Monday, January 23, 2012

grave post #4

Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery is the oldest and largest of the catholic cemeteries in the area.
And now I know that this area is called a columbarium
the mausoleum is in the background through the arches of the outdoor columbarium*
It has been around since 1870 and sits adjacent to the Royal Botanical Gardens, overlooking Lake Ontario. 
I have driven past here countless times and have tentatively wandered along the winding paths and through this indoor/outdoor columbarium. The mausoleum and other buildings on the site are stunningly beautiful. 
It is interesting that I feel completely at ease in a municipal cemetery or church graveyard, but this one feels... a little overwhelming. Once I get over my feeling of trepidation of being where I think I do not belong, I will photograph more of its grace and beauty.

*the difference between a columbarium and a mausoleum is the former holds the urns with the ashes and the latter the caskets with the body*

For more grave sites, visit Julie at Taphophile Tragics

15 comments:

  1. We have some lovely outdoor columbariums in the Guelph Woodlawn Park Cemetery. I must get out and take some shots.

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  2. Delores: I saw some photos of the one in Guelph when I was searching for Woodland (Burlington) and mistakenly wrote Woodlawn (Guelph).

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  3. I can see that the flowers and the structure itself are beautiful. Perhaps what overwhelms is the sheer number of urns in it, all those remains of lives now done. I felt that at the Viet Nam War Memorial. As it started small and grew, with name upon name upon name. I was overwhelmed, both by the beauty and all those names. And by the fact that I was so very much alive.

    Cemeteries hold living creatures as well. I don't know. Then again, I am not comfortable in any of the settings, though I appreciate the beauty.

    Columbarium... I did not know that was the name for the place.

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  4. Thanks for the information. Wondered about columbarium v mausoleum. Haven't seen many columbariums (though I can't say I've ever gone looking).

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  5. Melbourne cemetery is currently constructing more Mausoleums and Columbariums, both being multi-story to cope with the huge demand for space.
    Columbarium is Latin and literally means a "pigeon house"!

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  6. Like a hallway of souls in lockers and so many have flowers! Such an amazing design for a cemetery!

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  7. Yes, it looks like a beautiful area, amongst the snow!
    Not a Chinese spammer but - Kung hii fat choy.

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  8. I did'nt know about the columbarians...but I do believe as a researcher its a good idea to have some sort of "earthly' marker for the living to acknowledge.

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  9. Are these fresh flowers? Quite a display. It's interesting how many columbariums are open to the air. For some reason this surprises me.

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  10. Enjoyed this post as I do all your "grave" posts.

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  11. I loved to visit Rookwood Cemetary in Sydney. It is the largest cemetary in the Southern Hemisphere and it is a treasure trove of interesting 'endings'
    From humble graves, with no name to huge Catholic edifices, which I really dont know the names of. I think the photos of the departed to be quite unnerving in some.

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  12. The flowers are a lovely touch in the columbarium.

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  13. I have never seen such a columbarium, it is for cremated people I think? We have them here too, but never went to see one. I share your feeling about hesitating to walk around. In other countries I don't have that, but in my own country I often feel an intruder.

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  14. Hah! had to chuckle. If, as Nick says, a columbarium is literally 'a pigeon house', that would explain the floor in photograph 2.

    Like Gemma, I thought the columbarium to be reminiscent of a high school locker area. It is softened considerably by the copious flowers.

    I loved the array of comments you have attracted today, Sanna. I would love to know more about Holy Sepulchre and how it compares with the smaller municipal and churchyard variations.

    Thanks for the definition by comparison of columbarium and mausoleum. I had never thought that consiously.

    I love the manner in which your text so complements and adds to the images today. Thank you very much for your contribution to Taphophile Tragics.

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  15. Very cool!
    I think we should make a date to explore a cemetery next week, if you're free.

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