Joshua Bennett
The first Catholic cemetery was established after the burial of the first disciple of Jesus Christ following his resurrection. This would have been very different from previous burials as those who buried him had witnessed something new in human history: a man who had died and risen again. Early Catholic cemeteries were churchyard cemeteries, with the oldest in the Archdiocese of Chicago being St. James, Sag Bridge in Lemont, IL, founded by Irish immigrant labourers who worked on the Illinois-Michigan Canal between 1830 and 1848. The first Catholic cemetery in Washington, D.C. is Mount Olivet, established in 1858. Calvary Cemetery in Queens, New York City is another early Catholic cemetery, established in 1848.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Cathedral Cemetery, also known as Old Cathedral Cemetery |
| Location | Mill Creek neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Address | 1032 N. 48th Street, near the intersection of Lancaster Avenue and Girard Avenue |
| Size | 45 acres (18 ha) |
| Adjacent to | Former Our Mother of Sorrows church |
| Managed by | StoneMor partners |
| Year established | 1849 |
| Founder | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia |
| Purpose | To support burials due to the influx of Catholic immigrants to Philadelphia from Ireland and Germany |
| Number of burials | Over 50 members of the 69th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment |
| First burial | Esther Ennis, who reportedly "died of a broken heart" |
| Consecrated by | Archbishop John Hughes |
| Number of burials by 1852 | 50 burials a day |
| Conservation status | A conservation effort was initiated in 2009 but was not completed as of 2022 |
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What You'll Learn
- The first Catholic cemetery was established after Jesus Christ's resurrection
- Medieval cemeteries and the restraint of converts from being buried in pagan barrows
- The spread of Christianity and the excavation of Roman catacombs
- Pope Benedict XVI's reflection on Christ's resurrection and the 'mutation'
- Calvary Cemetery in Queens, New York City is the largest Catholic cemetery in the US
The first Catholic cemetery was established after Jesus Christ's resurrection
The early Christian community initially buried their dead in private tombs and catacombs. Over time, these catacombs became communal burial grounds, with a vast network of galleries dug at multiple levels. The spread of Christianity led to the establishment of more cemeteries, and by the fourth century, there was a decline in the use of subterranean galleries for burials. Instead, open-air cemeteries began to be used, marking a shift away from catacombs.
The first popes were buried near the body of St. Peter, "in Vaticano" or "juxta corpus beati Petri" in Latin. This indicates the significance of burial practices and the establishment of sacred spaces for the Catholic community.
In the United States, the establishment of Catholic cemeteries can be traced back to the 19th century. For instance, Calvary Cemetery in Queens, New York City, was established in 1848 and is one of the oldest Catholic cemeteries in the country. Similarly, the Cathedral Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1849 and served as the final resting place for Catholic immigrants from Ireland and Germany.
The Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., also established several Catholic cemeteries in the mid-to-late 19th century, such as Mount Olivet Cemetery, to serve the burial needs of growing parish communities in the region. These cemeteries were independently operated and had their own management structures and policies.
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Medieval cemeteries and the restraint of converts from being buried in pagan barrows
The first Catholic cemetery was established with the burial of Jesus Christ's first disciple after his resurrection. This burial would have been very different from all previous burials, as these first believers had witnessed something unprecedented in human history.
Medieval cemeteries, particularly those from the Anglo-Saxon era, often featured barrows or burial mounds, which were also known as tumuli. These barrows had been long associated with folkloric monsters and were believed to be places of "eternal torment by demons and spirits". Anglo-Saxons reused prehistoric barrows, which has been interpreted as an expression of ancestral claims to the land.
When the northern tribes converted to Christianity, there was an effort to prevent them from being buried in the barrows used by pagans. This was not the case when the Gospel was preached to the Romanized Gauls, where pagans and Christian Romans were often buried side by side. The Frank and Saxon interments usually maintained a clear distinction between pagan and Christian burials.
The burial practices of the Middle Anglo-Saxon period began to diverge from earlier Anglo-Saxon practices. Archaeologist T. C. Lethbridge noted that Middle Anglo-Saxon cemeteries lacked 'pagan' elements such as weapon burials, suggesting that those buried at these sites were early Anglo-Saxon Christians. The graves were often oriented in a west-to-east direction, and some were located in or under barrows. The grave goods featured Christian symbolic significance, such as cross forms.
In medieval England, burial in consecrated ground with last rites and a funeral mass was considered mandatory for Christians. The absence of any part of this process was believed to jeopardize a soul's chances of attaining salvation. The church and state collaborated to ensure that sacred ground remained protected through legal measures.
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The spread of Christianity and the excavation of Roman catacombs
The spread of Christianity and the excavation of the Roman catacombs are closely intertwined. The catacombs, a complex system of underground tunnels and burial chambers, provided a practical solution for the growing Christian population in Rome. With the city facing overpopulation and a lack of land, burials were not allowed within the city walls, and early Christians objected to the pagan practice of cremating their dead. As a result, they turned to communal underground cemeteries, which later became known as the catacombs.
