The Basilica Of St. Sebastian Outside The Walls Pilgrimage

As one of the classic 7 Pilgrim Churches of Rome, the Basilica of St. Sebastian Outside The Walls and the Catacombs is an inspirational site to visit.

Why Is The Basilica Of St. Sebastian Outside The Walls Significant?

The Basilica itself, in my opinion, is actually pretty unremarkable apart from the beautiful Baroque style wooden ceiling that is worth admiring. The significance of the Basilica is in the attached catacombs. These are the largest and best known of the Christian cemeteries in Rome. The Basilica used to contain the remains of San Sebastian, but because the church lay outside the Aurelian Walls, and was at risk of being attacked, the remains were moved to St. Peter’s Basilica. 

Why Are The Saint Sebastian Catacombs Famous?

The Saint Sebastian catacombs in Rome and an underground cemetery along the Appian Way outside the Aurelian Walls. The name Catacombs is claimed to have originated with these catacombs, which were originally built in a tufa excavation site. In Greek, katà and kymbe, literally mean “close to the cavity”, which referred to the giant hole of the mine.

The history of these catacombs date back to the second century when they were used as a pagan burial site. Later they held the remains of Apostles Peter and Paul, and later San Sebastian.

As often happened in ancient times, the quarry and pagan cemetery was taken over by Christians and turned into their cemetery. They created a network of more than 7 miles (12 km) of underground tunnels divided into three levels. There were smaller niches that allowed for the burial of urns, larger holes that fit the bodies of the deceased in the fetal position, as well as larger crypts that could hold entire families.

Where Are Saint Sebastian’s Remains?

It is believed that the remains of Saint Sebastian were held at the Basilica, but out of fear of a Saracen assault, in the year 826 the remains of the saint were moved to the Basilica of St. Peter. There are also relics of San Sebastian in San Sebastiano al Palatino and I have heard (but can’t confirm) that there are other relics at the Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains.

Why Was St. Sebastian Shot With Arrows?

Having been a martyr, it probably isn’t surprising that St. Sebastian was ordered to be killed by arrows for converting his fellow Roman soldiers to Christianity. He didn’t die and was brought back to health by a widow who happened upon his nearly dead body. He was later beaten to death by Emperor Diocletian.

Saint Sebastian Is A Patron Saint

No Photography Allowed

As a content creator, one of the things I run into that I find off putting is when a site does not allow for photos or video. There NO video or photography allowed in the catacombs of Saint Sebastian, and this always makes me second guess even visiting the site.

In some cases, places like the Protestant Cemetery in Rome claim it is out of respect for the people buried there, even though they sell the very same pictures of the angel statues in their gift shop. In the case of the catacombs, this reason certainly falls flatter, since all the remains have been removed and all you can see are the empty holes. 

My cynicism leads me to believe that it is all about money. The idea is that if you can see images of the catacombs, you wouldn’t bother visiting. I disagree because even my best pictures can only give a person a sense of the place and it would be offset by an increase in visibility to potential visitors. I’m probably just trying to justify wanting to take some cool low-light pictures and being stymied. For more information, check out their Guided Tour Regulations.

How To Get To The Basilica Of St. Sebastian Outside The Walls

For me, the easiest way to get to the Basilica of St. Sebastian is to take the #118 Bus from the Colosseum. This is the most direct route traveling down the Appian Way. There are also other sites, like the St. Callisto and Balbina Catacombs, along the way and this bus makes it very convenient. However, my experience was that the bus was unreliable (i.e. late), but apart from a taxi, it will be the most convenient way to get there.

Opening Hours

• Mondays to Sundays: 10:00 – 17:00
• Last Entrance at 16:30 – Closing at 17:00
• Closing days: Dec. 25 (Christmas), January 1 (New Year’s Day), Easter Day.
• Annual Closing Period: from November 25 to December 22, 2024

Ticket Prices

The Seven Pilgrim Churches Of Rome

I have been thinking about the Basilica of San Sebastian for a much longer time than anyone might imagine. The reason is because of how it fits into the 7 Pilgrim Churches of Rome. When I wrote my original article of the 7 churches, I had read how in 2000, Pope John Paul II had changed the 7 by removing San Sebastian and adding as a replacement the Sanctuary of the Madonna of the Divine Love shrine. However, all is not finalized.

When I was looking at the events of the Jubilee 2025, I noticed they list the original seven churches as the official version, leaving off the Sanctuary. I could not find any information online regarding the change back, so I asked the tour guide if San Sebastian is on the list, and she said it was and that Pope Benedict had made the change. I still can’t find anything official on this, so I suspect this is more regarding some of the more devout respecting the original 7 and not the updated version. Whatever the reason, if you have any information, please let me know!