Igreja também é cemitério: as práticas de sepultamento na Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Conceição em Água Branca / AL

Abstract

This article unfolded in analyzing the burial practices in the Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, located in the municipality of Água Branca/AL. The research has as a time frame the years 1861 to 1998, which corresponds to the beginning and end of this funeral custom in this parish. Starting from the analysis of the parish records of deaths that are in the parish secretary and the tombs located inside this Church, we seek to reflect on the reasons that guided this funeral practice in Água Branca. Why bury in church? Who were the people graced by this practice and what did it represent? These are some of the issues that will lead this research. Our study is divided into two topics, in topic I we discuss how this custom of burying within the Church arose, in topic II we analyze how these burials occurred throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Through this study we can observe that in addition to a religious sense, burials in the Mother Church were also a symbol of power. Although the Church was one of the most desired places for burials, not everyone had access. The church was the “cemetery” only for people who had great influence in the parish, for socially marginalized individuals, only the parish/public cemetery remained.