MARYS for May #12 – Where it all began

The Earliest Known Image of Mary

Fresco c. 230-40 AD, Catacombs of Santa Priscilla, Rome

The Catacombs of Santa Priscilla off the Via Salaria in Rome are described in the most ancient documents of the church as the “regina catacumbarum – the queen of the catacombs,” because of the great number of popes and martyrs buried within its chambers. The bones of these saints were long ago removed to other Roman churches, but many remarkably well-preserved paintings from the first Christian centuries remain. The “queen” of these is this recently restored fresco of a nursing mother with a star overhead – the earliest known image of Mary and the first of many, many Italian Madonnas. – painted in the middle of the third century during a time of harsh persecution of the Christian community.

The restoration, completed in November 2013 after five years of work, reveals new details about the image that help us understand the place of Mary in the early Christian community. The nursing mother is dressed in the woolen garment worn by the most dignified Roman matrons, yet she also wears the short veil typical of dedicated virgins. This virgin-mother cradles her child in her arms as she feeds him. The persecuted Christians who gathered in these chambers 17 centuries ago already looked to Mary for refuge and security. They look to the mother to bring them closer to her son who turns his head towards them.

The man standing beside Mary wears a philosopher’s cloak. He points to a star that rests above the mother and child. He is a prophet, probably either Balaam or Isaiah, who foretells the coming of the Messiah. We see that the early Christian community in Rome esteems the Old Testament prophecies of their Jewish forbears. The persecuted Christians of the young church in Rome (the nursing child in his mother’s arms) declare their connection and continuity with the people of the ancient covenant with Abraham. Above the figures twinkles the first rendering of the Christmas star. How beautiful to think of that “light to the nations” shining for all those centuries in the darkened chambers of the catacomb.

Ever ancient, ever new: As part of the restoration of S. Priscilla, GoogleMaps filmed the catacombs. You can take a virtual tour here: https://plus.google.com/+CatacombediPriscillaRoma/about?gl=US&hl=en-US

(Thanks to the blog PureandLowly for the insights into Mary’s Roman costume.)