Cementerio Catolico San Vicente de Paul
Encyclopedia
The Cementerio Católico San Vicente de Paul (English: Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Cemetery) is a cemetery in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico
. It is the only cemetery in Puerto Rico with a group of niches built forming a basement, in which the burials occurred beneath ground level, thus giving the effect of a catacomb. The cemetery is named after Vincent de Paul
(24 April 1581 – 27 September 1660), the French Roman Catholic priest who dedicated his life to serving the poor. It was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
as "Cementerio Catolico San Vicente de Paul" on August 25, 1988.
. PR-123 used to be signed PR-10, and this last route numbering might still be seen in some older documents about this cemetery. The cemetery is located on a site with a steep terrain gradient
.
s and mausoleum
s. Today, the cemetery is "squeezed" between sprawling urban residential developments that now fully surround it.
, Spain
and other parts of Europe adorn many of the tombs. Most tombs are covered with Ponce's ubiquitous stylish pink marble as well.
The larger mausolea, which belong to the wealthiest families of southern Puerto Rico, are magnificent examples of monumental funerary architecture of the period. Some of the best examples are the mausolea of the Serralles, Mercado, Toro, and Valdivieso families.
The cemetery is unique among others in Puerto Rico: "A unique feature of the cemetery is a group of niches that were built forming a basement, in which the burials occurred beneath ground level, thus giving the effect of a catacomb".
s. Although Catholic, this cemetery never had a chapel
by the entrance, or anywhere in the entire precinct.
The layout of the cemetery was done following the Spanish tradition of having two main axes forming a cross. The rest of the precinct
's layout was done in a square grid fashion. The cemetery follows the contour lines of the steep site it is located on. As a results, some of the approach paths were built as stairs.
The main axis culminates with the pantheon
for the priests of the Paul order
. "In this truly monumental tomb, sculptural forms are integral part of architecture. An interesting feature in this design with double function is the baldachino, which protects not only the altar, but also the tomb. The baroque
style of this structure can be appreciated in the free use of forms, its large scale and sweeping vistas, and the complexity of its composition."
The cemetery has a clear arrangement of larger tombs placed along the major central and secondary axes. The other graves then radiate from there. Many of these larger tombs are mausoleums in different architectural style
s ranging from the classical revival to the art-deco.
Of special significance for their architectural value are the Serralles family
mausoleum composed of a central chaple raised over a raised plaza, the Mario Mercado Montalvo family mausoleum also over a raised plaza, and the Valdivieso family
mausoleum. The Toro family
mausoleum also presents a funerary chapel but it is not raised over a plaza nor is the Chardon family
mausoleum.
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
. It is the only cemetery in Puerto Rico with a group of niches built forming a basement, in which the burials occurred beneath ground level, thus giving the effect of a catacomb. The cemetery is named after Vincent de Paul
Vincent de Paul
Vincent de Paul was a priest of the Catholic Church who became dedicated to serving the poor. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. He was canonized in 1737....
(24 April 1581 – 27 September 1660), the French Roman Catholic priest who dedicated his life to serving the poor. It was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as "Cementerio Catolico San Vicente de Paul" on August 25, 1988.
Location
Cementerio Catolico San Vicente de Paul is located off Puerto Rico Route PR-123 in barrio Magueyes UrbanoMagueyes Urbano
Magueyes Urbano is one of the 31 barrios in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Canas Urbano, Machuelo Abajo, Portugués Urbano, and San Antón, Magueyes Urbano is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of Ponce...
. PR-123 used to be signed PR-10, and this last route numbering might still be seen in some older documents about this cemetery. The cemetery is located on a site with a steep terrain gradient
Gradient
In vector calculus, the gradient of a scalar field is a vector field that points in the direction of the greatest rate of increase of the scalar field, and whose magnitude is the greatest rate of change....
.
History
During the turn of the 20th century the priests of San Vicente de Paul built a private Catholic cemetery in Ponce. The site was blessed and opened to the public during 1901. The wealthy families of the area bought plots for $60 and began to develop the cemetery with magnificent graveGrave (burial)
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
s and mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
s. Today, the cemetery is "squeezed" between sprawling urban residential developments that now fully surround it.
