ST. MARY’S CEMETERY
2121 Lincoln Road NE
Washington, DC 20002
202.399.3000
Established: Unknown
Acres: Unknown
Official Website
Bella Morte Rating: 2 Tombstones
Originally known as Saint Mary Mother of God German Catholic Cemetery, this Washington graveyard is now known simply as Saint Mary’s. The shortened name befits its diminutive size. The cemetery has only one, u-shaped road from which the entire landscape is easily viewed. This might tempt some to simply drive through, particularly as Prospect Hill and the much larger and more alluring Glenwood Cemetery lie adjacent to Saint Mary’s. We encourage you to resist this temptation, get out, walk and explore more closely though, for, although the graveyard is far from a taphophile’s dream, there is treasure here.
Navigating to the right upon entering the front gate, six private family crypts back up to Lincoln Road. The most attractive of these features a lovely pieta which, on the day of our visit, was framed beautifully by red roses. Picture perfect.
Proceeding further, we encountered one of the most gruesome and macabre images of Christ that we have ever seen. Commemorating the Foscato family, the head of Christ in agony on the cross is an all-out Gothic showstopper. His head crowned with thorns deeply piercing his bleeding flesh, brow furrowed in pain, eyes turned heavenward in a look of unfathomable suffering, mouth agape in a groan of agony, the image is the embodiment of dolor and unassuageable misery. Adding to the horror is the fact that the stone monument has been covered in bluish grey paint to which time and the elements have not been kind. The cracked and peeling paint adds the final, house-of-horrors touch to this ghastly image, which is not to be missed.
Further explorations of the cemetery included a variety of Catholic religious images – angels, the Virgin Mary, saints and crosses. Although established as a German graveyard, many of the names we saw were Italian and many of the most notable monuments portrayed the Italian aesthetic. This is most highly evident in a row of about a dozen family mausoleums along Saint Mary’s northern edge which borders the Institute of Carmelite Studies chapel and publishing house. A peek inside the Luciano and Troiano mausoleums reveals altars with family photos, rosaries, candles, flowers, statues and stained glass.
Also near the Carmelite complex is the crown jewel of Saint Mary’s, namely, the DiGiulian memorial. This sculpture is truly one of the most stunning and captivating we have encountered. Draped in flowing fabric, two arrestingly beautiful women hold aloft a large globe emblazoned with the Chi-Rho and surmounted by roses. Unclothed from the waist up, their breasts are discreetly hidden by a wisp of fabric or the careful placement of an arm. Their bare feet rest amidst sprays of rose blossoms. The piece seems fit for a museum or the manicured gardens of a country estate. One could easily spend considerable time contemplating its beauty.
It is interesting to consider how the brightness of the white stone must make the sensual, unearthly maidens appear ethereal and ghostly in the moonlight. One wonders if their seductive figures ever give pause to the Carmelite Friars who could quite easily see them from their windows, making them stop a moment to consider again the pleasures of the world their vows forbid them.
Saint Mary’s is definitely worth a visit. Its small size makes it easy to explore and the Foscato and DiGiulian memorials alone are lure enough to draw the attention of those with a taste for the macabre and the sublime.
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2121 Lincoln Road NE
Washington, DC 20002
202.399.3000
Established: Unknown
Acres: Unknown
Official Website
Bella Morte Rating: 2 Tombstones
Originally known as Saint Mary Mother of God German Catholic Cemetery, this Washington graveyard is now known simply as Saint Mary’s. The shortened name befits its diminutive size. The cemetery has only one, u-shaped road from which the entire landscape is easily viewed. This might tempt some to simply drive through, particularly as Prospect Hill and the much larger and more alluring Glenwood Cemetery lie adjacent to Saint Mary’s. We encourage you to resist this temptation, get out, walk and explore more closely though, for, although the graveyard is far from a taphophile’s dream, there is treasure here.
Navigating to the right upon entering the front gate, six private family crypts back up to Lincoln Road. The most attractive of these features a lovely pieta which, on the day of our visit, was framed beautifully by red roses. Picture perfect.
Proceeding further, we encountered one of the most gruesome and macabre images of Christ that we have ever seen. Commemorating the Foscato family, the head of Christ in agony on the cross is an all-out Gothic showstopper. His head crowned with thorns deeply piercing his bleeding flesh, brow furrowed in pain, eyes turned heavenward in a look of unfathomable suffering, mouth agape in a groan of agony, the image is the embodiment of dolor and unassuageable misery. Adding to the horror is the fact that the stone monument has been covered in bluish grey paint to which time and the elements have not been kind. The cracked and peeling paint adds the final, house-of-horrors touch to this ghastly image, which is not to be missed.
Further explorations of the cemetery included a variety of Catholic religious images – angels, the Virgin Mary, saints and crosses. Although established as a German graveyard, many of the names we saw were Italian and many of the most notable monuments portrayed the Italian aesthetic. This is most highly evident in a row of about a dozen family mausoleums along Saint Mary’s northern edge which borders the Institute of Carmelite Studies chapel and publishing house. A peek inside the Luciano and Troiano mausoleums reveals altars with family photos, rosaries, candles, flowers, statues and stained glass.
Also near the Carmelite complex is the crown jewel of Saint Mary’s, namely, the DiGiulian memorial. This sculpture is truly one of the most stunning and captivating we have encountered. Draped in flowing fabric, two arrestingly beautiful women hold aloft a large globe emblazoned with the Chi-Rho and surmounted by roses. Unclothed from the waist up, their breasts are discreetly hidden by a wisp of fabric or the careful placement of an arm. Their bare feet rest amidst sprays of rose blossoms. The piece seems fit for a museum or the manicured gardens of a country estate. One could easily spend considerable time contemplating its beauty.
It is interesting to consider how the brightness of the white stone must make the sensual, unearthly maidens appear ethereal and ghostly in the moonlight. One wonders if their seductive figures ever give pause to the Carmelite Friars who could quite easily see them from their windows, making them stop a moment to consider again the pleasures of the world their vows forbid them.
Saint Mary’s is definitely worth a visit. Its small size makes it easy to explore and the Foscato and DiGiulian memorials alone are lure enough to draw the attention of those with a taste for the macabre and the sublime.
{G}
