Rome, Italy
The Colosseum
The huge Roman arena. We are not sure Christians died here, but Rome did kill many Christians for their faith.
Biblical significance
The Flavian Amphitheatre opened in AD 80 and held some 50,000 spectators. Ancient sources place Christian executions in Roman arenas generally; the specific Colosseum tradition hardened only in the eighteenth century, when Benedict XIV consecrated the arena to the Passion and erected the Stations of the Cross. The Pope still leads the Good Friday Way of the Cross here each year.
Scripture
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Best time to go
Good Friday evening for the papal Via Crucis; otherwise first entry of the day.
Visitor notes
Timed tickets, book online. Combined with the Forum and Palatine.
Coordinates
41.8902, 12.4922
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