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| Underground Cemetery |
Jandy and I left San Pablo City early in the afternoon of Easter Sunday. It was just a short 14-km. drive from the city to Nagcarlan, passing by the tuba and lambanog-producing town of Rizal (formerly a barrio of Nagcarlan called Pauli). Along the way, you can’t help but notice bamboo scaffolding linking coconut trees used by tuba gatherers. Nagcarlan is Laguna’s vegetable garden and is the biggest supplier of sweet lanzones (harvested September to November) to Manila.
Legend has it that the town’s name was a corruption of the name of Ana Kalang, a rich and generous benefactress much love by the townspeople. Her name was eventually corrupted by speech to the more mellifluous Nanang Clara and Nang Clara before it became Nagcarlan. In time, the town bore that name.
Our first stop, before reaching the poblacion, was the Underground Cemetery, the first and only one of its kind in the country. We parked our car at the service station opposite it. From this vantage point, I couldn’t help but admire its restored scrollwork-decorated octagonal red brick walls and elaborate wrought iron gates. Upon entering, we were ushered into an enclosed circular garden surrounded by 240 above-ground crypts similar to Manila’s Paco Cemetery. At the opposite end of the red tiled walkway is a dome-like chapel atop a hillock. Quite spooky.
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| Entrance to Underground Cemetery |
The first thing we saw upon entering the chapel is the Sto. Entierro, the glass bier of the dead Christ, at this time enshrouded. The planked ceiling was water-damaged and in dire need of repair. We were welcomed by the caretaker who narrated the history of the place.
An exclusive burial ground for Spanish friars, the cemetery was built in 1845 by Franciscan Fr. Vicente Velloc (or “Belloc” as spelled by some artifacts or documents). The crypt was a secret meeting place of Katipuneros in the 1890s and the historic Pact of Biak-na-Bato was first planned here by Pedro Paterno and Gen. Severino Taino in 1897.
In 1898, Emilio Jacinto, the “Brains of the Katipunan,” was captured here after being wounded in an encounter in Mahabang-Tanaw in Majayjay. The Underground Cemetery was made into a National Shrine on August 1, 1973 by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 260 and again by Exec. Order No. 1505 on June 11, 1978.
Still in use until 1981, the chapel was built in a strange arabesque style and has blue and white tiles. We went down the stairs leading down to the underground crypt which contain tombs and burial plaques. I was, however, not allowed to take pictures or videos. According to the caretaker, Fr. Velloc also built an underground passage leading to 5 underground chapels where he was said to have held solitary masses. Very spooky indeed. It is also said to have continued all the way to Mt. Banahaw. The passage was then sealed off and its location now unknown. Our visit ended, we signed the customary guest book and left.
Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery: open Tuesdays to Sundays. Admission is free. Donations are needed and welcomed.