Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Louisiana's Sacred Places: Churches, Cemeteries and Voodoo
    Louisiana's Sacred Places: Churches, Cemeteries and Voodoo
    Louisiana's Sacred Places: Churches, Cemeteries and Voodoo
    Ebook187 pages1 hour

    Louisiana's Sacred Places: Churches, Cemeteries and Voodoo

    By Deborah Burst

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Anne Rice, lauded author of gothic fiction calls it, “Delightfully vivid bringing to life all the favorite haunts of the lively spirits both living and dead.”

    Deborah Burst continues her series of discovery on a trail of history and mystery across Louisiana’s most solemn and revered locales. In her ten-year writing and photography career, Burst has combined her love for art, history and architecture into a poetic trail of Louisiana’s Sacred Places.

    From New Orleans across the back roads of St. Tammany, Pointe Coupee and both East and West Feliciana Parishes, Burst brings an eccentric collage of cultures and customs to the page. It’s a colorful journey to the cities of the dead, the serenity of country churchyards, and the mesmerizing calling of spirits in a Voodoo ceremony.
    Witness full-page photographs of the Moorish architecture inside the stunning Immaculate Conception Jesuit Church, the ghastly history of Our Lady of Guadalupe church, and a close up of St. Roch Chapel’s chamber of miracles. Moving west learn the telling portraits of Civil War casualties laid to rest under weeping oaks in Clinton and St. Francisville. More than churches and cemeteries, the book follows the legends of Pointe Coupee planter homes and river road wonders.

    Along the cypress bayous in St. Tammany, learn first hand the history of Covington and Lacombe along with mysteries of the Creole tradition in lighting the graves on All Saints Day. In one of the most intense chapters, Burst shares the Voodoo religion including interviews with Voodoo Priestess Sallie Ann Glassman. The book closes with some dark humor in how New Orleans celebrates its dead with jazz funerals and post-mortem parties fit for a king.

    Burst’s vivid photography and discerning eye bring the spirits and celestial wonder to life in every frame. The book features 57 stellar photos inside an enchanting trail of Louisiana's Sacred Places.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDeborah Burst
    Release dateFeb 21, 2015
    ISBN9781310019869
    Louisiana's Sacred Places: Churches, Cemeteries and Voodoo
    Author

    Deborah Burst

    A born storyteller, Deborah Cunningham Burst, is a New Orleans native who enjoys writing outdoors at her home in Mandeville. An award winning writer and photographer, she left a corporate career with IBM and returned to Tulane University graduating cum laude in 2003 with a BFA in Media Arts. In her 12-year career as a freelance writer she has published more than 1,000 articles and twice as many photographs on a local, regional and national level. With a passion for travel, history and architecture she traveled throughout the south and east coast earning columns on travel and historic churches. Her commitment to detail, and driven by the artistry of photography, she began working with national magazines featuring historic homes and hotels. Recognized for mastering a vivid sense of place and stunning composition in photography, she earned a national cover photograph and feature. In 2012 Deborah won a publishing contract for a historic church book titled, Hallowed Halls of Greater New Orleans. The book shares more than ten years of work in researching and photographing churches along with interviews from passionate parishioners. The book was released in August 2013 with a foreword written by Anne Rice. It received rave reviews resulting in dozens of speaking events and books signings held across the state of Louisiana and Natchez, Mississippi. Her continued wanderlust in scripting and photographing historic landscapes brought her a new fascination with funerary architecture and tales of mystery looming amid the shadows of cemeteries. Louisiana’s Sacred Places: Churches, Cemeteries and Voodoo is the first in a series in a captivating trail of history, mystery and the blurred lines between sacred and profane. Deborah took control of the entire project publishing the 152 page book with 57 full color photos in October 2014. The co-founder of the Northshore Literary Society, Deborah has served on writing panels for both the Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Words & Music Festival and the Tennessee Williams Festival in New Orleans. She has appeared on multiple television and radio shows including both the New Orleans and Mississippi NPR station and is the recipient of 20 writing and photography awards. In addition to researching new trails for her Louisiana’s Sacred Places series, she continues her freelance business with a monthly travel column with Louisiana Road Trips magazine and a bi-weekly column with the New Orleans Advocate Newspaper.

