The Catacombs of San Callisto

The history of the Catacombs of San Callisto dates back almost 2000 years. The original catacombs are believed to have been a private Christian underground burial place. The reason for it being underground was because Christians - prior to Emperor Constantine I - often were persecuted for their religious beliefs. In fact, the government of Rome persecuted all those who chose not to practice the religion of the state. During these times, the Christian religion was not as dominating as it is today which forced the Christians to literally hide underground.