Visit to The English Cemetery

     Of the three places that I visited for my learning service assignment, this was my favorite one. When we arrived we walked around a little and it did not seem much different than graveyards I had seen before. We were then greeted by the Nun who looks after the cemetery, Sister Julia. She brought us inside and told us a few things about the history of the cemetery and the people buried there. It was impressive how much Sister Julia knew about the people buried there and their connections with each other. The Cemetery was created originally as a place for protestants to be buried in Florence.

     Walking around the cemetery listening sister Julia helped me understand its significance as a hopeful place of rest for the people buried there. Her stories and descriptions transformed the rows of gravestones into more of a museum. Families and friends were buried together making the cemetery as a whole a monument to the community there. I felt hopeful because some day I would like to be buried and commemorated in a special place like this. Sister Julia's knowledge of the lives of the deceased buried in the cemetery ensures that their legacy lives on and they are not forgotten.