Background and significance
Ponce, located in the south coast of Puerto Rico, was one of the wealthiest settlements of the island at the turn of the 20th century. Given the status of area cemeteries at the time, the Catholic cemetery offered an exclusive precinct in which the rich could bury their dead. For this reason almost all the tombs are magnificent in their design, ornamentation, and construction. Some of the best examples of funerary architecture in Puerto Rico of the early 20th century period can be seen in this cemetery. Marble sculptures from ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and other parts of Europe adorn many of the tombs. Most tombs are covered with Ponce's ubiquitous stylish pink marble as well.
The larger mausolea, which belong to the wealthiest families of southern Puerto Rico, are magnificent examples of monumental funerary architecture of the period. Some of the best examples are the mausolea of the Serralles, Mercado, Toro, and Valdivieso families.
The cemetery is unique among others in Puerto Rico: "A unique feature of the cemetery is a group of niches that were built forming a basement, in which the burials occurred beneath ground level, thus giving the effect of a catacomb".
Design
The cemetery has a simple entrance gate. It consists of an iron gate flanked by two masonry pilasterPilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s. Although Catholic, this cemetery never had a chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
by the entrance, or anywhere in the entire precinct.
The layout of the cemetery was done following the Spanish tradition of having two main axes forming a cross. The rest of the precinct
Precinct
A precinct is a space enclosed by the walls or other boundaries of a particular place or building, or by an arbitrary and imaginary line drawn around it. The term has several different uses...
's layout was done in a square grid fashion. The cemetery follows the contour lines of the steep site it is located on. As a results, some of the approach paths were built as stairs.
The main axis culminates with the pantheon
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
for the priests of the Paul order
Paulist Fathers
The Missionary Society of Saint Paul the Apostle, better known as the Paulist Fathers, is a Roman Catholic religious society for men founded in New York City in 1858 by Servant of God Fr. Isaac Thomas Hecker in collaboration with Fr. George Deshon, Fr. Augustine Hewit, and Fr. Francis A. Baker....
. "In this truly monumental tomb, sculptural forms are integral part of architecture. An interesting feature in this design with double function is the baldachino, which protects not only the altar, but also the tomb. The baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
style of this structure can be appreciated in the free use of forms, its large scale and sweeping vistas, and the complexity of its composition."
The cemetery has a clear arrangement of larger tombs placed along the major central and secondary axes. The other graves then radiate from there. Many of these larger tombs are mausoleums in different architectural style
Architectural style
Architectural styles classify architecture in terms of the use of form, techniques, materials, time period, region and other stylistic influences. It overlaps with, and emerges from the study of the evolution and history of architecture...
s ranging from the classical revival to the art-deco.
Architecture
The style of the cemetery is characterized more by its architectural than by its sculptural features. The quality of the construction is such that "it is considered the posthumous mansion" of those buried there. A considerable number of the mausoleum in this cemetery are made of marble, a testimony to the wealth of those enterred there.Of special significance for their architectural value are the Serralles family
Juan Serralles
Juan Serrallés Colón was the founder of Hacienda Mercedita in Ponce, Puerto Rico and what was to become Destileria Serralles, producers of "Don Q", a world renowned brand of Puerto Rican rum.-Early years:...
mausoleum composed of a central chaple raised over a raised plaza, the Mario Mercado Montalvo family mausoleum also over a raised plaza, and the Valdivieso family
Guillermo Vivas Valdivieso
Guillermo Vivas Valdivieso was a Puerto Rican politician and Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico from 1925 to 1928.-Journalist:In addition to serving as mayor of Ponce, Vivas Valdivieso was also the owner and director of the "El Dia" newspaper during the time of the Ponce Massacre at the hands of the...
mausoleum. The Toro family
Fernando Luis Toro Home
Casa Fernando Luis Toro is a historic house in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The house is unique in that it is located in the first upper-class suburban development ever built in Puerto Rico. Today, La Alhambra has been designed part of Ponce's historic district...
mausoleum also presents a funerary chapel but it is not raised over a plaza nor is the Chardon family
Carlos E. Chardón
Dr. Carlos E. Chardón, D.Sc., D.Litt, was the first Puerto Rican mycologist. He was also known as "the Father of Mycology in Puerto Rico". He discovered the aphid "Aphis maidis", the vector of the sugar cane Mosaic virus. Mosaic viruses are plant viruses...
mausoleum.