The Sepulcher

Sepulcher
THE SEPULCHER
Looking at Death in a Different Light

For as long as I can remember, cemeteries have been my "church", the place where I can be alone with myself, yet not really alone. My fascination with these "cities of the dead" was a secret I kept well hidden for many years. If you love cemeteries, you may know why. For some bizarre reason, "cemetery" has become synonymous with "corpse" and, by and large, most people fear corpses. Consequently, they also fear cemeteries. Following this convoluted train of thought, if a person actually enjoys cemeteries, that person must also love corpses and must, therefore, be disturbed. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Webster defines "cemetery" as "a burial ground for the dead." "Burial" is to put (a corpse) in the ground or a vault or into the sea often with ceremony. A corpse is "a dead body, usually a human being." By definition, although connected, cemeteries and corpses are not alike. For anyone who feels they must label what they don't understand, "necrophilia" is an erotic attraction to corpses. "Taphophilia," however, is the love of cemeteries. Two entirely different fixations...er...interests.

Being a genealogist, albeit an amateur one, cemetery research is a vital component of the family tree. When I decided to "publish" a website about genealogy, it was only natural to include a page about cemeteries. As I began searching the Web, I discovered others like myself. People who love cemeteries for their serenity, their beauty, their architectural and historical significance. I had finally found a term for my passion--I am a taphophile.

This page will eventually include family gravestone photos. Until then, I have scoured the Net looking for the best links to other cemetery/grave pages. Also included are articles about the alarming rise in cemetery vandalism and grave desecration. Community leaders and individuals need to take a stand. If something is not done now to protect and preserve cemeteries across the global, valuable indicators of our collective past will be lost forever.