2023-12-12 18:14:32
Carlos Alberto Crouzeilles, representative of the Historical Research Area of the National Museum, spoke regarding the current situation that traditional cemeteries are going through and as a consequence explained that citizens, preferably, opt for new alternatives.
The historian expressed that the traditional practice that has been developing for more than 50 years is currently experiencing a break.
In addition to this, he specified that many of these practices are linked to the question of faith and it is no coincidence that today religion is “a little weakened.”
“They are spaces that in the long run are going to have certain drawbacks, but not as heritage, nor as a place of memory. If not, people are looking for different alternatives regarding what to do with the bodies of the dead,” said the historian.
At present, differentiating practices coexist, “many times originated by fashions,” that compete with traditional cemeteries. The options to decide on deceased bodies are cremations, park cemeteries and ossuaries located in the parishes.
However, the historian stressed that traditional cemeteries will continue to be significant as heritage and memory spaces of a town, where its first illustrious inhabitants and the population in general are recorded.
The new options related to cremations or park cemeteries are not totally linked to faith and suggest that “there is a whole element that is new.” According to the Brandalisi de Jesús María funeral service, half of the deceased already use this alternative.
The parishes have an ossuary where the ashes of deceased bodies can be deposited and it functions as a space that has a very great symbolic weight. This method implies, for Christians, the closeness of the deceased body to Jesus. While the Eucharist suggests a transcendental devotional and worship contiguity for people of faith.
Other problems with traditional cemeteries in the area are that they are vandalized by thieves and lack records. Certain thieves go to the crypts in search of bronze plaques. Among the more conflicts to detail, clients often do not pay the cemetery fees.
Furthermore, the historian explained that these spaces are remaining in the center-periphery of the cities: “Evidently, a new way of doing with the bodies of the deceased is becoming fashionable.”
The existence of cemeteries as peripheral places
As the historian Crouzeilles explained, the history of cemeteries dates back to the middle of the 19th century, these places were no longer available to liberal ideas, giving way to the bifurcation between the Church and the State.
This situation has an impact on society and generates new urban guidelines. Hence, the inaugurations of traditional cemeteries would be in the urban peripheries.
After the separation between the State and the Church, data related to illnesses, deaths, births and marriages are no longer in the Churches to form part of a new entity, today known as the Civil Registry. In this process, these issues “are no longer in the hands of the clergy, but are in the hands of the State,” Carlos said.
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