The catacombs of Rome are situated on the ancient Via Labicana, today known as Via Casilina, and are spread across an area of more than 2.4 square kilometres (590 acres). They lie 7-19 metres (23-62 feet) below the surface and consist of multiple levels connected by narrow steps and passages. The burial niches, or loculi, were carved into the walls and could accommodate bodies wrapped in linen and placed in stone sarcophagi. Each chamber was then sealed with a slab bearing the name, age, and date of death of the deceased.
The construction of these catacombs can be traced back to the Etruscan civilization, which dominated the territory, including the area of Rome, from around 900 to 100 BC. The Etruscans, like other European peoples, buried their dead in excavated underground chambers. When the Romans came to the region, they initially used these quarries for mining limestone and sandstone. However, as the Christian faith spread, these quarries took on a new purpose, becoming burial sites and mass graves for Christians and, later, Jews.
The spread of Christianity and the establishment of catacombs as burial sites also occurred in other parts of the world. For example, in the United States, the Calvary Cemetery in Queens, New York, was established in 1848 and is the largest Catholic cemetery in the country in terms of the number of interments. Similarly, the Cathedral Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1849, became the first of 12 diocesan cemeteries in the area, serving the growing Catholic population, especially immigrants from Ireland and Germany. These cemeteries played a significant role in accommodating the burial needs of their respective communities as the number of Catholic immigrants increased.
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Pope Benedict XVI's reflection on Christ's resurrection and the 'mutation'
Pope Benedict XVI reflected on Christ's resurrection in several homilies and addresses. In these, he emphasised the transformative power of Christ's resurrection, describing it as a "leap into a completely new order" that concerns "the whole of history".
Benedict XVI framed the resurrection as a "mutation", borrowing the language of evolutionary theory to describe it as the "greatest" mutation, a "qualitative leap in the history of 'evolution''". This interpretation has been controversial, with some accusing Benedict XVI of heresy for allegedly reducing the miracle of the resurrection to a random process.
However, Benedict XVI's core message was that Christ's resurrection was not a mere historical event but a living reality that transforms the present and offers hope for the future. He quoted Saint Augustine, saying, "Resurrectio Domini, spes nostra – the resurrection of the Lord is our hope". Benedict XVI emphasised that Christ's resurrection is a victory over death, and that through it, a new world emerges, one where matter is integrated into a new dimension of being.
Benedict XVI also reflected on the personal significance of the resurrection for Jesus's disciples, noting how their sorrow and fear turned into full joy as they encountered the Risen One. He encouraged believers to spread this "newness of life" that does not die, so that the thorns of sin may leave room for the new shoots of God's grace, presence, and love.
In conclusion, Pope Benedict XVI's reflections on Christ's resurrection and the "mutation" emphasised the transformative and ongoing nature of this event. He positioned the resurrection as a pivotal moment in the history of humanity and the world, offering hope and a new dimension of life.
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Calvary Cemetery in Queens, New York City is the largest Catholic cemetery in the US
Calvary Cemetery, located in Queens, New York City, is the largest Catholic cemetery in the United States. It was established in 1848 and is spread across 365 acres of land, divided into four sections in the neighbourhoods of Maspeth and Woodside. The oldest section, First Calvary, is also known as Old Calvary, while the Second, Third, and Fourth sections are collectively referred to as New Calvary.
The history of Calvary Cemetery dates back to the 1830s and 1840s when New York City was plagued by outbreaks of diseases like typhus and cholera, resulting in a significant increase in deaths. With the prohibition of new interments in Manhattan in 1852 due to contamination concerns, the need for additional burial grounds became pressing. The Alsop farm, which included a family cemetery and an additional 115 acres, was purchased in 1845, and the cemetery was consecrated by Archbishop John Hughes in 1848.
Over time, Calvary Cemetery has expanded to accommodate the growing number of burials. By the 1990s, there were nearly three million burials, and the cemetery continues to add plots available for purchase in advance. The cemetery has been featured in various films and television series, including Zoolander, Gotham, and Daredevil.
One notable aspect of Calvary Cemetery is the Calvary Veterans Park, a city-owned public park within the cemetery grounds. This section served as a burial ground for Union soldiers who passed away in New York hospitals during the Civil War. Twenty-one soldiers were interred there, with the last burial taking place in 1909. The park features a monument erected in 1866, originally adorned with bronze sculptures, honouring the soldiers' sacrifice.
Calvary Cemetery in Queens stands as a testament to the city's history, serving as the final resting place for countless individuals and playing a significant role in the development of burial practices in New York City.
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Frequently asked questions
The first Catholic cemetery was established after the burial of the first disciple of Jesus Christ following his resurrection.
St. James in Sag Bridge, Lemont, Illinois, is the oldest Catholic cemetery in the Archdiocese. It was founded by Irish immigrant labourers who worked on the Illinois-Michigan Canal between 1830 and 1848.
Calvary Cemetery in Queens, New York City, is the largest Catholic cemetery in the US, with around three million burials.
Cathedral Cemetery, also known as Old Cathedral Cemetery, is the oldest Catholic cemetery in Philadelphia. It was established in 1849 and is located at 1032 N. 48th Street in the Mill Creek neighbourhood.
Catholic cemeteries are sacred places for remembering and celebrating the lives and deaths of loved ones while awaiting the resurrection of the dead and the promise of eternal life.
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