The Catacomb of Saint Lucy is the oldest Christian cemetery in Syracuse and houses the site where Saint Lucy was buried after her martyrdom.
Dating back to the 3rd century, it is one of the earliest pieces of evidence of the Church's presence in Sicily.
It extends beneath what is now Piazza Santa Lucia and comprises a communal cemetery and private hypogea, divided into four areas. The oldest sections feature galleries with loculi, while the more recent sections include funerary cubicles arranged along the aisles.
One of the most famous events associated with the Basilica of Saint Lucy is Caravaggio's visit to Syracuse in 1608. Fleeing from Malta, the master of chiaroscuro painted his poignant Burial of St. Lucy here, one of his most powerful works, which is now once again on display inside the Basilica, in the very place for which it was originally conceived.
Over the centuries, the site has undergone several modifications, including conversions into air-raid shelters during World War II. Today, the Catacombs of Saint Lucy remain a place of great historical and spiritual significance for Syracuse.