which are blocks of stone not much larger than the size of a casket that are raised above ground in a rectangular shape. Step vaults have largely fallen out of favor, as they tend to break apart and do not hold up well against the elements. In addition, they allow for only one person to be buried in this manner, versus the other vaults and tombs, which allow for multiple generations.
Marie Laveau’s tomb marked with x’s
With the idea in mind that generations of family or friends would be buried in these tombs, the dead were buried in wood coffins that would biodegrade over time. When space was needed in the tomb to bury the next person assigned to a specific vault, the tomb would be opened and the remains inside would be pushed to the back of the vault to accommodate the new resident. The only restriction was that the vault could only be opened after one year and one day from the prior burial. This congenial burial atmosphere was a common practice in Europe and provided an established area in one central location for families or groups to visit the burial sites of their loved ones.
Over the years, this led to thousands of people—including some of the city’s most famous politicians, musicians, military heroes, and wealthy entrepreneurs—being buried in this one-block location. This cemetery is also thought to be the home of the most famous Voodoo practitioner in the world, Marie Laveau. Marie is reportedly buried in the Glapion family tomb, tomb #347, though some researchers disagree on this fact and believe that she is buried in St. Louis Cemetery #2. Most historians consider this to be a misunderstanding, due to another Voodoo practitioner named Marie Comtesse, who is buried in #2. The overwhelming majority of the people in the city agree that Marie Laveau is indeed buried in St. Louis Cemetery #1.
Marie Laveau, the original Voodoo queen, lived from 1794 to 1881, though her dates are often confused due to her daughter having the same name (Marie Laveau II), who continued her mother’s work and legacy until her death in 1895. Marie’s legacy remains so strong as the queen of Voodoo that, more than 130 years later, her tomb is the most-visited tomb in all of the cemeteries. The tomb is easily recognizable when walking through the cemetery as it is covered with x’s. Though it is illegal to desecrate a tomb by writing on it in any way, hundreds of followers and fans visit her tomb every year and mark an x or three x’s on the tomb, while asking for Marie to grant their wishes. They also bring gifts and offerings to the tomb and lay them on the ground nearby.
During my visits to St. Louis Cemetery #1 and Marie’s tomb, I found cosmetics, dolls, coins, flowers, food, alcohol, tobacco, costume jewelry, and candles placed in front of her tomb. It is customary to bring a gift to the spirits when asking for a favor, and each person who visits with a request brings something of this nature to leave behind. The legend states that to have Marie and the spirits grant your wish, you must stand at the tomb and knock three times to gain the attention of the spirit world. Once you have knocked, whisper your wish into the tomb and then draw three x’s on the tomb.
Offerings left at Marie Laveau’s tomb include cosmetics, flowers, and hair adornments.
While this sounds very precise and highly romantic, Voodoo practitioners will tell you that it is not the proper technique to use when asking for a favor from the spirits. In many ways, it is considered disrespectful, as well as the constant scraping on the walls being destructive to the tomb. It’s hard to believe that Marie would want such a thing done to her tomb. She was known to be extremely generous and caring to the people of New Orleans. With this in mind, a simple request to her from the heart should be heard just as effectively in the spirit realms.
Should you visit the tomb one day and desire that your wish be heard, quietly stand near the tomb, offer your respects and gratitude, and whisper your wish into the wind, which will carry your message through the ethers. Should you desire a more distinctive and powerful Voodoo ceremony, there are Voodoo practitioners throughout New Orleans who are more than able to assist you with the ceremony or ritual that you are looking to create. If you were to observe any Voodoo practices going on in the cemetery, though, you would not find them here at Marie’s tomb. Instead you might observe the gathering of redbrick dust, which is used for protecting homes. Louie Armstrong is one of the most famous people known to have gathered this brick dust when he was a boy to make money. He would enter the cemetery and scrape the crumbling red bricks into dust and then deliver the brick dust to practitioners so they could disperse it as needed to their customers.
While ghost stories abound in every square block of this city, an enormous amount of stories regard sightings of the ghost of Marie Laveau in the cemetery and on the streets. Most people whom I chatted with about Marie spoke of feeling her presence in St. Louis Cemetery #1 as a spiritual energy, similar to standing near a holy site or sacred ground. During my visit to St. Louis Cemetery #1, I felt the energy of several ghosts, but none of them materialized in full form. I also heard the sound of a small child weeping, which was very sorrowful.
The only time I saw a ghostly form in this location was outside the entrance to the cemetery shortly before sunset. I saw an elderly man wearing a hat and suit, standing quietly and looking as if he was thinking about going through the entrance. At first, his suit was so dark in color that I thought he really was a man standing there, but after a moment the color from his suit faded and then so did the rest of him. It appeared as if he was still unsure why he was at the cemetery and what he was doing there. This is often the case with many ghosts who stay near cemeteries, as they are still trying to figure out and comprehend that they have passed on.
There are many tales of ghostly activity from St. Louis Cemetery #2 where Marie Laveau II (the daughter) is reportedly buried in Square Three inside of a wall vault. While her mother appears to be resting in peace in the spirit world, some say that her daughter is not as settled and can be seen on moonlit nights walking through St. Louis Cemetery #2.
While this may be the case, St. Louis Cemetery #3 would be my choice of cemeteries to spend a night looking for paranormal activity. It has all the makings to be one of the most-haunted cemeteries in the area. Built on Esplanade Avenue, this area was used by Native Americans for thousands of years before the city of New Orleans was formed. In the 18th century, it was designated as a containment area, where people with leprosy were banished to live, which sadly then became a burial ground for the lepers. St. Louis Cemetery #3 was later built on top of where the lepers were buried.
The cemetery is located near Bayou St. John, which connects to Lake Pontchartrain and the Gulf of Mexico, forming a strong link to the mystical waters surrounding this area. Bayou St. John is the location where Marie Laveau and other practitioners performed some of the most potent and powerful Voodoo rituals, and thousands came to observe these rituals in action (many of which are still being practiced here to this day). Visitors longing to see something of this nature should check out St. John’s Day, also known as Midsummer in New Orleans, where thousands congregate to perform sacred rituals along St. John’s Bayou.
The spirits residing in St. Louis Cemetery #3 are in a magnificent real estate location near the bayou and City Park, with a front stage pass each year to the Jazz and Heritage Festival (which locals refer to as Jazz Fest). Forget about the dead turning in their graves—in New Orleans, they’re more apt to rise and dance the second line! Perhaps this is why this cemetery is still one of the most popular and active cemeteries with hundreds of new burials each year.
From what I’ve observed in my years as a psychic medium and as a paranormal researcher, most ghosts don’t hang out in the cemeteries. They are out haunting the places that they enjoyed “haunting” while they were alive. I find New Orleans to be no different in this respect. Most of the ghosts are enjoying the city alongside the living.
This brings us to the purpose of this book: to explore the supernatural beings that reside throughout the
