UNIQUE RESTING PLACES: You are 6 Feet Above Sacred (or funny) Grounds

When was the last time you visited the grave of a deceased family member or friend?

Our desire to immortalize the memory of departed loved ones through burial methods and symbolic structures can be traced to the olden days when burial caves, underground chambers, pyramids, catacombs, temples, hanging or floating coffins were built to protect the remains of the dead and give closure to those left behind.

As years went by and population grew, new architectural concepts for burial places were established where the remains of loved ones can be laid to rest and visited by family and friends any day of the year. 

Thus, we saw the rise of private cemeteries, memorial parks, columbarium and mausoleums inspired by burial caves not only  to augment the shortage of interment spaces in public cemeteries but also to provide comfort and convenience with a sense of exclusivity to visiting relatives and friends.

The beauty and serenity (and for some the festive atmosphere) of these places have somehow eased the pain of losing a loved one and make visiting the departed a peaceful, joyful and fun experience.

On the occasion of All Saints Day and All Souls Day the celebrations for which have been momentarily stopped by the Covid-19 epidemic, let me share with you some interesting and unique resting places which I had the opportunity to visit before the pandemic began.

The Vienna Central Cemetery

This cemetery is located in the industrial district of Simmering outside of the city center of Vienna, Austria. The word 'central' refers not to its geographical location but to the fact that it is the second biggest cemetery in Europe because of its land size and number of daily interments.

In anticipation of increase in population due to industrialization, it was designed and developed as an inter-denominational cemetery where all faith groups may be interred - a controversial issue among conservative Catholics at that time. 

Currently, it houses the Catholic section, a Protestant cemetery and two Jewish cemeteries. There is an area for the Orthodox community, Buddhists and an area where Muslims are buried in a coffin following Austrian law instead of a shroud that is the usual Muslim ritual.

Being located in the outskirts of the city, its geographic location posed a problem of access at the start of its operations in 1874. It was decided that in addition to Tram Line 71, the “grave of honor” will be implemented to encourage residents to come to the site and attract tourists as well.

The remains of famous composers like Beethoven and Franz Schubert were transferred to the cemetery and interred very near the entrance gate. Johann Strauss and his wife Adele, Franz Von Suppe, Johannes Brahms, and Johann Herbeck are also in the same section. Imagine the magical music they make together!

Other sections are exclusively devoted to famous scientists, artists, painters, musicians, actors and actresses as well as high ranking government officials and notable political figures.

There is also an area dedicated for still-born babies, infants and very young children.

Visiting the Vienna Central Cemetery is not only a walk in the park but educational and culturally enriching as well. 

The place is well-maintained and landscaped with beautiful colorful flowering plants and trees, intricate sculptures and some quirky tombstones. 

The only clutter that you see are fallen leaves at the onset of autumn, but even the yellow, orange and brown leaves add color and beauty to the place. 

Busloads of tourists come here everyday to visit and admire the place. 

It is said that if you are a first time tourist in Vienna, a visit to the cemetery gives you the blessing of another chance to come back to the country. 

On the other hand, if you are a Viennese and have passed on to new life, you will be described as someone who "already took 71."

Sanctuario di San Bernardino alle Ossa

Just a few blocks away from the Milan Cathedral in Italy, and after a little difficulty in locating it, you will find a church with an ossuary - a side chapel which houses bones and skulls of people neatly displayed inside glass cabinets around the walls. 

It is said that in the 12th century, these bones and skulls were moved from an adjacent cemetery that ran out of space to be able to give way to new interments.

Utmost silence is required as you enter the ossuary. Some people find this place bizarre and unusual.

The feeling is eerie and may cause you goose bumps at the start. 

But as you gaze around the walls, the feeling changes to deep sadness when you see baby skulls seemingly looking at you and wanting to be embraced.

Zotter Schokolade

This company with headquarters based in Styria, Austria is a bean-to-bar manufacturer. It produces chocolate bars on site starting from roasting the cocoa beans to grinding in the conche using only organically grown cacao. 

