Ancient Paintings of Apostles Discovered

The catacombs of Rome continue to yield wonderful things. A recent archaeological excavation in the Roman catacombs of St. Tecla unearthed what is believed to be the fourth-century tomb of a Roman nobleman. On the ceiling of the tomb, near an image of the Good Shepherd, archaeologists discovered the earliest known paintings of the apostles, St. Andrew and St. John. This is the same place where last year they discovered the oldest known painting of St. Paul. The site is beneath a large, modern building but has been kept secret for security reasons. At left is the portrait of St. Andrew.

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