It was here that, in the early 1940s, a grave was excavated, inscribed simply with the words “Petros Eni” — or “Peter lies here” in Greek, which was the language of the early Christian community from the Eastern Roman Empire. Inside, remains of a tall man were discovered, claimed today by the Vatican as the bones of St. Peter, one of the original Apostles.
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All photos in this post are by Laskowski & Zadros. © TravelPlusStyle.com.
Visiting this ancient cemetery is a privilege, and naturally, the Vatican Necropolis Tour, lasting about an hour and a half, must be booked in advance.
The entrance is reached on foot through the Arco delle Campane (“Arch of the Bells”) to the left of the façade of St. Peter’s Basilica. The guide met us right there, outside of the excavation office. We joined a small group of visitors and were led to the Necropolis.
Our guide walked us through the Necropolis, explaining along the way why we could be sure the Necropolis held the real St Peter’s tomb and not anybody else’s. It was interesting; the simple fact that the emperor Constantin went to great lengths to build the church right in this spot makes you think, as he spent a fortune compensating rich Romans for leveling the cemetery.
But the tour was one of the highlights of Rome for us, thanks to the unique atmosphere underground. The sheer weight of centuries upon centuries of history and myth was exhilarating, and mystical.
The weight is literal too: although the cemetery was built on top of Vatican Hill, with its narrow pathways running on the original ground level, today the Necropolis is buried beneath the St Peter basilica floor.
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The Vatican is very serious about its Necropolis treasure. Which is fair enough. Just follow their simple rules.
More detailed information visit www.scavi.va
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Photos by Laskowski & Zadros, © TravelPlusStyle.com
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Author: Travel+Style. Last updated: 19/03/2024
