Cebu doesn’t have the impressive colonial era cemeteries of Iloilo. There’s no ornate polygonal cemetery chapels like that of San Joaquin, Cabatuan and Janiuay. However, it does have its own surprises that would also delight lovers of these heritage structures.

Facing directly infront of the Oslob church is an old chapel that is used as a prayer room. Its facade is simple. No elaborate decorations or inscriptions. It only has three pairs of decorative columns topped by tuscan capitals. on each side of the pediment are two pedestal-like finials that might have held a vase or urn before. At the center is a relief image.

Oslob is one of the South Cebu municipalities that still retains its original camposanto or cemetery with its main entrance arch, perimeter fence and mortuary chapel located at the center. It was was built by Fray Mauricio Alvarez, the same parish priest who built the belfry and the stone perimeter fence surrounding the church.

The back end of the camposanto is a wall filled with niches. During the colonial era, families of stature are interred here while the general public were buried at the grounds. The material used is not only limestone blocks but also bricks which form the frame of the niche as well as at the top portion of the columns. The capital are tuscan but some are already missing.

The cemetery capilla or chapel is octagonal in form with three gated entrances. It is found at the center of the camposanto grounds just like in Miag-ao and San Joaquin, this province. Unlike in Dalaguete and Argao in Cebu and EB Magalona in Negros Occidental which are located at the back, connected to the perimeter wall.

Entrance into the cemetery is via three stone archways conveniently distanced, about a few meters from each other. All have the same design from the iron cross, the floral motif, down to the columns, lunettes and gate. A pair of urn like finials used to decorate the sides of the top arch. Now, only on finial remains which can be found at the right arch.

The octagonal capilla of the Cabatuan cemetery. The camposanto of Cabatuan is one of the country’s well maintained and artistic cemeteries, one of a few extant structures that have survived in Iloilo province. It is located along the highway, just a few kilometers before the massive and equally beautiful brick church in this municipality.

The Sala de Profundis was where the Augustinian friar community used to gather to pray for their brethren and benefactors as well as for the souls of the dead. This was also the antechamber to the refectorio where the community gathered for their meals and snacks.

It was the practice in previous centuries that the mortal remains of, usually, prominent persons were buried inside the church. This was so since these families were patrons or benefactors who, in one way or another, contributed to its construction, donated precious jewels, saints, vestments and other church decorations or even paid for the upkeep of a chapel. In some instances, they sponsored the priests who were assigned there. In some other instances, they paid for the chapel or a slot for their final resting place.

The idea of burying one’s dead and the attendant rites and rituals are not new to pre-hispanic Filipinos as there were already burial practices in place before the coming of the Spaniards. The remains were usually located in caves or cliffs. When Catholicism was introduced, it was not hard for the natives to accept the introduced system which was now done in one place, the cemetery.