Catacomba di S. Antioco

Useful Information

Location:	Piazza Parrocchia, 22 - 09017 Sant'Antioco CI. From Cagliari SS130 to Iglesias, SS126 to San Giovanni Suerui, turn right SS126 to Sant'Antioco on Isola di Sant'Antioco. (39.069550, 8.450730)
Open:	APR to mid-JUN Tue-Fri 9:30-12, 15-17, Sat 9:30-12, 15-17:30, Sun 15-18. Mid-JUN to SEP Tue-Fri 9:30-12, 15-17:15, Sat 9:30-12, 15-17:45, Sun 11-12, 15:30-18:30. OCT to MAR Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat 9:30-12, 15-16:30, Sun 15-17:30. [2026]
Fee:	free, donations welcome. [2026]
Classification:	Catacomb Roman Catacombs
Light:	Electric Light
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Catacomba di S. Antioco, Basilica di Sant'Antioco Martire, Piazza Parrocchia, 22 - 09017 Sant'Antioco CI, Tel: +39-0781-921887. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

18-MAR-1615	Archbishop Francisco de Esquivel orders the tomb to be opened, where the saint’s remains were found.
2019 to 2022	electrical system and walkways were renovated.

Description

Catacomba di S. Antioco (Catacomb of St Antioco), are also known as Catacombe Sant'Antioco Martire because they are below the Basilica di Sant'Antioco Martire, or after the name of the Saint and the island Catacombe Sant'Antioco di Sulcis. This small island has only one city which is also named Sant'Antioco. It is connected to the much bigger island Sardinia by a bridge, so it’s not necessary to take a ferry.

Saint Antiochus Martyr is the patron saint of the island and of all of Sardinia. However, on this island almost everything is named after hin, the island is Isola di Sant'Antioco, the only city is Sant'Antioco, and the basilika is Basilica di Sant'Antioco Martire. The story of his life is not very well documented, it is more or less a legend.

Antiochus was a physician from Mauretania, which is the ancient name of Algeria and Morocco. He lived during the reign of Emperor Hadrian, a time when the Christian religion was forbidden, and was raised in the Christian faith by his mother, Saint Rose. When he came to Sulci island he lived in a cave, probably inside the underground necropolis which was used since the Punic age. This is not a natural cave, it’s a catacomb. Roman soldiers were sent on his birthday, 13-NOV-127, to arrest him, but they found him dead.

This legend does not explain why he is called a martyr, or why he was venerated. Nevertheless, his veneration began as far back as antiquity and has continued to this day. The church has an inscription engraved between the 6th and 8th century on a marble slab declaring that this was the last resting place of Corpus Beati Sancti Antioci (the body of the Blessed Saint Antiochus). It was placed on the grave in the catacombs. But the inscription as well as the body of the martyr were relocated to the Basilika on the order of Archbishop Francisco de Esquivel on 18-MAR-1615. Today a tibia, parts of the pelvis, a scapula and remains of the arms are preserved in the basilica.

The catacomb is under the jurisdiction of the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology. It oversees the protection and all scientific and maintenance work on the monument.