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Toward Greater Under-Standing

“Benedict XVI has created and filled the post of archeological superintendent of the catacombs, in a move that will bring the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archeology to function more like other Vatican dicasteries.”

Um, I think that’s good news! I’m reminded of Pope John XXIII’s response to the journalist who asked how many people work in the Vatican: “About half.”

Still, Zenit’s report promises that “great discoveries” are waiting in the catacombs. That’s exciting.

This part is certainly good news: “Fabrizio Bisconti, the outgoing secretary of the archeology commission, has been named the archeological superintendent of the catacombs, a post that did not previously exist.” Bisconti is the author of the mind-blowing book The Christian Catacombs of Rome: History, Decoration, Inscriptions, which I reviewed here.