Rome: The Vatican has closed all of Italy’s ancient underground cemeteries, which were opened to the public in the face of the rapid spread of the coronavirus. The Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archeology Secretary and Vatican official said that the decision was made to protect guides and visitors as all the underground catacombs are suitable conditions for the spread of the virus. Pasquale Ecobone specified.
Catacombs are second-century underground cemeteries. Catacombs are composed of several kilometers of underground tunnels cut from soft tufo stone. The Vatican owns a number of Christian catacombs throughout Italy and the Vatican, including Sicily, Tuscany, and Sardinia. They were all explored and open to the public.
“We hope to reopen the Catacombs as soon as possible,” Icobone said. Italy is the most vulnerable country in Europe following the spread of the coronavirus. 17 deaths and more than seven hundred infections have been confirmed in the country so far. The virus was first discovered in the small town of northern Lombardy and Veneto.
