I did a really dumb thing. I visited a church in Rome as a tourist, on a Sunday morning. If I was visiting to worship, or to learn how a church service works in Rome, this would have been fine. But I was visiting to see and photograph the bits of interest that make up the church, and that's difficult to do while a church service is going on. It's also difficult to visit the church's side attractions, like a catacomb or a mausoleum, while the people that staff its attractions are all at a church service, therefore all the attractions are closed! But by taking 2 or 3 times as long as the church as I'd planned, I was able to wait out the service and see the mausoleum, but the catacomb never opened.

First is the entryway off Via Nomentana, and a lot of wandering around outside while waiting for the service to wind down.

                                       

Finally the service ended and I was able to go into the church, even though there was some official-looking activity taking place.

                                            

I made a trip down into the crypt below the high altar, where the remains of Saint Agnes are kept.

              

And finally the Mausoleum of Constantina, the daughter of Constantine the Great opened and I was able to go inside.

                             

The 3-level Catacombs of Saint Agnes never opened that day, so I guess I'll just have to return to Rome someday to see them.

See also:

• My Sant'Agnese Fuori le Mura photos