Early Christian funerary ritual

Abstract

The function of memory, how and why people remember, is very important in commemorative funerary ritual. Indeed, the main function of funerary festivals is to recall the dead. That Christians continued to practice established, conventional funerary rituals well into the late fourth century is important for my argument, as Vilantia was buried in a mixed catacomb constructed in the mid-fourth century. Although there has been an increased interest in the area of ritual studies, when searching through the many books on early Roman death and memory one is hard pressed to find a definition of ritual. Visual aids such as Roman portraits, more specifically funerary portraits, may also contribute to the shaping of memory and identity. It is important to note that imagines maiorum were wax masks or portraits made during the life of the person, and had no role to play in cult or commemoration of the dead at the tomb.