Cabatuan Roman Catholic Cemetery is one of the places I always visit when I go back to Iloilo. It is where the remains of my mother, my maternal grandparents, my aunt, my uncle, and my maternal great grandparents, among others, are interred.
I used to stop by and pay my respects to two plots, but with the passage of time, an additional one was added a few years ago.
Despite the melancholy normally associated with cemeteries, I have always found Cabatuan Roman Catholic Cemetery to be peaceful and relaxing with the exception of November 1 visits beyond 9am. For me, it means spending time with those who have left this world physically, praying sincerely, and being one with nature (although the handful of trees I used to see in the cemetery have disappeared).
Cabatuan Roman Catholic Cemetery was built by Fr. Juan Porras in 1894. This 124-year old cemetery is the only cemetery in the Philippines which is a perfect square. The entire cemetery is surrounded by four walls of solid limestone base, with the front wall adorned with steel railing.
It has three Byzantine arch entrances, which face the main road from Iloilo City to Cabatuan. The top portion of the main entrance has a cross and its front part has five rosette carvings.
There is a tree-lined path from the main entrance to the octagonal mortuary chapel. It displays Roman, Gothic, Byzantine, and Baroque architectural influences. Its façade has carvings. It has one window with iron railing on either side. Inside the chapel are a crucifix and a simple altar. There are 12 tombs in its interior.
Outside the chapel are hundreds of tombs that are arranged in an orderly manner. Some occupy the space on the four walls and are stacked two or three levels high.
Here are some photos of Cabatuan Roman Catholic Cemetery: