St. Landry Catholic Church in Opelousas will hold their annual cemetery tours and historical reenactments this October to all those interested in learning the history of eight former residents at eternal rest in the cemetery.
KATC’s Abby Breidenbach was LIVE last Friday at St. Landry Catholic Church Cemetery convening with organizers and a few spirits about the tours.
The theme of this year’s tour is “Preparing the Way – Learning from the Past,” and will be held two weekends in October beginning on October 13 and 14 and ending on October 20 and 21. Saturday tours will be held at 6:00, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, and 8:00 pm. Sunday tours will be held at 2:00 and 3:00 pm.
The spirits speaking from beyond during this year’s event:
Frank Boyance, Sr. – a blacksmith who made many of the iron crosses seen at the St. Landry Catholic Church Cemetery.
Michel Prudhomme II – the son of Michel Prudhomme who donated land for the St. Landry Catholic Church. The Michel Prudhomme Home is believed to be the oldest structure still standing in St. Landry Parish.
General Garrigues de Flaujac – served in the War of 1812. He is originally from France but is buried here, in St. Landry Parish.
Rachel Gradnigo – a Creole icon to most residents of Opelousas. She owned several businesses and helped to establish Opelousas as a thriving community in the 1840’s.
Coy Marie Pavy – a local legend. She was a nursing instructor who improved health care facilities in St. Landry Parish.
Sr. Mary Anselm Duffle – originally from New York. At the age of three, she road the “orphan train” to Louisiana in 1909. She spent the rest of her life in Louisiana as a nun.
Martin Bordelon – owned the Oldsmobile dealership of Roy Motors. When he passed in 1943 his wife, Marie, became the first female to own a dealership in Opelousas.
Agatha Dupré Lafleur – was the mother of Lieutenant Father Verbis Lafleur, a WWII POW who lost his life saving the lives of men aboard the sinking ship, Shinyo Maru.
Tours are $10 per person and are limited to groups of 15. This year, handicapped tours will take place on Sunday, October 14 and 21 at 3:00 pm.
All proceeds benefit the cemetery’s historical restoration project.
For more information on the tours call 337-942-6552 or 308-3474.
KATC’s Abby Breidenbach was LIVE last Friday at St. Landry Catholic Church Cemetery convening with organizers and a few spirits about the tours.
