Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

Every year as autumn arrives, Catholic communities in Louisville gather at cemeteries to observe All Souls’ Day, transforming a season often associated with the macabre into one of remembrance and prayer. This year, Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre will lead the annual All Souls’ Day Mass at Calvary Cemetery on November 3 at 11 a.m., offering prayers for all deceased members of the archdiocese.

Javier Fajardo, executive director of Catholic Cemeteries, explained that cemeteries hold an ongoing significance beyond this annual observance. He said, “A Catholic cemetery is considered an extension of the parish ministries because it’s a sacred place where those who, at one point, gathered together as a parish community to pray and worship, now they are together in death, awaiting the resurrection of the body.”

The Archdiocese of Louisville operates four main Catholic cemeteries: Calvary, St. John, St. Louis and St. Michael. These sites serve not only as burial grounds but also as places for private prayer and reflection. Fajardo described them as “outdoor chapels” filled with “designs and symbols of our Catholic faith,” noting that visitors are often seen walking through with rosaries in hand.

Catholic Cemeteries provides support to more than 40 parish-operated cemeteries across the archdiocese.

More than 156,600 people have been buried in these four archdiocesan cemeteries: Calvary holds about 58,000 burials; St. John has 8,600; St. Louis contains 47,000; and St. Michael is home to around 43,000 graves.

Calvary Cemetery is both the newest and largest site among them. Established in 1921 on Newburg Road and spanning over 200 acres, it houses not only graves but also the archdiocesan office for Catholic Cemeteries and includes property from the former Carmelite Monastery.

St. Louis Cemetery was established in its current location on Barret Avenue in 1867 after moving from its original site behind St. Louis Church which opened in 1811; it covers about 43 acres and was originally set aside for Irish Catholics.

St. John Cemetery began operations in Portland in 1851 under the name “Saint Mary Cemetery.” The nine-acre site is located at 26th and Duncan streets.

St. Michael Cemetery was also established in 1851 on Ellison Avenue with its initial designation as a German Catholic cemetery covering about 48 acres.

These cemeteries contain notable graves including those of religious leaders such as Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly and Bishop Charles Maloney at Calvary Cemetery along with members of various religious orders like Sisters of Mercy and Xaverian Brothers found throughout several sites.

St. Louis Cemetery holds particular historical significance as well—it is the resting place for over sixteen hundred Black Catholics buried between 1867 and 1937 in unmarked graves including James Madison Smith Sr., Catherine “Kitty” Smith (recognized agents on the Underground Railroad), Bishop Denis O’Donaghue among others.

In addition to Masses marking All Souls’ Day each November, Calvary Cemetery hosts events throughout the year such as a Lighting of the Tree of Remembrance Ceremony during Advent season, monthly Infant Prayer Services and Stations of Cross during Lent.

All four archdiocesan cemeteries are open daily for visitation by families or individuals seeking time for reflection or prayer among their loved ones’ gravesites or those seeking more information can find a list of parish-operated cemeteries online at www.archlou.org/archdiocese-of-louisville-parish-cemeteries.