BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 16. An influential Italian newspaper "il Messaggero" published an article headlined "Secret Rome, thanks to the charitable activities of Azerbaijan, the frescoes of the Catacombs of Commodilla renewed."
An article by journalist Franca Giansoldati highlights how another most significant Roman catacombs was preserved and rediscovered thanks to the philanthropic support of President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Azerbaijan's First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva who has generously funded other major restoration projects in the past through her long-standing partnership with the Vatican.
The author drew the readers’ attention to the fact that the restoration work has been undergone on the frescoes of Saints Felix and Adauctus in the underground basilica, as well as on the frescoes of the Cubiculum of Leo — two of the most notable monuments preserved in the Catacombs of Saint Commodilla, located in the Villa Serafini park in the Ostia Antica in Rome. The Commodilla Catacombs are named after a Christian matron, and they are also known for containing the tombs of the martyrs Felix and Adauctus.
In March, 2021, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology of the Holy See on the restoration of the Catacombs of Commodilla.