Graveyard by the Franciscan Monastery of Pridvorje

Today I am participating in a new meme recently started on a topic that fascinates me: burial grounds. Taphophile Tragics is the title of the meme and will be posted on Tuesdays.

Quoting from Julie's blog:

Taphophilia is an interest, morbid or otherwise, in graveyards and cemeteries. Graveyards were attached to churches, whereas cemeteries were specifically set up for the burial of the dead.

A taphophile is one who finds they are attracted to walking around cemeteries, reading the headstones and musing upon the family history contained therein.

Yes, that describes me. There is something a little curious about that, too. 

My biological father, a Morocco-born Frenchman (whom I did not grow up with, but met as a young adult), had an absolute horror of cemeteries. When we traveled together, he became visibly upset whenever I wanted to go explore one. He never could adequately explain that aversion to me. I surmised it might stem from a fear of death. So I find it intriguing that my inclination is so opposite.

My first post on this topic is a tiny strip of graveyard on the side of a small Franciscan monastery near the village of Pridvorje on the slope of Mount Snježnica. It is about 8 kilometers (5 miles) up the hill from Cavtat, the gorgeous town on the Adriatic Sea where we lodged in May of 2009 for four nights when my mother's car broke down (see earlier post).

The monastery with the church of St Blaise was built 1423-1429. I can only guess that it is former resident Franciscan monks who were buried here. Had I known I would one day post for this meme, I would have paid more attention to details and taken more photos.

While we saw no one in the monastery, the many fresh flowers left on the graves, as well as in the courtyard, told me this place was not deserted.

Croatia, 2009