__NOTOC__ The Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery is a colonial-era

cemetery A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...

located in

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico Old San Juan ( es, Viejo San Juan) is a historic district located at the "northwest triangle" of the islet of San Juan. Its area roughly correlates to the Ballajá, Catedral, Marina, Mercado, San Cristóbal, and San Francisco sub-barrios ( ...

. It is the final resting place of many of

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

'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 Castillo San Felipe del Morro, also known as El Morro, is a citadel built between 16th and 18th centuries in San Juan, Puerto Rico.ww ...

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. It was named in honor of Saint Maria Magdalena de Pazzi. Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery aerial photo

Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery aerial photo

According to Rafael Rodríguez, Chaplain and director of pastoral services at the

Universidad del Sagrado Corazón Universidad del Sagrado Corazón (English: University of the Sacred Heart), abbreviated "USC" and often called simply Sagrado, is a private Catholic university in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is one of the oldest and largest educational ins ...

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 The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

to symbolize the spirit's journey to cross over to the afterlife.''Puerto Rico’s Hidden Treasure''
from the ''

Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication The Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication is the journalism unit of the University of Oklahoma in Norman. The College is named for the former longtime publishers of ''The Oklahoman''. History In 1897, five years after the Univ ...

Notable interments

Un cementerio mecido por las olas del mar - San Juan, Puerto Rico - panoramio

Pedro Albizu Campos Pedro Albizu Campos (September 12, 1891Luis Fortuño Janeiro. ''Album Histórico de Ponce (1692–1963).'' p. 290. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Imprenta Fortuño. 1963. – April 21, 1965) was a Puerto Rican attorney and politician, and the leading fi ...

, nationalist leader and politician *

Aurora de Albornoz Aurora de Albornoz (January 22, 1926 – June 6, 1990) was born in Luarca, Asturias, Spain. As a youth, she lived in Luarca with her parents, sister, and extended family, throughout the Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939— an event that ins ...

, scholar, poet *

José Julián Acosta José Julián Acosta (February 16, 1825 – August 26, 1891), was a journalist and an advocate of the abolitionism, abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico. Early years José Julián Acosta Calbo was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico to Francisco de Ac ...

, abolitionist, journalist *

Ricardo Alegría Ricardo E. Alegría Gallardo (April 14, 1921 – July 7, 2011) was a Puerto Rican scholar, cultural anthropologist and archaeologist known as the "father of modern Puerto Rican archaeology". Early years Alegría was born in San Juan, Puerto Ric ...

, father of modern Puerto Rican archaeology *

Miguel Ángel Álvarez Miguel Ángel Álvarez, also known as "El Men," (August 25, 1941 – January 16, 2011), was a Puerto Rican actor and comedian. Early years Álvarez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and when he was a child his family moved to Bayamón, Puerto Ri ...

, journalist, comedian and actor *

Jose Celso Barbosa Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. * Jose ben Abin * Jose ben Akabya *Jose the Galile ...

, founder of the Puerto Rican statehood movement *

Antonio R. Barceló Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language-speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular mal ...

, lawyer, businessman and politician *

Félix Benítez Rexach Félix Benítez Rexach (March 27, 1886 – November 2, 1975) was a Puerto Rican engineer and businessman who built the Normandie Hotel, located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Life and career Benitez Rexach was born in Vieques. In 1928, he fell ...

, architect and engineer *

Salvador Brau Salvador Brau y Asencio (January 11, 1842 – November 5, 1912) was a Puerto Rican journalist, poet, dramatist, novelist, historian, and sociologist. He was designated the official historian of Puerto Rico by the first American-appointed governor ...

, journalist, poet and historian *

Norma Candal Norma Daniela Candal Penedo (April 10, 1927 – February 5, 2006), was a Puerto Rican actress and comedian who was best known for her role as Petunia on ''La criada malcriada''. Early years Norma Daniela Candal Penedo was born in 1927 in Fajar ...

, actress *

Gilberto Concepción de Gracia Dr. Gilberto Concepción de Gracia (July 9, 1909 – March 16, 1968) was a lawyer, journalist, author, politician and founder of the Puerto Rican Independence Party. He is the great uncle of maternal siblings Residente and ILE of Calle 13, an ...

, politician, founder of the

Puerto Rican Independence Party The Puerto Rican Independence Party ( es, Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño, PIP) is a social-democratic political party in Puerto Rico that campaigns for the independence of Puerto Rico from the United States. Those who follow the PIP ...

* Rafael Cordero, known as "The Father of Public Education in Puerto Rico". *

Tony Croatto Tony may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer * Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leagu ...

, Italian-Puerto Rican folk singer, composer and television presenter *

Tite Curet Alonso Catalino "Tite" Curet Alonso (February 26, 1926 – August 5, 2003) was a Puerto Rican composer of over 2,000 salsa songs. Early years Curet Alonso (birth name: Catalino Curet Alonso) was born in Guayama, a town located in the southern region o ...

, composer *

Conchita Dapena María Concepción "Conchita" Dapena Quiñones (November 8, 1913 – February 25, 2003) was the wife of former Governor of Puerto Rico Roberto Sánchez Vilella and served as First Lady from 1965 until their divorce in 1967. Biography Dapena w ...

