San Sebastiano fuori le mura, Catholic minor basilica in Rome
San Sebastiano fuori le mura is a church built on a site with three ancient burial structures that Christians later adopted and expanded. Beneath the building spreads a network of passages and chambers where believers placed their dead.
Christians used this site for burials starting in the 4th century and it gained importance when Saint Sebastian was venerated here. In the 17th century a cardinal commissioned the current church building, which incorporated the older structures beneath it.
The basilica holds remains linked to Saint Sebastian and shows how early Christians used this place as a burial ground for their dead. The space reflects the importance believers gave to this saint across the centuries.
Access is possible on most days during daylight hours, with opening times varying by season. It is better to arrive early in the day to avoid crowds and explore the underground areas at your own pace.
The word catacomb comes from this place, since the burial chambers were originally in a valley near quarries called ad catacumbas in Latin. This language connection shaped the term for all underground burial sites of early Christianity.
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