References to the Eucharist in the Catacombs of Rome

Roman Christians of the 2nd century were forbidden to bury their dead in the city at regular cemeteries, so they had to use catacombs, the underground labyrinths of vaults used largely by the city's poor. A year after burial, those wishing to honor the deceased would gather at the tomb for an anniversary banquet.

Given that these early Christians gathered at the tomb for a meal, is it any wonder that they often decorated the tombs with images of people eating a meal? However, it wasn’t just any old meal that was depicted. Most of the meal images depicted one of three meals described in the Gospels: the wedding in Cana, the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, and the “banquet of the seven” that Christ served on the lakeshore following his resurrection. To these early Christians, all three meals pointed to the Eucharist. So the anniversary meal honoring the dead took place in a setting depicting a meal from Scripture, a meal that symbolized the Meal of meals. What a meaning-rich event!

Sometimes the multiplication of the loaves and fishes is represented by a complete meal scene, and sometimes it is represented simply by an image of loaves and fishes, as it is here. Since Jesus divides the loaves to feed the crowd, it serves as a symbol of the Eucharist.

The wedding in Cana, the site of Jesus’ first public miracle is another image that serves to symbolize the Eucharist. As Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding, during the Mass, the wine is changed into Jesus’ blood.

The image of the “banquet of the seven disciples,” recalls the encounter of the risen Lord with the disciples at the Sea of Galilee, where, Jesus ”took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish.” But look closely: the artist adds an additional item, a chalice!

In 312 AD, the Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, ending centuries of persecution.

Just 20 years later, in 432 AD, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore was founded.

On each side of the nave, mosaics depicting Old Testament history are arranged chronologically from the front of the church to the rear.

The very first mosaic shows two main figures: Abraham, seated on horseback, who has just returned from the conquest of Chedorlaomer and his three allies; and Melchisidek, who offers bread and wine to Abraham and his battle weary men and blesses Abraham. 

Study the details in the mosaic. The wine is in an oversized kantharos, a Greek and Roman symbol of immortality. Each loaf of bread has a cross cut into the top. God the Father gives a blessing to Melchisidek, who, in turn, blesses Abraham with his offering.

Most interestingly, the soldiers look like Roman soldiers. In fact, the arrangement of the picture is a direct copy of a relief that depicts the conquering Emperor Marcus Aurelius showing mercy. Marcus Aurelius was NOT known, however, for his mercy. Persecution of Christians during his reign, for example, increased. 

Imagine! Persecution has just ended, and now Christians transform an image from their persecutor into an image depicting an Old Testament story! With one image they declare that the old persecutor has been superseded. But the brief story of Melchisidek is itself a story of something being superseded.

Notice what is happening. Melchisidek is King of Salem. His name means "righteous king.” He offers a sacrifice of bread and wine to Abraham, and Psalm 110:4 prophetically says that the Messiah-King will be “a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” 

The prophecy is fulfilled in the New Testament. At the institution of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus - the righteous king - offers his disciples bread and wine and pronounces the climactic words, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28)

The author of Hebrews concludes that these words fulfill the prophecy of Psalm 110: He is the [high] priest forever [in the order of] Melchizedek. In saying these words, Jesus declares that he is supplanting the sacrifices of the Old Testament.

To learn more about the significance of Melchisidek’s sacrifice, read Christ, Melchizedek, and the Eucharistic Sacrifice.