Caju Cemetery

The São Francisco Xavier Cemetery, popularly known as the Caju Cemetery, is a necropolis in Rio de Janeiro. It is considered one of the largest cemeteries in Brazil, It is located in the neighborhood of Caju in northern Rio de Janeiro.

History

Originally stood opposite the beach in St. Kitts, missing due to various landfills. He was the former Field of Mercy, Used since 1839, when there was, in July 2, Buried the body of "Victoria, Creole, daughter of Theresa, slave Manoel Rodrigues dos Santos" (Archaic spelling of the time) and being used for burials of slaves until 1851, when the Decree No. 842 of October 16 the same year, public cemeteries were founded St. Francis Xavier and St. John the Baptist. By Decree No. 843 of the same year, were handed over to be administered for a period of 50 years, Santa Casa de Misericordia.

To transform a public cemetery, were purchased several neighboring properties, and thus greatly increased the surface. On November 8, 1851 informing the Superintendent of the Santa Casa, José Clemente PereiraThat the St. Francis Xavier Cemetery was in a state in order to provide services within 15 days of the Regulation No. 796.Com effect on December 5, was buried a "No free African 187, Manguinhos, belonging to the House of Correction, who died in Mercy HospitalOf gastro-entero-colitis". The last body buried in the Campo Santo of Mercy in 1851, was a free African, sent from the House of Correction, burial No. 2218.

It took several embankments and flattening the ground over the years to make the whole area flat and dry, since it is swampy because of the close of the seas to the landfills was chopped a hill that existed in the northern part of the necropolis.

Features

The cemetery is part of the closed high wall of masonry, and the central part of this wall, a monumental iron grating, on granite bedrock, which started and ended by two iron gates as well. By means of this grating is used as the building vestibule of the necropolis, consisting of two buildings with facades of granite that borders the stately portico. This building was originally designed by engineer J. M. Jacinto Rebelo; Was executed but with modifications that gave greater grandeur by architect F. J. Bithencourt da Silva.

In front of this gate follow the main street which measured 22 meters wide, then going to the beach of San Cristobal, in a move straight up to the place called Longing retreat on the other side of Caju. Cutting off this main promenade, there is a cruise monumental granite stonework worthy of admiration, the difficulty of running in as hard material, the artisans have made a sculpture that is so graceful and light.

The cemetery originally provided temporary graves for a period of seven years, and as the desire of families, also sold the graves in perpetuity, which is why there are rich graves and imposing chapels throughout all time.

Within the grounds of the cemetery there is a block of non-Catholics, And reserved exclusively for Jews and Protestant. Was used before the construction of Jewish Communal CemeteryAlso in Caju. Full of ancient graves and historical has been the subject of studies, several books and theses.

Another area of 1885 square meters, surrounded with railing, and ceramic tiled floor with French, is the St. Peter's CemeteryReserved for the Catholic priests in the city. Was acquired in 1866 by Brotherhood of St. Peter Prince of ApostlesWith the product of the legacy he received from Father Jose Luis de Oliveira.

Originally most of the burials was of residents of the region north of the city, and being near the district of Saint Kitts, many personalities of the empire there were buried throughout the mid-nineteenth century. But curiously, was a French citizen the first person of recognized nobility buried there; Williers de l'Isle Adam, Viscount de l'Isle de Adan, a bachelor of 65 years, died in the House of Health Livramento hillOn July 10, 1852.

Among the most notable chapels and graves are those of the architect Antonio Jannuzzi Of Baron Mangaratiba Of Viscount of Rio Branco, The benefactor of the Holy House, Luísa Pereira Rosa Avondano and provider José Clemente Pereira.

The doctor and memoirist Pedro Nava who is buried there, wrote in his book Kite balloon, One of the most beautiful and sentimental descriptions of the Caju cemetery and their graves. Printing the first visit he made there as a child, was that " transposing its stone porch (he had) the perception invasive (and forever ingrained and lasting) impact of a silent and formidably".