St. Roch Cemetery is one of the most beautiful in the city. It is large and has many elaborate mausoleums. Also, the shrine is heavily used for prayers for healing.
Cemeteries fall under the domain of Baron LaCroix. He is the father of the Gede, those spirits who give voice to the unknown/unremembered dead. In order to do work in the cemetery or to remove comething from a cemetery one must appeal to the Baron for his permission.
New Orleans has a special relationship with death. Soon after beginning to construct the city, the French discovered that the very water that formed the Beautiful Crescent that gives New Orleans its nickname was a deadly mistress. Between the various wild creatures that called the area home, the mosquitos carrying all types of illnesses, and the mighty Mississippi River many lives were lost. The French also soon discovered that in the case of this wet land the bodies of those that died could not be commited directly into the earth again due to the high water table and the low lying land. Hence, raised masoleums were built. The cemeteries of New Orleans raised the bar on the beauty that can be created to honor those who have died.
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| Outside of Shrine at St. Roch Cemetery | Center Entryway Statue at St. Roch | Altar inside Shrine at St. Roch |
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| Close Up of Altar at St. Roch | Side Room of Shrine at St. Roch | Corner Niche at St. Roch |