Tolomato Cemetery

Tolomato Cemetery

St. Augustine, Florida

February 24, 2022

Description:

The Tolomato Cemetery is a cemetery located in St. Augustine, Florida. This cemetery holds at least 1000 remains, but only 105 (about) graves are marked. This cemetery was used up from the 18th century up until 1884. The cemetery started during the First Spanish Period, the British Period, the Second Spanish Period, and through Florida's Territorial and early Statehood periods. After those times, the cemetery was closed for burials, but they still offer tours. There is much history behind this cemetery. Since there are at least 1000 buried, they all hold a story, even if it is unknown. The Tolomato Cemetery contains the oldest marked grave in the state of Florida. This grave is the burial spot of Elizabeth Forrester. She had passed when she was a young teenager after she moved to St. Augustine. Unfortunately, her grave was robbed by the soldiers, and they took her clothing and valuables. This story was only one of the many stories that this 1-acre cemetery holds.

Tolomato Cemetery

Exterior 1

Exterior 2

Artifact 1

    This gravestone pictured above is the grave of Mary Carmen Benet. She had passed away on December 27, 1868, at the age of 33. She is buried with all of her children. Only one of them lived past a year old. On December 27, she passed away during childbirth, and unfortunately, her infant did too. Her husband put this grave up in memory of her and their lost children.

Artifact 2

    This picture was inside the mausoleum that was built in honor of Father Felix Varela. His remains were placed below the structure but were then moved and brought back to his home in Cuba. He was a Cuban priest that came to the United States.

In Conversation 1

White House Image Source

    While being at the Tolomato Cemetery, I was reminded of columns. Columns represent importance. Looking at the mausoleum of Father Felix Varela, made me think of the White House. They are both important structures and symbolic.

In Conversation 2

Lincoln's Tomb Image Source

    During a family road trip, I was fortunate to be able to visit the crypt of Abraham Lincoln. During my time at the Tolomato Cemetery, I remembered how the crypt of Father Felix Varela is similar to Lincoln's. They both have a "shrine" symbolizing their importance and their lives.

Literature In Conversation

"I kept thinking about people who I had lost, and I felt them around me" - Craig Santos Perez, Lukao, page 53

    

    This quote from Lukao reminds me of the Tolomato Cemetery. This is because in a cemetery people are buried all around us. There are many unmarked graves so people are unaware of where exactly the deceased are. In a literal sense, there are people all around us when walking through a cemetery. Another way this quote relates to the Tolomato Cemetery is due to the deceased all being a part of a family. Just because a person may die, their existence doesn't just disapear. Family members and their friends still think of them so they are able to feel their loved one who passed.

Creative Component

    The digital drawing above is the gates to the Tolomato Cemetery. I feel as if the gates around any location are very significant since gates symbolize an entryway into an unknown place. Before we went to the Tolomato Cemetery, we only understood it to be a cemetery and did not realize all the stories and history behind it.

Oldest House Museum Complex

Oldest House Museum Complex

St. Augustine, Florida

February 17, 2022

Description:

The Oldest House Museum Complex consists of the Gonzales-Alvarez House, Tovar House, the Fernandez-Llambias House, the Segui Kirby Smith House, the Webb Building, and the Dunham Building. These places all remain key holdings and demonstrate the distinct and significant periods of St. Augustine’s long and storied past. The St. Augustine Historical Society's mission is to acquire, preserve, and interpret the historical resources of St. Augustine and its sphere of influence for the benefit of the public through its stewardship of historic buildings and collections, research, publications, and educational programming.

Oldest House Museum Complex 

Exterior 1

Exterior 2

Artifact 1

    In the picture above, I chose the artifact of one of the statues of the four that represent the seasons. "The Four Seasons" are life size statues that represent "Spring", "Summer", "Fall", and "Winter". The specific statue I picked was the representation of "Fall". There is so much detail in this statue, such as the creases in the outfit she is in and the individual pieces of wheat in a bouquet she is holding in her arms. 

Artifact 2

    Richard Aloysius Twine made glass plate negatives of 103 photographs. Above is a picture of one of the glass plate negatives that he made. It is the Interior of St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church.

In Conversation 1

Nothnagle Cabin Image Source

    In the photo displayed above is the interior of the oldest log cabin in America. It is called the Nothnagle Cabin located in Gibbstown, New Jersey. This photo relates to the Oldest House Museum Complex since it is also one of the oldest houses, just not the oldest "regular" house. The interior is unfinished, which is the same as the interior of the Oldest House. The Nothnagle Cabin was constructed in 1638 and still stands today in 2022. 

