Cemitério São Pantaleão

São Luís (Maranhão – MA)

History Localization Personalities Peculiarities Gallery Search source Contact and credits

The city of St. Louis (São Luís) was founded by the French, then invaded by the Dutch and finally colonized by the Portuguese. The result was a unique blend of influences that created an historical mosaic like few others in Brazil. Recognized by UNESCO (The United Nations Educacional, Scientific and Cultural Organization) as Patrimony of Humanity, this city is an open-air museum, a trip back to the past, and certainly a memorable walk. Until the end of the last century, St. Louis was called the Brazilian Athens, thanks to the high cultural level of its population. As a legacy from the strong Portuguese colonization it keeps the largest existing Portuguese colonial architecture in Brazil. There are more than 3500 constructions built during the 18th and 19th centuries in the historical side of the city. The first cemetery of St. Louis, according to the European standards of burying next to churches, was established by the Brotherhood of Mercy which was responsible for giving support to the sick and also for the burials of blacks, slaves, poor people and the ones who were condemned to death, since 1623.

The burials of traders and people who had administrative power, were done inside the churches, or in its surroundings. From the 19th century on, there was a succession of buildings of cemeteries in the city, managed by religious orders and the municipality. Only after the Proclamation of the Republic there was the obligatoriness of the secularization of cemeteries, was made mandatory, then the government took over definitely the Cemetery of the Falcon (Cemitério do Gavião) (1855), officially the Cemetery of St. Pantaleão. The Saint Pantaleão Cemetery can be considered an example of “an open-air Museum”. There we find the St. Joseph Chapel, a series of sculptures in marble of Carrara originated from the Neoclassical, Realism, Art Nouveau and Art Dèco styles. The mindful tourist should visit it to find out how the funerary art belonging to this place can help us to understand our own existence in life.

Timeline:

1535 – The division of the country in “Capitanias Hereditárias” (first administrative divisions in Brazil) gave to the treasurer João de Barros the first opportunity to colonize the region.
1550 – Founded the city of Nazareth, probably where it is St. Louis nowadays , and which ended up being abandoned due to the resistance of the Indians and the difficulty of accessing the island.
1612 – Daniel La Touche, known as Lord of La Ravardière, with a group of about 500 men, came to the region to found the Equinoctial France and to accomplish the French dream of settling in the tropics. A mass was made by the “Capuchinos” (members of a religious community – an austere branch of the Franciscan Order) as well as the building of a fort marked the date of the new town: September, 8th.
1615 – Led by Alexandre de Moura, the Portuguese troop expelled the French and Jerônimo de Albuquerque was detached to lead the city. The name of St. Louis (São Luís) , was a tribute to the French king Louis XIII, strangely kept by the Portuguese.
1620 – Azoreans (people from the Azores – Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean=Açores) came to town. The planting of sugar cane to produce sugar and sugarcane liquor then became the main economic activity in the region.
1623 – The brotherhood of Mercy administered the death of its faithful who were buried near the Church of Mercy, current Pedro II Square (Praça Pedro II). This was the first cemetery in the city.
1641 – The dutch Mauricio de Nassau, who had already commanded Pernambuco, and his men now take the city. Concerned about the geographic isolation and the constant attacks to the region, the colonial government decided to establish the states of Maranhão and Grão Pará independent of the rest of the country.
1682 – The creation of the Trade Company of the State of Maranhão integrated the region to the great trade system maintained by Portugal. The plantations of sugar cane, cocoa and tobacco were now destinated to exportation. This made the purchase of African slaves viable.
1690 – Construction of the Mother Church.
1699 – Construction of “Igreja do Desterro” – Church of the Exile – in the same place where the first settlers built a chapel in devotion to “Nossa Senhora do Desterro” – Our Lady of the Exile.
1755 – Foundation of the General Trade Company of Grão Pará. The number of black slaves increases a lot due to the great development of the indigenous slave labor.
1755-77 – Piping water and sewerage system are implanted and also the construction of fountains in the city.
1780 – Construction of the “Praça do Comércio” – Trading Center, in “Praia Grande” –Long Beach, which becomes the economical and cultural boiling center of São Luís. Fabrics, furniture, books and foodstuff such as Portuguese olive oil and English beer, were some of the news coming from the old continent.
1801 – Installation of the second cemetery in “Canto da Viração” – Corner of the Breeze, administered by public agencies.
1804 – The Municipal Cemetery “Canto da Viração” – Corner of the Breeze – is now administered by the Brotherhood of Mercy. 1805 – Installation of the Third Cemetery: New Cemetery of Mercy, behind St. Joseph’s Church.
1805 – Instalação do terceiro cemitério: Cemitério Novo da Misericórdia, atrás da Igreja São José.
1815 – Closure of the Old Cemetery of Mercy.
1817 – Installation of the fourth cemetery: Cemetery of the Non-Catholic English , financed by the British Crown.
1841 – Inauguration of the fifth cemetery: Cemetery of the Holy Cross of the Paces of Our Lord Jesus Christ, located in “Quinta do Machadinho” – Machadinho´s Farm.
1855 – Foundation of the sixth Cemetery: Cemetery of St. Joseph of the Mercy, in “Quinta do Gaviao” – Falcon´s Farm – current Cemetery of Saint Pantaleão. In the same year, the New Cemetery of Mercy was closed.
1997 – Saint Luis was recognized by UNESCO (United Nations Organization) as Cultural Heritage site.

