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00:00Music
00:30We are here in the catacombs of San Sebastián; what we are in right now is simply the entrance to the catacombs.
00:54The catacombs, as we know, are those spaces where the first Christians buried their dead.
01:03There is a somewhat mistaken idea about what the catacombs are; the catacombs were not places of refuge and hiding places for Christians.
01:13Rather, the catacombs were the great cemeteries; there are Christian catacombs and there are catacombs that are not Christian.
01:20These are properly the cemeteries, as the city expanded, since the cemeteries had to be moved further away from the city.
01:29This was a very suitable place for the meeting of Christians, where they gradually built their own cemeteries.
01:38The misnamed Pantheon, which we will discuss at another time, referred to the place where all the gods are,
01:45The Pantheon, home to all the gods, was truly a place that Christians did not frequent.
01:52That's what pantheons or cemeteries, as we usually call them today, were known as.
01:57They were the catacombs, and within the catacombs there were Christian catacombs and non-Christian catacombs.
02:03As the persecution of Christians increased and the number of Christians grew,
02:09So obviously the number of people who needed to be buried increased, and this led to some important people in the city of Rome,
02:18Once converted, they gradually ceded part of their villas that were on the outskirts of the city of Rome,
02:26This place where we are now is like, the place where these catacombs were buried.
02:31They belonged to some nobleman of that time, but are known today as the catacombs of San Sebastián,
02:38because this martyr was buried in this very place,
02:42Here in these catacombs, people would ordinarily gather to celebrate the Eucharist.
02:49A very ancient custom of Christianity was to celebrate on the tombs of the martyrs,
02:55because it commemorated the sacrifice of Christ, who was the first martyr,
03:02And there was a close connection between the blood, this blood that we drink,
03:08This blood shed by Christ for us, and the blood of Christians,
03:13That is why the Eucharistic celebrations began to be held with greater fervor above the cemeteries.
03:20or above the catacombs, so that Christians did not come to the catacombs to hide,
03:26They came to celebrate the Eucharist; these were certainly not places where they hid.
03:30but where they celebrated, obviously like the catacombs over time,
03:35As we can see, they are full of passageways, because at a certain moment the Christians were surprised
03:42within the celebration, as they were hiding in some of the galleries,
03:46which were like labyrinths that were being woven, where they were settling in,
03:51As we can see, all the dead, the Christians,
03:53Some had died of natural causes, and others had been sacrificed in one of the circuses.
04:01In some of the persecutions, the catacombs gradually filled up.
04:06We have different catacombs, there are the catacombs of Saint Priscilla,
04:10The ones of San Calixto, the ones of San Sebastián, and some others here on the outskirts of Rome.
04:16I believe these catacombs are worth remembering as a place of Christian celebration.
04:22Let us remember that in the first three centuries there were no churches, there were no temples,
04:28People gathered in homes, or in this case, they gathered here in the catacombs.
04:33Upstairs, they took the opportunity to celebrate the Holy Eucharist.
04:38They came from all parts of Rome, and here the Eucharist was celebrated.
04:43It wasn't like we have it today; the Eucharist was a long gathering,
04:48Remember that in the Roman Empire, before the 4th century, Sunday did not exist as a day of rest.
04:57It was a normal day, with everyone working as usual.
05:02So they started very early, before sunrise the Christians began to gather,
05:07And they began with songs, they began with a great celebration, in it the word was read,
05:13Now the word was discussed, and afterwards the Eucharistic bread was shared.
05:18In the end, the Christians gave testimony; it was a very important moment to bear witness.
05:24He spoke to the new converts about how God was changing his life, introducing himself to them.
05:32Those who wanted to enter Christianity presented themselves to all those who had already known Christianity.
05:39And wanting to begin integrating, they were usually introduced by their godparents,
05:44those who testified that this person, this woman or this man,
05:48They wanted to integrate into the community; that's how the first Christians began.
05:54their process of entering the community.
05:56Today, for example, we see people not attending mass.
06:04Having a car, means of transport, having all the facilities,
06:09Many of our churches have air conditioning, let's say without any problem,
06:15To get to this place, it is approximately 6 kilometers from the last gate of Rome,
06:21They would leave very early to meet with the Christians,
06:25in a meeting that would likely last two or three hours,
06:29After this they would return again, either to their jobs or their daily activities.
06:35What would Christians from the time of the catacombs say?
06:39Regarding Christians today, these Christians who today, well, don't go to mass because it's cold,
06:46because it's hot, because it's very far away, because they have a football match,
06:50for so many reasons that are given today for not attending mass.
06:55These Christians, even by the third century, the end of the third century, the beginning of the fourth century,
07:01They even risked their lives to come and celebrate here.
07:04People knew where the Christians met, and so it was easy for them to be surprised.
07:10In fact, many of them were arrested celebrating above the catacombs.
07:14It was a public place, and people gradually learned where the Christians met.
07:20There was no shortage of traitors who, like Judas, betrayed where they met to celebrate.
07:25What would those people think of our indifference?
07:30In the face of all these Christians who today do not value the sacrifice of Jesus Christ,
07:35who make a thousand excuses not to approach the Eucharist?
07:38What would the Christians of the first centuries think of us who do not value the blood of Christ?
07:48Do we not value the sacrifice of those who have given their lives as a testimony of love for God?
07:55We need to rediscover the value of this, to value the Eucharist.
08:03that we value all these men and women who show us how to live without shame,
08:11with great joy, the participation in our Sunday celebrations.
08:15Let us return to those celebrations where we sang, rejoiced, and bore witness.
08:23Let's stop having those celebrations, which are sometimes boring and monotonous.
08:28where we seem more dead than alive in the Spirit.
08:31May we feel the fire of the Spirit running through us again,
08:36as it was among the Christians of the first centuries.
08:39In those men and women who gathered in this place where we stand today
08:44to joyfully celebrate Jesus Christ.
08:47I hope that we can once again regain the strength that the Spirit communicates
08:53to those who live according to the Word of God.
08:58That we may once again value the Eucharist,
09:02that we no longer become those mediocre Catholics,
09:07those Catholics who rarely attend Mass,
09:10or the Catholic who goes simply to fulfill a duty,
09:13who arrives late, who is distracted during the celebration,
09:16who is waiting and looking at his watch to see what time the Father finishes.
09:20Let us be among those who enjoy the celebration,
09:24no matter how long it lasts.
09:25The longer it lasts, obviously the better.
09:28more time to praise the Lord, to spend time together, to share,
09:31to hear His Word.
09:33Let us not be among the Christians who rush the priest,
09:35of the Christians who are always looking for a place where Sunday is celebrated
09:40faster, simply to comply.
09:45That this catechesis, that this place, in these catacombs,
09:50It reminds us that there was a time when Christians truly valued the Eucharist.
09:56They walked for miles, still at night, to meet up with their brothers.
10:00Of those Christians who were willing to give their lives for Jesus Christ.
10:05They were ready to celebrate and make their faith visible in the midst of these wonderful fields
10:12where the first Christian community met to celebrate the Lord's Day.
10:17May these catacombs remind us that there was a time when Christianity was alive
10:23and showed the pagan community that there truly was a reason to follow the Lord Jesus.
10:31May the love of the Lord vibrate anew in our hearts
10:35and let us once again value our celebrations, particularly the Eucharist.
10:41Let's not make any more excuses.
10:43May the Lord grant the Holy Spirit in abundance in this century of renewal,
10:48In this century in which we are seeking to completely renew our Church,
10:53urged on by our holy pontiffs,
10:56that that strength may rise again in the heart of each one of us
11:00and let us once again value the celebration of Christians.
11:18Thank you!