List of Ecclesiastical Abbreviations - Abbreviations in Catacomb Inscriptions

Abbreviations in Catacomb Inscriptions

• A.D. – Ante Diem (e.g. in the phrase, "Ante Diem VI Kal. Apriles", is equivalent to the sixth day before the Calends of April, counting both the Calends and the day intended to be indicated); or Anima Dulcis ("Sweet Soul")
• A.Q.I.C. – Anima Quiescat In Christo ("May his Soul Repose in Christ")
• B., BMT. – Bene Merenti ("To the Well-Deserving")
• B.M. – Bonae Memoriae ("Of Happy Memory")
• B.F. – Bonae Feminae ("To the Good Woman")
• B.I.C. – Bibas In Christo ("May you Live In Christ")
• B.M.F. – Bene Merenti Fecit ("He erected this to the Well-Deserving")
• B.Q. – Bene Quiescat ("May he Rest Well")
• C. – Consul
• CC. – Consules ("Consuls")
• C.F. – Clarissima Femina ("Most Illustrious Woman")
• Cl. V. – Clarissimus Vir ("Most Illustrious Man")
• C.O. – Conjugi Optimo ("To my Excellent Husband")
• C.O.B.Q. – Cum Omnibus Bonis Quiescat ("May he Repose With All Good souls")
• COI. – Conjugi ("To my Husband ")
• CS., COS. – Consul
• COSS. – Consules ("Consuls")
• C.P. – Clarissima Puella ("Most Illustrious Maiden")
• D. – Depositus ("Laid to rest"); or Dulcis ("Dear One")
• D.D. – Dedit, Dedicavit ("Gave", "Dedicated")
• DEP. – Depositus ("Laid to rest")
• D.I.P. – Dormit In Pace ("Sleeps in Peace")
• D.M. – Diis Manibus ("To the Manes ")
• D.M.S. – Diis Manibus Sacrum ("Sacred to the Manes ")
• D.N. – Domino Nostro ("To Our Lord")
• DD. NN. – Dominis Nostris ("To Our Lords")
• E.V. – Ex Voto ("In Fulfilment of a Vow")
• EX. TM. – Ex Testamento ("In accordance with the Testament of")
• E VIV. DISC. – E Vivis Discessit ("Departed from Life")
• F. – Fecit ("Did"); or Filius ("Son"); or Feliciter ("Happily")
• F.C. – Fieri Curavit ("Caused to be made")
• F.F. – Fieri Fecit ("Caused to be made")
• FF. – Fratres ("Brothers"); Filii ("Sons")
• FS. – Fossor ("Digger")
• H. – Haeres ("Heir"); Hic ("Here")
• H.L.S. – Hoc Loco Situs ("Laid in This Place")
• H.M.F.F. – Hoc Monumentum Fieri Fecit ("Caused This Monument to be Made")
• H.S. – Hic Situs ("Laid Here")
• ID. – Idibus ("On the Ides")
• IDNE. – Indictione ("In the Indiction" – a chronological term)
• I.L.H. – Jus Liberorum Habens ("Possessing the Right of Children" – i.e., eligibility to public office under age)
• INB. – In Bono ("In Good ")
• IND. – Same as IDNE
• INP – In Pace ("In Peace")
• I.X. – In Christo ("In Christ")
• K. – Kalendas ("Calends"); or Care, Carus, Cara ("Dear One"); or Carissimus ("Dearest")
• K.B.M. – Karissimo Bene Merenti ("To the Most Dear and Well-deserving")
• L. – Locus ("Place")
• L.M. – Locus Monumenti ("Place of the Monument")
• L.S. – Locus Sepulchri ("Place of the Sepulchre")
• M. – Martyr, or Memoria ("Memory") or Monumentum ("Monument")
• MM. – Martyres ("Martyrs")
• M.P. – Monumentum Posuit ("Erected a Monument")
• MRT. – Merenti ("To the Deserving")
• N. – Nonas ("Nones"); or Numero ("Number")
• NN. – Nostris ("To Our" – with a plural) or Numeri ("Numbers")
• O. – Hora ("Hour"); Obiit ("Died")
• OB. IN XTO. – Obiit In Christo ("Died In Christ")
• OMS. – Omnes ("All")
• OP. – Optimus (Excellent, or Supremely Good)
• P. – Pax ("Peace"); or Pius ("Dutiful"); or Ponendum ("To be Placed"); or Pridie ("The Day Before"); or Plus ("More")
• P.C. – Poni Curavit ("Caused to be Placed")
• P.C., P. CONS. – Post Consulatum ("After the Consulate")
• P.I. – Poni Jussit ("Ordered to be Placed")
• P.M. – Plus Minus ("More or Less"); or Piae Memoriae ("Of Pious Memory"); or Post Mortem ("After Death")
• PP. – Praepositus ("Placed over")
• PR.K. – Pridie Kalendas ("The Day Before the Calends")
• PRB. – Presbyter ("Priest")
• PR.N. – Pridie Nonas ("The Day Before the Nones")
• P.T.C.S. – Pax Tibi Cum Sanctis ("Peace to Thee With the Saints")
• PZ. – Pie Zeses ("May you Live Piously" – Greek)
• Q., Qui. – Quiescit ("He Rests")
• Q.B.AN. – Qui Bixit Annos ("Who lived ... years")
• Q.I.P. – Quiescat In Pace ("May he Rest in Peace")
• Q.V. – Qui Vixit ("Who Lived")
• R. – Requiescit ("He Rests"); or Refrigerio ("In Refreshment")
• Reg. – Regionis ("Of the Region")
• S. – Suus ("His"), or Situs ("Placed"), or Sepulchrum ("Sepulchre")
• SC. M. – Sanctae Memoriae ("Of Holy Memory")
• SD. – Sedit ("He sat")
• SSA. – Subscripta ("Subscribed")
• S.I.D. – Spiritus In Deo ("Spirit in God")
• S.P. – Sepultus ("Buried"), or Sepulchrum ("Sepulchre")
• SS. – Sanctorum (Of the Saints)
• S.V. – Sacra Virgo ("Holy Virgin")
• T., TT. – Titulus, Tituli ("Title", "Titles")
• TM. – Testamentum ("Testament")
• V. – Vixit ("He Lived"), or Vixisti ("Thou didst Live")
• VB. – Vir Bonus ("A Good Man")
• V.C. – Vir Clarissimus ("A Most Illustrious Man")
• VV. CC. – Viri Clarissimi ("Most Illustrious Men")
• V.H. – Vir Honestus ("A Worthy Man")
• V. X. – Vivas, Care (or Cara) ("Mayest thou Live, Dear One"), or Uxor Carissima ("Most Dear Wife")
• X., XPC., XS. – Christus ("Christ")