You will feel  like a child once more when you join hundreds of tourists for the chocolate tasting activity in the factory's chocolate showroom and orientation tour in the chocolate production line.

Somewhere at the back of the Schokolade Chocolate Factory is an unusual resting place - not for dead people but for chocolate bar products which the company have stopped manufacturing and have removed from their production list and inventory. 

Of course, the tombstones in the shape of chocolate bars are made of - guess what - concrete! and complete with the name of the chocolate bar, its birth (the date it was first launched in the market) and death (the date it was finally pulled out from the market for good).

What's Interesting in the Philippines?

Much has been written about the famous Manila Chinese Cemetery in Sta. Cruz, Manila and the Hanging Coffins in Sagada, Mountain Province. Even the ordinary cemeteries stand out as equally unique, not so much for their appearance, but for the religious and cultural practices during All Saints Day and All Souls Day which make these no ordinary days by Filipino tradition.

Without the Covid-19 restrictions this year and last year, it would have been a festive, picnic and reunion  time for  families trooping down to public and private cemeteries starting on the eve of All Saints Day. 

Tents would be  put up on vacant interment spaces for overnight prayer vigil, singing and playing card games, or just sleeping by the tomb of deceased loved ones. The cemetery would have been filled with food stalls and vendors roaming around. 

Cars would be parked on the streets causing heavy traffic in many areas within and outside the vicinity of the cemetery. This would be also a time when the price of flowers for the dead soar to more than double its price on ordinary days. 

Covid-19 Impact on Disposition of Human Remains and Resting Places in the Philippines

Some countries like Brazil and India were badly hit by the epidemic and had to improvise emergency mass graves for mass burial of people who died of Covid19 virus. These people had to be interred without the presence of family and friends and the usual interment rites to prevent further spread of the virus. 

While we are luckier than these countries, Covid19 changed the manner of disposition of human remains in the Philippines during the lockdown period. 

My mother, who died last year of natural causes at 93, had to be cremated against her wishes as the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) or total lockdown was to take effect the day after she passed on and funeral services will not be easily available. Only eight of our family members sans her surviving siblings were present during her cremation. We had to temporarily keep her ashes in the altar of her home for nine months until the lockdown was relaxed. Like all others who died but could not be buried immediately, her remains were eventually interred in a memorial park with pre-arranged interment plans.

Those who died of Covid19 at the peak of the epidemic were required to be cremated right after death leaving families no time to say goodbye. 

Clean As You Go

It would be nice if, in addition to the long-valued traditions and practices which we Filipinos are known for, everyone will have the discipline of keeping our resting places spic and span after the All Saints Day celebrations or on occasional visits. We call it Clean As You Go (CLAYGO) practice in the corporate setting. 

I look forward to that day when people will be bringing home garbage they have created during these events or  properly dispose of them elsewhere outside of the premises. After all, our loved ones left us with beautiful memories, we chose a beautiful resting place for them, and it is but fitting and proper that we should not leave them with anything unsightly.

Let us be on our guard against any form of littering or improper garbage disposal and maintain the beauty and serenity of resting places of our loved ones. 

These are holy grounds and should be kept sacred at all times.

For everything there is a season - a time to live and a time to die. 

In the meanwhile keep safe always,

Apple Bleza-Morales

About the Author:

Apple is passionately interested in community greening and beautification, organic and ornamental gardening, environment protection and preservation as well as related arts and crafts. She shares her professional, personal and travel experiences to spread knowledge and information in these areas which may not be accessible to all who are similarly interested and aims to inspire others to develop and create new ideas from her blogs.

Apple holds a Master's degree in Industrial Relations from the University of the Philippines. She held leadership roles in Human Resources during her employment with the private sector, developing and implementing HR and Organizational systems that help employees to grow their careers and employers to achieve a mutually beneficial engagement.

Photos by:  Maybelle B. Morales