This modest tomb complex is the burial site of the seven Machabee brothers, who were martyred around 174 BC. Their mother was Agia Solomoni, a Jewish woman who became a saint after the death of her sons. It is thought that the space was a synagogue in Roman times. The entrance to the catacomb is marked by a collection of votive rags tied to a large tree outside the tomb.
This ostensibly pagan practice of tying rags is continued by Christian visitors today and you will see more rags surrounding the tombs, some attached to copies of icons. Be wary of the lowest section at the base of a set of steep stairs; entering from the bright sunlight, it is hard to discern the water-filled cave and deep well, which constitutes a potentially dangerous hazard.
