Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery
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| Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery | |
 View of the cemetery overlooking the Atlantic Ocean |
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| Cemetery Details | |
|---|---|
| Year established: | 1863 |
| Country: | Puerto Rico |
| Location: | Old San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Type: | Public |
| Number of gravesites: | est. 1,000 |
| Find A Grave: | Find A Grave |
Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery is a colonial-era cemetery located in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is the final resting place of many of Puerto Rico's most prominent natives and residents. Construction began in 1863 under the auspices of Ignacio Mascaro. The cemetery is located outside the walls of Fort San Felipe del Morro fortress, one of the island's most famous landmarks. The average height of the wall is 40 feet and the width ranges from 15 to 20 feet.[1]
According to Rafael Rodriguez, Chaplin and director of pastoral services at University of the Sacred Heart located in the Santurce district of the capital, the location of the cemetery is central to the Puerto Rican belief in the separation of death and life. The colonial Spanish government at the time construction of the cemetery commenced, viewed death with fear because it was a mystery. Therefore, they decided to build the cemetery to overlook the Atlantic Ocean to symbolize the spirit's journey to cross over to the afterlife.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Notable interments
- Jose Celso Barbosa, founder of the Puerto Rican statehood movement
- José Julián Acosta, abolitionist, journalist
- Pedro Albizu Campos, nationalist leader and politician
- Antonio R. Barceló, lawyer, businessman and politician
- Salvador Brau, journalist, poet and historian
- Norma Candal, actress
- Gilberto Concepción de Gracia, politician, PIP founder
- Tony Croatto, Italian-Puerto Rican folk singer, composer and television presenter
- Tite Curet Alonso, composer
- José de Diego, poet, lawyer and liberal politician
- José Ferrer, Academy Award winning actor, director
- Pedro Flores, composer
- José Gautier Benítez, poet
- Rafael Hernández, composer and musician
- Tito Lara, composer and musician
- Muna Lee, American writer and first wife of Luis Muñoz Marín
- Samuel R. Quiñones, politician, Nationalist Party founder
[edit] References
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
