by Nina Vaclavikova
Interviews: Monsignor Enrico Trevisi, Bishop of Trieste; Roberto Dipiazza, Mayor of Trieste
A solemn Mass was held this morning in the historic chapel of the Sant’Anna Cemetery to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the city’s monumental burial ground. The ceremony was led by Bishop Enrico Trevisi and attended by Trieste’s mayor, Roberto Dipiazza, alongside prominent civil and military authorities.
The date, July 24, holds historical significance. On this day in 1825, the cemetery was consecrated by Bishop Leonardis—the last Italian bishop of the Habsburg era—marking the official opening of the site that would become one of the city’s most important places of remembrance.
The origins of Sant’Anna date back to 1819, when the city designated an area in the Valmaura plain, then on the outskirts of Trieste, as a new burial ground. The land, which belonged to the patrician Burlo family, was chosen to address public health concerns and the need for burial space outside the city walls.
Over the following two centuries, the cemetery became a resting place for generations of Triestini, reflecting the city’s diverse cultural, religious, and historical legacy. The anniversary Mass served both as a spiritual observance and a moment of reflection on the cemetery’s role in preserving Trieste’s collective memory.
