Documenting Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires since 2007
AfterLife Posts
Remarkable for its eclectic decoration, Ignacio chose to be buried alone… not in a family crypt as most residents of Recoleta Cemetery. From the crowning angel to lamppost eagles & guardian lions, he must have also wanted to stand out as much as possible from the neighbors:
In the midst of all the decorative overload is a relief panel at eye level. It depicts the Biblical story of Noah who was found by his son Ham drunk & naked in his tent after a recent wine harvest (Genesis 9:20-25). Ham told his brothers what he had seen, & they immediately went in to cover their father… without looking, of course. When Noah awoke, he cursed all of Ham’s descendants—the future nation of Canaan:
What does the conflict between Noah & Ham teach? The simple answer is that no one knows, although some of the best possible explanations can be found on The Straight Dope. Although biographic info about Ignacio is sparse (he was related to the wealthy Lezica family), one thing is clear… he must have had some father issues in order to put this image on his tombstone.
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Unique among the thousands of plaques in Recoleta Cemetery, Angélica Blanco Granada wrote a poem about her own death. Only 19 years old when she passed away, there must have been ample warning of her demise since she wrote this 5 years earlier (translation follows):
¿No es la muerte, Señor, la libertad?
¿No es el umbral de tu divina gloria?
¿No es el paso, Señor, a mejor vida?
Pues entonces ¡Oh Dios! Por qué le temo
Y me asusta la idea de que venga?¿Es que acaso, Señor, no tengo fe?
¿Es que acaso me falta la certeza
De saber que es la gloria de tu presencia
Y temo y me tortura y no descansa
Este pavor intenso de morir?¡Es que soy muy cobarde, Señor mío!
La sola idea de sufrir me aterra
Y el pensamiento del dolor me espanta!Dadme fuerzas, Señor, dadme coraje
Para no tener miedo de la muerte
Y en el último instante de mi vida
Deciros ¡Oh Señor! entre sonrisas
Ya traspongo el umbral, ya estoy contigo.
Leave a CommentIs death not, Lord, liberty?
Is it not the threshold of Your divine glory?
Is it not the way, Lord, to better life?
Then, oh God, why do I fear it
And the idea of what will come scares me?Is it that, Lord, I have no faith?
Is it that I lack the fortitude
to know the glory of your presence
And I fear, it tortures me, & does not end
this intense terror of dying?I am such a coward, My Lord!
Just the idea of suffering terrifies me
And the thought of pain frightens me!Give me strength, Lord, give me courage
Not to be afraid of death
And in the last instant of my life
Proclaim, Oh Lord!, between smiles
I have passed the threshold, now I am with You.
