Roman catacombs used for christians hiding from soldiers? True or false?

Question

Alright this is something I have beens earching for but, alas, cannot find. So you guys are going to help me out. Is it true that the catacombs in Rome were used by christians not just for burials but also for hiding from persecution?

Thanks alot(if you know the answer, that is...)

~Michael Sean Z Wilson

Answer 1

That is what I was told when I visited the catacombs outside Rome.  Eventually, Catholics took all pagan symbols and statues out of the tunnels, except that a few of what we now think as swastikas are still there.  

Answer 2

Christians held religious services in the catacombs of Rome during the christian persecution period. Many christians filled the role of morticians (at the same time) for Roman citizens.

The answer to your 1st question is false. The christians were hiding their places of worship from the Roman government.  

Answer 3

They might not have hidden down there, but I understand there's limited evidence they held services there to be undisturbed in addition to burying their own dead.

If they'd camped there the Romans probably would have overcome the taboo and gone down in force, but a group meeting in a catacomb might be a good spot. Dark, lots of tunnels and hiding places if you have to scatter.

(Sometimes they were persecuted, but since they were allowed to bury their dead there and mark the graves with Christian symbols, well. . . it wasn't a constant.)

Answer 4

That's true.  They were actual hunted down and killed if they did not believe in the Roman Catholic religion and except their beliefs.

Answer 5

The catacombs were used by some Romans, Christian and pagan, to bury their dead.  Richer folk built tombs above ground.  During the persecutions, Christians may have met in the catacombs for Eucharist.  Catholic altars still have a relic imbedded in the top, on which the Eucharist is celebrated.

Answer 6

The Christians were persecuted during the second and third century until in 313 with the Edict of Milan tolerance was granted. This is the time in which the catacombs were built. But despite the legends, the catacombs were just graveyards and not hiding places.  

Answer 7

Christianity was not actually illegal during the Roman Empire.  Some emperors persecuted anyone who didn't pay tribute to them, whether Christian or other religion, but it's not true that Christians were singled out for persecution or that Christian worship was illegal.

Answer 8

Persecution was not some 300 years long event...it was sporadic and often geographically limited...mostly they used them to have services away from prying eyes, and that secrecy only added to the distrust of them...