candida are associated with this tradition, which claims that Paul appointed Aspren as the first bishop of Naples. The Marble Calendar of Naples (Calendario Marmoreo di Napoli), a ninth-century marble record that is stored in the Neapolitan Archbishop’s Palace near the Duomo. On this slab of tradition, Paul comes and baptizes these individuals.
Acts 28:13-14 says, “And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. There we found brothers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome.” Within these details, we see that seven days provides more than enough time to share the gospel in the area and for a few believers to come together.
Catacombs – First Movement toward Resurrection
These San Gennaro Catacombs formerly housed thousands of graves, many of which reflect the Christian belief that death is not the end but a “sleep” awaiting resurrection. The Romans burned the bodies of the dead, but now, like the New Testament Jews, these early believers waited for resurrection. Many inscriptions reflect rest, peace, and waiting. These graves became one of the first areas to declare a written testimony of their faith.
In these underground graves, we find numerous wall niches, shelves, and spaces for simple graves to more ornate family graves. Even in death, many rooms or shelves hosted a family. On one far end where the catacomb opens toward Basilica di San Gennaro fuori le maura, this open cave area focused on community activities. The baptism display, by its size, resembles immersion, much like some of Constantine the Great’s baptisms in Rome. Like the scriptures state, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4, ESV).
We consider a baptism near graves as inappropriate, but the early believers strongly connected their baptism to dying to self. The old person dies along with the death of Christ (picture of conversion), and the new identity in Christ rises to new life.
San Gennaro’s Martydom
Persecution at times was real and when key believers were martyred, these places took on special importance as a way to not forget their faithfulness to the end. By the beginning of the 4th century, after some major persecutions. The Diocletianic Persecution (303–311 AD), required the church leaders to forsake Christ and bow to Roman gods. St. Januarius (San Gennaro), the Bishop of Naples, became the most significant figure associated with this period in Naples. The Roman authorities arrested him along with his companions (Festus, Desiderius, Sossus, Proculus, Euticius, and Acutius) for refusing to worship Roman gods. In his imprisonment, he survived burn attempts in a furnace and also wild beasts in the amphitheater at Pozzuoli. In the end, St. Januarius (San Gennaro) and his companions were beheaded in 305 AD.
Buried in the catacomb chambers that bear his name, which encourage more burials of other believers who numbered over 3,000 at one point. Now, the catacombs, by law, have been cleansed of the dead bodies and bones. These remains are now buried in the nearby Fontanelle Cemetery. While San Gennaro’s remains were moved from the catacombs in the 9th century and are currently located in a crypt beneath the main altar of the Naples Cathedral (Duomo).
His skull is located within the crown of the bust on display in the San Gennaro treasure section of the Duomo Cathedral.
Liquified Blood of San Gennaro
His blood is the main relic of Naples, which they venerate three times a year (September 19th, the Saturday before the first Sunday in May, and December 16th). The dried, solidified blood traditionally liquefies in a glass vial at the Naples Cathedral, a phenomenon many consider a miracle. How this works, I do not know. Yet, I do know that this type of ritual seems to downplay the importance of Jesus’ blood.
I love the verse in Revelation 1:4-6 which says, “Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Basilica di San Gennaro Fuori le Mura – 5th-century church
When you exit the Catacombs, you can see remains of a wall from what I believe is a 5th-century church. The Catacombs are so amazing that most guides and visitors pay little attention to the Basilica di San Gennaro Fuori le Mura. Even when I visited, they talked about the recent renovation, but with no reference to the first church. Here are my pics of some aspects of this church.
Walking Tour from Catacombs San Gennaro to St. Mary Duomo
At the end of the tour of the Catacombs of San Gennaro, we took this route to see a few other interesting things. At the end of the tour, one can exit the Basilica di San Gennaro Fuori le Mura, the church down the hillside along the entrance/exit to the Catacombs. This tour takes you to some street scenes and to a very nice Pizza place.
The Remembering of Martyrs created Martyriums
After the intense persecutions of the early 4th century, surviving Christians sought to honor those who had died for their faith. In places like Naples and Nicomedia, worship spaces and collective memory were reshaped to reflect this shift. Martyrs’ graves became sacred sites, seen not as markers of defeat, but as testimonies that Christ was worth suffering for. This gave rise to a “martyr theology,” in which martyred saints were venerated beyond honor.
In Naples, burial places such as the catacombs were transformed into centers for honoring martyrs. The community gathered there not just to bury the dead, but to remember the faithful who died for Christ. The memory of persecution gave rise to a spiritual geography: believers prayed near martyrs’ tombs, convinced these witnesses were alive with Christ and that their burial and martyred sites held special meaning. Catacombs like San Gennaro became places of pilgrimage and devotion. Over time, burial chambers were expanded to accommodate gatherings and liturgical ceremonies.
After persecution eased and Christianity gained tolerance, the Church began marking martyr sites with formal structures. In regions like Campania (the Naples region), churches and basilicas were built over the tombs of martyrs, transforming burial zones into visible centers of worship. These churches reminded believers that the faith had been preserved and strengthened through suffering, and that martyr shrines became among the earliest anchors of Christian community life.
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