    Related to Louisiana's Sacred Places

    Related ebooks

    United States Travel For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    Related categories

    Reviews for Louisiana's Sacred Places

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Louisiana's Sacred Places - Deborah Burst

      ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

      Writing a book is much like birthing a baby. There’s nine months of labor and then that magical day when the bundle of joy arrives. Rather than a hospital, the delivery comes via a big brown truck, and instead of a beaming doctor, it’s a driver who doesn’t quite share the same jubilation.

      Yes I’m a proud mamma, and doing both the writing and photography is more like dealing with a set of twins. But without the help of so many cheering me on, well, I may not be writing this acknowledgement right now.

      Where to start, maybe the ones who heard my cries the most? My husband Michael, newly retired, who witnessed the frustration first hand. The cursing from the upstairs office, cursing when my laptop died, more cursing when the Internet was down, multiple times, and finally smiles when I brought home my new Mac. And yes, he’s still here.

      Mona Hayden, editor of Louisiana Road Trips magazine, long time friend and my part time therapist, is my biggest cheerleader and always, always eager to help. Without Sue Quiroz, there would be no Voodoo chapter. Besides our love for adventure, she enjoys getting lost and laughs at my multiple U-turns.

      And I would be remiss if I didn’t include my social media family. They are always there making me smile, lifting my spirits, and a huge part of this book guiding me in so many photo decisions. Thanks guys!

      Every writer has a host of mentors, and Anne Rice tops the list with lessons in how to be a better person and a better writer. Monica Pierre is an incredible talent full of heart and always there to help. Sharon Edwards is not only an amazing newspaper editor, but has been most generous in giving me time to finish this project. My friends with the Northshore Literary Society have been so supportive, Pamela Lott, and so many more always there with big hugs and kind words. Fellow authors Jean Lutz and Patricia Clanton were so generous in offering their prose and input in the history of the St. Tammany communities.

      Then there are the friends who patiently wait for my return to the land of the living, thanks Susie Cox for being there for so many years. It’s time to catch up on those lunches and cocktails.

      Kudos to Sallie Ann Glassman for all her help and introducing me to the world of Voodoo. The ceremonies are filled with so much passion and it was a privilege to photograph such a treasured New Orleans tradition.

      Lee Froehlich, a master in writing, who makes my words shine. He’s a long time friend, mentor and chaperone on many New Orleans culinary marathons. Todd Barselow, a professional editor, who straightens out my jumbled grammar and a pro in promotion. And a huge thanks to Myra Beckman in designing my stunning book cover, she is not only a talented graphic artist but has the patience of a saint.

      So many brought me to this point, Mark Newman, editor extraordinaire, Beth Sager, who gave me my first column, and all my friends at Tulane. And especially those who have left this world, Steven Forer, a dear friend who guided me through Tulane, and Mary Fitzpatrick, who believed in a college undergrad and published my first article.

      My children, Julie and Jared, along with lovely Catherine, who shares my passion for cemeteries, you rescued me from the depths of despair when my Internet went down just days before deadline. You not only gave me a place to work, but also kept me happy with pizza, tacos and a huge bag of trail mix.

      And my extended family, my mother Helen, our daily calls kept me sane and you are the only one who enjoys my constant bragging about Pepper, my fur baby. My Pepper joined me everyday listening to the pounding of keys while lounging on the sofa or hunting lizards on the back deck.

      My sisters, Twana and Misha, always there for me, always eager to help, and the marathon text messages that made me laugh. Russell and Mike, so loving and caring, always there to lend a helping hand. My father who gave me my lust for travel, and my brother who gave me my sense of adventure, your spirit keeps me going and both of you are part of every page. Love you guys!

      INTRODUCTION

      What a journey! My quest in discovering Louisiana’s Sacred Places grew from the pages of my first book, Hallowed Halls of Greater New Orleans. Unlike most authors, I cherish book signings and speaking events. Everyone has a church story, heartfelt memories of frilly dresses and patent leather shoes, or sitting next to grandma listening to the soulful cries of an impassioned preacher.

