COMMODILIA, CEMETERY OF. — Located along the Via Ostiense; entrance on the present-day Via delle Sette Chiese. The name appears in the index of cemeteries (v.). The martyrs venerated there were Felix, Adauctus, Merita, and Nemesius, mentioned in the itineraries. Pope Damasus composed an epigram in honor of the first two, and a fragment of it was discovered in 1720 by Boldetti, who accidentally entered the cemetery. The site was explored by the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology from 1903 to 1906.
The cemetery consists of two levels of catacomb galleries. Part of the first level reused an earlier pozzolana quarry, which had its entrance on the valley floor. In one of these galleries, the martyrs Felix and Adauctus were buried; later, after demolishing the right side of the gallery to restore their tombs, a small basilica was built in their honor. An inscription from the time of Pope Siricius, found broken during excavations, was placed in their honor. At the same time, the first embellishment of their tombs took place. Among the paintings decorating the walls, notable is the scene of the *traditio clavium*: the Lord seated on the globe hands the keys to St. Peter, behind whom stands St. Adauctus, followed by St. Merita; on the other side are St. Paul, St. Felix, and St. Stephen. Also, nearly life-sized, is the painting of the Madonna enthroned with the Child, flanked by Sts. Felix and Adauctus, the latter presenting as *advocatus* the deceased named Tortora, a widow, as recalled by the affectionate metrical inscription placed beneath the fresco by her son.
A third notable painting is that of the Evangelist Luke, holding the instruments of a physician; this painting was executed between 668 and 685.
The frescoes are covered with graffiti by visitors from the late 7th and 8th centuries, mostly by priests; one of these reads: *«non dicere ila seccritta abbocce»* (G. Celi, *Di un graffito di senso liturgico nel cimitero di C.*, in *Nuovo bullettino di archeologia cristiana*, 12 (1906), pp. 239–52). To the right of the historical crypt, entirely occupied by floor tombs, two galleries remained intact with their inscriptions from the late 4th century. Distinctive features of this cemetery include a series of rectangular shafts in which the bodies were placed one above the other, utilizing both long side walls.