In Conversation 2

Twine's Glass Plate Negative Image Source

    The picture above is another one of Twine's glass plate negatives. This photo is labeled LV16 and it is of Mildred Parsons Mason Larkins. The glass plate negative can be found in the St. Augustine Historical Society Research Library's records which can be accessed online. 

Literature In Conversation 

"I felt like I was in a different space, here but not here" -Craig Santos Perez, Lukao, page 53

    This quote from Lukao reminds me of the Oldest House Museum Complex. The reasoning behind this is because of the many changes the house had gone through. Different owners and led to the changing the styles and architecture. My thoughts led me to think about if the people were still alive and decided to go back to the house. The original owners would feel as if it were a different space but in the end, it was the same house they had lived in but with major changes. Which is why they would feel like they were in a different place but be in the same one they originally knew of. 

Creative Component

    For my creative component, I decided to digitally draw a statue. I had been influenced by the four seasonstatues that are on the property. My favorite one is the statue for fall because of all the details expressed throughout the sculpture.

St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine

St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine
St. Augustine, Florida
February 10, 2022

Description:

St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine is depicted to the first colony of Greek people who came to America in 1768. The shrine educates its visitors with exhibits that depict the life of early Greeks in America, the development of the Greek Orthodox Church, and the St. Photios Chapel. Special exhibits tell the story of the First Greek Colony in the New World. This freestanding exhibit contains various artifacts, photographs, and historical documents.

St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine

Exterior #1

Exterior #2

Artifact 1

    This artifact above contains small pieces of bone (relics). They were received from the Vatican and gifted to the St. Photios Greek Orthodox  National Shrine. The documents of authenticity were provided by the Vatican and the box containing the sacred relics (Reliquary) was gifted to the Shrine by Archbishop Iakovos. The small pieces of bones are of the saints, which include: St. Paul, St. Peter, St. Titus, St. Haralambos, St. Anthony the Great, St. Ambrose, St. Athanasios the Great, St. Basil the Great, St. Constantine, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Gregory of Jerusalem, St. Gregory of Nanzianzos, St. Gregory of Nysa, St. Helena, St. Nicholas of Myra, St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. Sabbas, and St. John of Damascus. 

Artifact 2

    This artifact shown above is a case filled with articles used for Holy Communion. Holy Communion commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus with His disciples, when He asked that this be done in remembrance of Him. This practice of Holy Communion is still occurring today, in 2022, which these artifacts are also still in use today.  

In Conversation 1

Roman Catholic Communion Image Source

    In the Greek Orthodox Church, one single utensil is used to administer Holy Communion to the entire congregation. The people line up and the priest spoon-feeds them wine and bread. The mixture all comes out of the same cup, which the priest dips in and out of with the same spoon. In the Roman Catholic Church, the priest will hand out the bread and the deacon usually hands out the wine. If there is no deacon serving the mass, there are Eucharistic Ministers that will administer the wine. This is why I included the photo of the Roman Catholic Communion products. There is the bread, the wine chalice, the readings, and a cross located in the back. 

In Conversation 2

Roman Catholic Vestment Image Source

    In the Greek Orthodox Church, a priest's vestment is called a phelonion while priests in the Roman Catholic Church wears an Alb (a long white linen liturgical vestment with tapered sleeves), a chasuble (the vestment that is put on over all the others during Liturgical services), a stole (a long scarf when engaged in their official duties), etc. So, I have included a photo of the Roman Catholic Vestments above. 

Literature In Conversation

"Not all of the people living within our neighborhood walls are Baptists, but those who need to go to church are glad to come to us" - Octavia Butler, Parable of the Sower, Page 4, Frame 1

    

    This quote from Parable of the Sower reminds me of St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine. This is because the Shrine welcomes anyone to visit/tour, no matter what one's beliefs may be. When people visit, they are able to learn about the history and the faith, even though they may not participate in that specific belief. 

Creative Component

    The cross above was found during an archaeological excavation. It was then later adopted as the symbol of the National Shrine and was designated in 1971, by Archbishop Iakovos, as the St. Photios Shrine Cross. There are three whole in the cross which is assumed to symbolize the Holy Trinity. The reason I made this digital drawing of the cross is because the cross is such a significant artifact located ing the shrine.