The Cemetery of the Falcon – “Cemitério do Gavião”, officially the Cemetery of Saint Pantaleão, was installed at the end of the Walk Street – “Rua do Passeio” – in the neighborhood of the Farm of the Falcon – “Quinta do Gavião”. Inside of it there is the Saint Joseph Chapel which has lateral ossuaries. On the triangular fronton of its facade there are three surmounted sculptures: the charity, the faith and the hope – which are the symbols of mercy. One can notice that it has been enlarged during the last years. The last restoration was in 1997 by the Municipal Department of Landing, Housing and Urbanization. We can highlight the richly decorated ossuary, set on the inner side of the wall that leads to Rua do Passeio – Walk Street. The wall of the cemetery is interspersed with cast iron bars and pillars meant to improve its internal visibility.

By visiting the Cemetery of Saint Pantaleão, people can know much about the history of the state of Maranhão and visitors are also able to admire the artwork from local artisans and sculptors. Among the famous people buried in the cemetery we highlight the families: Coutinho de Vilhena, Jose Tinoco Pereira, Marcelino Gomes de Almeida, Almir Feres, Martins Pereira, Antônio José Maria, Belfort Nunes, Dr. Benedito Pereira, Homem de Carvalho Martins , Moraes Rego, Almir Panga Nina, Carneiro Oliveira, Moreira Lima.

This conventional secular cemetery has the particularity of being founded by the Brotherhood of Mercy in 1855 – New Cemetery of Mercy . After the Proclamation of the Republic, it became secularity, it means, administered by the City Hall. In 1953 it was officially named Cemetery of Saint Pantaleão; however the local people still refer to it as the “Cemetério do Gavião”- The Falcon´s Cemetery – a link with the neighborhood where it is based.

NEOGOTHIC TOMB-CHAPEL – 19th century. The family of Raymundo Joaquim Cantanhede chose a neogothic chapel with a pinnacle, ogival arch and a well-turned cast iron portal.

ART DÈCO TOMB, 20th century. An impressive architecture that matches curved forms, geometric and bold lines. The bronze angel was idealized according to the models of classical art and style of the Italian sculptor Heitor Usai (1899-1989). He was a member of the Brazilian Academy of Fine Arts.

ESCHATOLOGIC IMAGES – 19th Century. One of the oldest tombs in the Cemetery of Saint Pantaleão. It is coated with limestone, imported from Portugal. We highlight the gruesome ornaments represented here, two crossed tibiae, a skull, a snake biting its own tail, an owl and a winged hourglass. There is also the desolate angel facing the misfortune of the death of Homem de Carvalho Martins.

THE WEEPER, 20th century. It was the sculptor C. Frick who made this piece of bronze , which displays a body inspired on the classical beauty pattern. She is leaning over the representation of a sarcophagus. The modern tomb consists of geometric shapes and is all coated with black granite.

THE PRAYER, 20th century. The tomb stands out from its surroundings and for having on its head a huge sculpture representing two hands in position of praying. A Latin Cross is fixed on the top of it. Look at the realism of the hands probably made of concrete.

ALLEGORY OF MELANCHOLY, 20th century. The tomb has a high grave coated with white marble statuary. A piece made of marble of Carrara is fixed on it – Angel of Melancholy – a young man of great classical beauty spreads remembrance flowers on the tomb.

THE FAMILY, 20th century. The family of José de Ribamar pays him a posthumous tribute, choosing the representation of his own family to adorn his tomb. It is a very realistic scene, the mother, daughter and a child are kneeling in front of the bust of the patriarch. Pay extra attention to the child´s clothing. All the pieces are made of bronze and the tomb is coated with black granite.

SACRED HEART OF JESUS, 20th century. It is a plate of marble nailed to the internal part of the wall of the cemetery. Observe carefully the bas-relief inlaid with leaves, roses and data of the deceased (Eduardo Monteiro da Silva – 1930). The Sacred Heart of Jesus frame is an item of great importance for this artistic composition, made with refined craftsmanship.

THE DEATH-19th century, work signed by the GJ Sales, from Lisbon. This is a tomb consisting of a huge head where it is fixed one of the most interesting relieves of the place. On one side the mother holds a child in her lap and on the other side another desperate mother holds the dead child. In the background, the bas-relief of death – woman with a sickle. A dramatic dialogue among these three women who are provided with great inner strength. The two kneelling angels pray for the dead on the grave.

MYTHOLOGICAL MOTIF, 20th century. The modern tomb, coated with black granite bears a bronze sculpture – sculptor Flory Gama. The classic Venus, noble and beautiful, holds in one hand, a small statue of liberty. The young man himself pushes his arm up. Would it be a mythological representation of a man sleeping on the rock, in deep drunkenness, having a dream?

THE CHALICE, 19th century. The ossuary is covered with marble bas-relief , roman half-arc format. Inside it we can find a carved chalice, symbol of the presence of God, flowers, leaves and frames, which circumvent the pictures of the people buried there. Observe the delicacy of the handmade ornamentation.

OSSUARY-19th century, the Chapel of Saint Joseph is full of ossuaries inside its lateral walls. Each one has an epitaph with data of the deceased. Some are also decorated with Christian symbols, leaves, flowers and oval frames to protect the pictures.

JBORGES, Maria Elizia. Ofício de Marmoristas Italianos em Ribeirão Preto. Belo Horizonte: C/ Arte, 2002.
SANTO, José Marcelo do Espírito. A última arte, São Luís. Gráfica Minerva, 2000.

Sites:

//www.guiasaoluis.com.br/ (Acessado em 2 dezembro de 2006).
//www.saoluis.ma.gov.br/ (Acessado em 2 dezembro de 2006).
//www.ma.gov.br/cidadao/saoluis/breve_historia/index.php (Acessado em 2 dezembro de 2006).

Credits:

Coordination Research: Maria Elizia Borges.
Website creation: Catu Design, 2008.
Website updating and Researcher: Adriana M. Gianvechio Carvalho – CNPq.
Photography: Maria Elizia Borges.
Translation : Iara Maria Sanches.

Contact:

maelizia@terra.com.br