Between Purgatory and Paradise: A Death Descent in Naples

Early Christian Sites of Naples, Italy

• Catacombs, Crypts, and Converts: Early Christian Life in Naples
• Between Purgatory and Paradise: A Death Descent in Naples

If you’re visiting Naples, you’re stepping into a city where Christianity didn’t just grow but hid, suffered, buried its dead, till eventually a whole system of death arose into the open. Beneath the noise of modern life lies another Naples: silent corridors carved into volcanic stone, painted tombs, and underground chambers that preserve the earliest Christian memory of the city.

Naples is one of the best places in Europe to explore catacombs and ancient crypts because these spaces were not built as tourist sites or even as churches, but as burial places shaped by grief and hope in resurrection. Over time, the tombs of martyrs and bishops became sacred landmarks, marked with symbols such as the fish, the anchor, and the Good Shepherd, testifying to the region’s strong Christian faith.

Napoli – the Central place that developed Purgatory

In the San Gennaro Catacombs, one of the earliest prayer symbols exists. Hands raised in prayer reflected how a person lived, rather than simply asking others to “pray for my soul.” The practice of praying for the dead became more prominent in the 15th and 16th centuries, especially during the Counter-Reformation, when belief in purgatory was strong. As Protestantism rejected the idea of purgatory, Catholic responses intensified practices surrounding the dead. (A reading of the Gospels shows that no one prayed for the dead; rather, Jesus promises to raise those who are in Him.) Additionally, there were many disasters in the 17th century, including famine, volcanic eruptions, and plagues. These events created fears about those who died without proper burial, leading to the custom of gathering skulls and bones for prayer.

Take a look at my walking tour of the oldest churches in Naples

In response to Calvin’s and Luther’s rejection of purgatory, the Catholic Church affirmed that praying for the dead is a work of mercy. Naples, under Spanish rule, strongly enforced this doctrine in its cemeteries. From the 16th to 18th centuries, the city developed practices for praying for departed souls believed to be in purgatory, particularly by praying over skulls at sites such as the Fontanelle Cemetery.

The founding of the Congrega di Purgatorio ad Arco in 1616 marked a major turning point, promoting intense prayer for the dead, especially for those who had no one else to pray for them. Today, this church continues that focus, with numerous skulls on display as a reminder of the tradition.

Reasons for Purgatory

During this period, when the Black Death was rampant, Catholic authorities codified the belief in praying for the dead at the Council of Trent (1545–1563), reinforcing the distinctive Neapolitan intensity of the practice.

The Council of Trent (1545–1563) codified Catholic teaching on praying for the dead. The unique Neapolitan fervor for this devotion was shaped in part by Girolamo Seripando, Archbishop of Naples, whose influence during the council’s final period (1562–1563) helped establish the practice of praying for the souls of the dead.

On my one and only visit to this city, the intensity of belief in the afterlife is always something that gives hope. Yet, the weakness in belief in what the Bible says about how to approach those who have passed in Christ was disheartening. Much like 1 Thessalonians says in 4:13-14, “¹³ But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. ¹⁴ For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.“

Other Resurrection Symbols

Beyond these explicitly Christian emblems, early catacomb art in Naples often incorporated familiar motifs like fish and lambs which believers widely understood to signify Christ and eternal life. Such imagery, integrated into funerary art, served to reassure the faithful of their hope not simply in a spiritual afterlife but in the bodily resurrection promised through Christ, reflecting the community’s joyful expectation that death would be overcome in the life to come.

We know that Christ himself said, “²³ Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” ²⁴ Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” ²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” ²⁷ She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” (John 11:23-27, ESV)

Early Christian Symbols in Naples

The Catacombs of San Gennaro in Naples preserve a remarkable array of early Christian art and symbols that reflect the faith and hopes of the community buried there. While the site began as a burial ground in the 2nd–3rd centuries and later became closely associated with the martyr St. Gennaro (Januarius), its decoration provides insight into how early Neapolitan Christians visualized life, death, and resurrection.

One of the most striking features of San Gennaro is the use of Christian iconography in its frescoes. In several burial chambers, figures and symbols, such as lambs and Christograms featuring the Greek letters Alpha (Α) and Omega (Ω), appear alongside portraits of Christians like the deceased Alexander and Martha, identifying Christ as the beginning and the end of life and salvation. These symbols emphasize beliefs in Christ’s eternal nature and his promise of resurrection for believers.((see for pictures and more details: https://gdh.org/model/san-gennaro-catacomb-fresco-naples-25 )). These are evident in Ravenna and also Constantinople as symbols of hope in the resurrection.

Excavations have also revealed frescoes of worshipers in the orans posture (hands raised in prayer), often accompanied by the Chi-Rho symbol above their heads – these symbols, which reflect even in Byzantine graves, were early symbols of belief in prayer and resurrection.

“Each woman is shown with open arms and raised hands in a prayer-like position, a very common depiction in early Christian iconography. They are also presented with the “Chi-Rho” symbol (the first two Greek letters of the name “Christos” or Christ) above their heads. Cerula’s fresco is in better shape, and also includes the Greek letters Alpha and Omega (the beginning and the end). Another fresco at San Gennaro, a martyred male bishop, displayed in the same catacomb, also features this symbol above his head. These are the only two times this symbol is used in this catacomb.”(( https://www.columbiaunion.org/content/video-archaeologists-uncover-clues-about-women-early-christianity-san-gennaro-catacomb))

Other Resurrection Symbols

Beyond these explicitly Christian emblems, early catacomb art in Naples often incorporated familiar motifs like fish and lambs which believers widely understood to signify Christ and eternal life. Such imagery, integrated into funerary art, served to reassure the faithful of their hope not simply in a spiritual afterlife but in the bodily resurrection promised through Christ, reflecting the community’s joyful expectation that death would be overcome in the life to come.

We know that Christ himself said, “²³ Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” ²⁴ Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” ²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” ²⁷ She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” (John 11:23-27, ESV)