Newly restored & digitized Catacombs of Priscilla

Fresco detail from the Cubiculum of the Veiled Woman, Catacomb of Priscilla, Via Salaria, Rome

The Catacombs of Priscilla in Rome have been closed for a five-year restoration, but it was worth the wait. Most articles announcing the unveiling include a photo gallery/slide show showing details of the restoration. Better still: visit Catacombe di Priscilla in Google Maps, where you experience the site courtesy of Street View.

The most discussed topic from the restoration concerns the restored frescoes in a room known as the Cubiculum of the Veiled Woman, which depict “the earliest known image of the Madonna with Child — and frescoes said by some to show women priests in the early Christian church.” Another interesting observation: “She wears what the catacombs’ Italian website calls ‘a rich liturgical garment’. The word ‘liturgical’ does not appear in the English version.”

via ABC News and Yahoo; h/t Heather Seneff


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