      And the cemeteries mesmerized me, almost begging me to return. They all had a story to tell, and I did my best to listen. Each has its own personality, Confederate cemeteries shadowed by weeping oaks to New Orleans’ cities of the dead filled with a lively crew of spirits.

      Soon the spirits led me to Sallie Ann Glassman, the Voodoo priestess of New Orleans. A deep-seated religion brought from the African and Caribbean slave trade, it was the perfect link between the lively spirits of New Orleans and the traditions of the Catholic church. It became the largest chapter in terms of history and an emotional connection to my hometown of New Orleans. Inside this chapter you will witness a personal account of two Voodoo ceremonies, the St. John’s Eve ceremony on Bayou St. John and the Hurricane Turnaround ceremony in the Bywater neighborhood. You will also meet Marie Laveau and learn her legacy as the first New Orleans Voodoo Queen.

      Driven to share more, I wanted to create a tour guide, a trail of my favorite travels from the glamour of downtown New Orleans to the bayous and wildflower fields of the Florida Parishes: St. Tammany, Pointe Coupee, East Feliciana and West Feliciana.

      It begins with the stunning European architecture of Immaculate Conception Jesuit church—built, surprisingly, with the lines of Islamic architecture—it begs anyone, regardless of religion, to bow his or her head in honor of such a masterful feat.

      The modest building of Our Lady of Guadalupe, once known as the mortuary chapel, was host to thousands of funerals during the yellow fever epidemics. Today, it brings both a spiritual and ghostly presence. Visitors from all over the world light candles in prayer, while those closer to home come in need of food and shelter.

      St. Roch chapel and cemetery brings a centuries-old story of miracles. In one of my most poetic chapters, witness the chapel’s chamber filled with morbid relics. It owns a cult style following from around the world.

      Outside the holy city of churches and cemeteries, a trail of equally devoted parishioners stay true to their country chapels. Following the back roads of our ancestors, along the Mississippi River road, the quaint clapboard churches whisper tales of woe and celebration. You can almost see the families sitting there, sweat pouring down their flushed faces, and the women furiously fanning themselves with church fans emblazoned with the words, Jesus Saves.

      The last chapter takes a light-hearted look at death. New Orleans and its southern neighbors know how to put the fun in funerals. From the high-stepping jazz funerals and second-line parades, to the postmortem party and orgy of food and drink. Like anything else in Louisiana, it’s all about burying your misery with a platter of food and a good sense of humor.

      I believe there is a fine line between the spiritual world and the supernatural, a presence in every church, chapel and cemetery. My hope is you will feel the same, and the words will invite you to follow this trail and make your own connections in the forever-after.

      Image No. 1

      Storm brewing inside St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 on the Esplanade Ridge in New Orleans.

      FOREWORD

      Bob Dylan once said about New Orleans cemeteries, The past doesn’t pass away so quickly here.

      In Louisiana’s Sacred Places, Deborah Burst confirms his sentiment with her detailed portrayals of the storied churches and cemeteries in the Crescent City, and back road chapels and confederate burial grounds.

      The chapter on funeral traditions alone is worth buying the book! A sendoff like no other on the planet, a New Orleans jazz funeral celebrates a past life with second-line parades marching down the streets waving hankies and twirling umbrellas. Back home, tables are heavy with mounds of gumbo and jambalaya, and bottles of Irish whiskey hidden beneath centuries-old live oaks.

      Deb not only writes about such gatherings, she’s lived them! Red sauce courses through her veins and New Orleans jazz plays in her soul. Damn shame that the guest of honor isn’t there to revel in, most likely, the biggest and most expensive party of their life/death, this insider tells all.

      For a front pew seat, this book spills over with facts and fun. You’ll want copies to share, wishing you could attend your own funeral—alive, of course, and in New Orleans!

      Mona L. Hayden,

      Louisiana Road Trips magazine editor and publisher

      CHAPTER 1

      IMMACULATE CONCEPTION JESUIT CHURCH

      A half block from the world-famous Canal Street, and across from the historic Roosevelt Hotel, Immaculate Conception Jesuit Church rises

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1