, former

First Lady of Puerto Rico First Lady or First Gentleman of Puerto Rico ( es, Primera Dama o Primer Caballero de Puerto Rico) is the official title given by the government of Puerto Rico to the spouse of the governor of Puerto Rico or the relatives of the governor, should ...

José de Diego José de Diego y Martínez (April 16, 1866 – July 16, 1918) was a statesman, journalist, poet, lawyer, and advocate for Puerto Rico's political autonomy in union with Spain and later of independence from the United States who was referred to by ...

, poet, lawyer and liberal politician *

Manuel Fernandez Juncos Manuel may refer to: People * Manuel (name) * Manuel (Fawlty Towers), a fictional character from the sitcom ''Fawlty Towers'' * Charlie Manuel, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies * Manuel I Komnenos, emperor of the Byzantine Empire * Manu ...

, Spanish writer, Poet, Journalist, Writer of Puerto Rican national anthem *

José Ferrer José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón (January 8, 1912 – January 26, 1992) was a Puerto Rican actor and director of stage, film and television. He was one of the most celebrated and esteemed Hispanic American actors during his lifetime, w ...

, Academy Award-winning actor and director *

Miguel Ferrer Miguel José Ferrer (February 7, 1955 – January 19, 2017) was an American actor. His breakthrough role was as Bob Morton in the 1987 film ''RoboCop''. Other film roles include Quigley in ''Blank Check'' (1994), Harbinger in ''Hot Shots! Part De ...

, actor; José Ferrer's son * Pedro Flores, composer *

José Gautier Benítez José Martín Antonio Gautier Benítez (April 12, 1848 – January 24, 1880) was a Puerto Rican poet of the Romantic Era. Early years Gautier Benítez was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico to Rodulfo Gautier and the Puerto Rican poet, Alejandri ...

, poet * Rafael Hernández, composer and musician * Victoria Hernández, music entrepreneur and musician *

Santiago Iglesias Santiago Iglesias Pantín (February 22, 1872 – December 5, 1939), was a Spanish-born Puerto Rican socialist and trade union activist. Iglesias is best remembered as a leading supporter of statehood for Puerto Rico, and as the Resident Commi ...

, former

Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico The resident commissioner of Puerto Rico () is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives elected by the voters of the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico every four years, the only member of the House of Representatives ...

Tito Lara Tito Lara (December 23, 1932 – June 23, 1987), was considered by many to be Puerto Rico's first television singing idol. Early years Lara (birth name: Agustín Enrique Lara Olivencia was born in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico. Lara was rai ...

, composer and musician *

Lolita Lebrón Lolita Lebrón (November 19, 1919 – August 1, 2010) was a Puerto Rican nationalist who was convicted of attempted murder and other crimes after carrying out an armed attack on the United States Capitol in 1954, which resulted in the wound ...

, nationalist leader * Muna Lee, American writer and first wife of

Luis Muñoz Marín José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín (February 18, 1898April 30, 1980) was a Puerto Rican journalist, politician, statesman and was the first elected governor of Puerto Rico, regarded as the "Architect of the Puerto Rico Commonwealth." In 1948 he ...

* Gilberto Monroig, singer * Samuel R. Quiñones, politician * Evaristo Ribera Chevremont, poet *

Ramón Rivero (Diplo) Ramón Rivero (May 29, 1909 – August 24, 1956) — known as Diplo — was a Puerto Rican comedian, actor, and composer. Rivero made his television debut in Puerto Rico in "La Taberna India" (The India Tavern), the first comedy/varie ...

, actor and comedian *

Ángel Rivero Méndez Ángel Rivero Méndez (1862 – February 23, 1930) was a Puerto Rican soldier, writer, journalist and a businessman. Rivero Méndez was a Captain in the Spanish Army during the Spanish–American War and is credited with ordering the first shot ...

, soldier, writer, journalist and a businessman who is credited with inventing the "Kola Champagne" *

Pedro Salinas Pedro Salinas y Serrano (27 November 1891 – 4 December 1951) was a Spanish poet, a member of the Generation of '27, as well as a university teacher, scholar and literary critic. In 1937, he delivered the Turnbull lectures at Johns Hopkins ...

, Spanish poet *

Luis Sánchez Morales Senator Luis Sánchez Morales (November 27, 1867 – March 27, 1934) was a Puerto Rican politician who served as the second President of the Senate of Puerto Rico from 1930 to 1932. Biography Sanchez was born on November 27, 1867 in San Juan, t ...

, politician *

Miguel Ángel Suárez Miguel Ángel Suárez (July 5, 1939 – April 1, 2009) was a Puerto Rican soap opera and movie actor. Early years Suárez and his sister were born into a middle-class family and raised in the Santurce section of San Juan, Puerto Rico. His fathe ...

, actor * Salvador Tió Montes de Oca, writer, poet, journalist *

Rafael Tufiño Rafael Tufiño Figueroa (October 30, 1922 – March 13, 2008) was a Puerto Rican painter, printmaker and cultural figure in Puerto Rico, known locally as the "Painter of the People". Early life Rafael Tufiño Figueroa was born on October 30, ...

, painter and graphic artist

References

External links

Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery
on

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery Cemeteries in Puerto Rico Geography of San Juan, Puerto Rico 1863 establishments in Puerto Rico Buildings and structures in San Juan, Puerto Rico Tourist attractions in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Notable interments

See also

References

External links