It just so happens that this is Easter Weekend 2014. Being that the crew and I are not Christian, we do not celebrate Easter, however, it just so happens that tonight I am posting about Resurrection of Christ Cemetery located in my hometown of Bellmawr, NJ. I didn't plan it that way; this is just one of life's little coincidences. :)
Resurrection of Christ Cemetery is one of my all time favorite cemeteries (anyone who knows me knows that I do love my graveyards). However, for a very long time I did not even know what this cemetery was called!
Mystery Cemetery
The thing is, there is no name on this cemetery and there is a fence only on two sides. Even though there is a gate, the whole right side of the cemetery is completely unobstructed so you can get in and walk around at any time of the night or day. The cemetery is backed by woods so I can understand why that portion is not fenced, but I don't ever recall there being any kind of fencing on the right side.
Definitely not the most secure cemetery in the world...
Anyway, this is primarily a Polish cemetery and while I have tried to do some research about it - and have even asked around to see if anybody had any real information about it - all I have been able to find out is that it is connected to the Polish National Catholic Church.
Indeed Polish
I was under the assumption that this cemetery was no longer used for new burials, however upon inspection I have found several markers there with death dates in the 2000's. Especially one in particular that our younger son, C, finds creepy and I find sort of endearing, the grave of a man named Gary L. Boyer. The marker has his picture on it, with a clown. I don't know why...I guess he just liked clowns. And his mother's name is on the marker as well. When I was there this evening, there were tons of flowers, Easter decorations, and a stuffed clown at the gravesite.
Creepy or sweet? You decide...
There are many really old markers here as well, some that are almost completely worn down and hard to read and others that are broken. There are also several that are back in the woods. I assume at one time the entire area was cleared out but I guess the trees have slowly been taking back over.
Apparently there was either someone living in the woods behind the cemetery or had slept there after partying, because I also found this:
Because the woods in Bellmawr, NJ is where it's at if you want to party hard...
Something much more pleasant that I noticed were the little purple flowers that carpet about a quarter of the cemetery. I guess some would call them weeds, but I think they are beautiful.
I also found a spring flower, some kind of lily I think, growing by one of the graves. I'm assuming someone brought the flower at some point to decorate the grave and the bulb ended up in the ground and is now in bloom:
I like this cemetery because it's very peaceful. I know people go there because again, several of the graves did have decorations, but I've never seen anyone there. I like to walk around and look at the markers and just feel the quiet and stillness in the air there. I've never been creeped out by graveyards, I think they are beautiful places.
Ike likes cemeteries, too...
If anyone reading this has any additional information about this cemetery, by all means, please pass it along to me. And if I am able to find out anything else about it I will definitely update this entry.
Again, I don't celebrate Easter so I won't mention that, but I will say Happy Spring! Many more adventures to come soon...
Miss Myo
xoxoxoxo
