All Saints Day 2024: Cultural activities in Barcelona

For this year's All Saints Day, Cementiris de Barcelona organized unique events at city cemeteries.

First night route at Sarrià Cemetery

The Sarrià Cemetery night route was offered for the first time, allowing visitors to discover one of the lesser-known cemeteries in Barcelona. 

Through remarkable pantheons, participants learn about the history of the ancient town of Sarrià and its connection to Barcelona. We also learned about notable figures from the worlds of culture and science who have made their mark on history, along with other fascinating details about one of the city’s smallest cemeteries. 

The walkway was marked with candles.

Live Music of Cors Clavé

On 1 November, at 11:30 a.m., a concert was held in homage to Josep Anselm Clavé, with the choirs Agrupació Coral La Pau from Barcelona and SC Les Veus de la Virreina from Tiana performing at Clavé's tomb in Poblenou Cemetery.

Mexican altar at Poblenou Cemetery

Mexican funeral traditions are culturally rich, and Mexican altars play an important role in households to commemorate deceased family members. A Mexican altar was organized in memory of Josep Anselm Clavé on the 150th anniversary of his death.

The tree of remembrance

We invited everyone who visits the Poblenou Cemetery to hang a card with a message for a loved one they would like to remember and pay tribute to.

Inauguration of the exhibition "Cementiris Tàpies"

"Cementiri Tàpies" is part of an artistic and educational project that combines artistic creation with arts education, paying tribute to Antoni Tàpies, a renowned artist closely connected to the city of Barcelona.

The exhibition "Cementiri Tàpies" is part of the international "Cementiris" project by artist Ricard Huerta. The aim is to highlight cemeteries as valuable heritage sites, emphasizing heritage education. The creative aspect addresses the need for university students to engage with these sites, rich in heritage and memory.

At each location where the exhibition and publication are presented, a universal figure is chosen to represent the theme. Antoni Tàpies, a key figure for Barcelona and an influential artist and theorist, serves as this figure. Ricard Huerta’s paintings are based on Tàpies' writings, particularly passages that reference death, cemeteries, and memory, integrating Tàpies into the "Cementiris" project. This exhibition not only reaches students but also engages the public, making it a tribute to Tàpies.

The exhibition opened on October 25 at 4 p.m. and will be available for viewing until January 12, before moving to Les Corts Cemetery and eventually to Poblenou Cemetery.

November 2, 2024 “Cemeteries tell their stories”

Activities to enhance the value of Italian cemeteries on the occasion of the Commemoration of the deceased.

On the occasion of the Commemoration of the deceased, the Italian cemeteries that are members of the Technical Table for Cultural and Tourist Enhancement of SEFIT Utilitalia have once again highlighted the important educational function their cemeteries play in preserving history, values, art, and the legacy of key figures from a particular era in our society.

Sometimes, they are defined as open-air museums due to the architecture and art forms they contain, such as busts, statues, epigraphs honoring heroes of the past, and more frequently than in today's cities, also celebrating ladies, women, and heroines who, through their courage, kindness, or philanthropy, show us the value of looking forward by reading the signs of the past, preserved for us in cemeteries.

For this special occasion, an interactive poster entitled “Cemeteries tell their stories” is published on the website www.Sefit.org, consisting of a series of buttons that launch visual content with the intention of presenting the following cemeteries: Monumental of Trento, Verano of Rome, Staglieno of Genoa, Monumental of Milan, Certosa of Bologna, Monumental of Turin, Certosa of Ferrara, Monumental of Andria and Mantua.

Here is the link to the interactive poster.

Events at cemeteries in Rennes

From October 28 to November 1, 2022, the 6th edition of the "Toussaints Musicales Rennaises" took place at the cemeteries in Rennes, France.

A rich and varied program highlighted the beauty of cemeteries in Rennes with:

• tours in horse-drawn carriages at the Eastern Cemetery (every day from October 28 to  November 1),
• Jazz concert with the "Singing in the Rennes" trio at the Eastern Cemetery (on Sunday, October 30, 2022, and Tuesday, November 1, 2022, at 3 p.m.),
• Baroque Music Concert with the quartet "La Pie qui Joue" will perform "Le Souffle et l'Oiseau" at the Northern Cemetery (on Tuesday November 1, 2022, at 3.30 p.m.)

The original flyers (in French) for these events are accessible HERE.

All Saints' Day

Deep within our culture is the All Saints' Day pilgrimage. This year, let's make it an All Saints' month.

As Europe is facing one of the worst months of the 2020 pandemic, we are sure it will not change our strongest values, beliefs and piety. Taking care of the cemeteries and tombstones is about maintaining our relationship with the deceased. Loved ones we keep in our memories.

Yet we have to be aware that going out in the crowds contributes to the danger of rising infections.

Thus we call on all our members, friends and colleagues to invite people in extending this year’s All Saints’ Day habits to a full month. Instead of visiting the cemetery on November 1st, do it on the 2nd, 3rd or 15th or 30th. Use the number that is strongly associated with your relationship to the deceased. Their birthday, their wedding day.

Yet again, do it if your local recommendations, rules and measures allow it. Retain our habits, our dedication to preserve and protect the memories resting in the cemeteries.

The relationship we keep with our ancestors is our future.

Lidija Pliberšek, M. Sc.

ASCE president

Exposition "Memorabilijar" on the city cemetery “Pri Sv. Duhu” in Koprivnica

Municipal Utility Company Komunalac LLC Koprivnica, as a member of the ASCE Association, regarding All Saints' Day, on 1^st November, opened an exposition "Memorabilijar" by Gordana Špoljar Andrašić on October 26 in the area of an old morgue.

Photo exhibition at Pobrežje cemetery | Maribor, Slovenia

European cemeteries: "Soul gardens, variety and heritage”.