Catacombe di San Panfilo

On the site stands the church of St Theresa of the Child Jesus in Panfilo, built between 1929 and 1932.

The name of the catacomb derives from the figure of a martyr, Panfilo, of Carthaginian origin.

The cemetery has three floors: a first and a second floor connected to each other, and an intermediate floor. The lower floor, 20 metres below ground level, is the oldest, dating back to the 3rd century: it consists of a main artery, a sort of underground decumanus about 60 metres long, onto which other tunnels run at right angles. During the 4th century, a new region was added at this level, consisting of other galleries: here is the famous cubiculum duplex, where the remains of the martyr Panfilo were discovered. The intermediate floor is essentially composed of two ambulatories connected by a series of galleries. The first floor, which has been badly damaged by the construction of the basement, is dated between 348 and 361.

The primitive nucleus of the catacomb dates back to the 3rd century. With the gradual abandonment of the catacombs, our cemetery fell completely into oblivion. It was rediscovered by Antonio Bosio, who penetrated the first level on 16 May 1594. After him, the catacomb remained hidden from the corpisantari (seekers of martyrs' relics) for another three centuries, which allowed its perfect state of preservation, at least as far as the two lower levels were concerned. The rediscovery and definitive identification took place thanks to the archaeologist Enrico Josi, in 1920 and in the following years.