Annual rosary held to mark All Saints Day at Calvary Cemetery

By Bill Brewer

Father Franco leads a rosary at Calvary Cemetery in East Knoxville to commemorate All Saints Day.

More than 50 people attended the annual All Saints Day rosary at Calvary Cemetery in East Knoxville.

The rosary this year was said on Sunday, Nov. 6, with Father Ron Franco, CSP, pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Knoxville, leading the prayer. Among the priests joining Father Franco were Monsignor Xavier Mankel and Father Tim Sullivan, CSP, associate pastor at Immaculate Conception, which maintains the cemetery.

Father Franco led those attending the annual prayer on a walk around Calvary as they said the rosary.

Many of those taking part in the rosary have relatives and friends buried in the cemetery and maintain a connection with Calvary.

The All Saints Day rosary is important to those with a deep connection to the cemetery, according to Father Franco.

He has said it’s up to every parishioner to realize that we’re all connected with those buried in Calvary Cemetery and Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chattanooga, either directly through family relationships or indirectly through friendships and acquaintances and through church family.

Father Franco has said we all need to pray for one another and for those who have died, so saying the annual All Saints Day rosary is a good opportunity to gather and do that.

The Knoxville and Chattanooga cemeteries have served the Church for more than 100 years and are the burial sites for generations of Catholics, including resting places for priests and religious who have served the diocese. ■

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