Cremations in Malaga city on the rise, accounting for nearly nine out of ten funeral services

At the San Gabriel cemetery, the hub of the city's funeral services, a total of 3,558 cremations took place between January and September, compared with 577 burials. This means that 86.04 per cent of families now opt for cremation to say their final farewells to their loved ones.

This upward trend has reshaped not only the services, but also the very character and atmosphere of the site.

It has led to the creation of the 'Jardín del Recuerdo' ('Garden of Remembrance'), which has seen a significant increase in the number of plots sold. The park now houses 683 plots and holds 939 urns within a diverse botanical setting.

This space offers families the opportunity to scatter the ashes of their loved one beside a tree of their choice, either selecting one from the existing trees or having a new one planted. Although the olive tree is the most sought-after species due to its strong symbolic significance, the site is home to around 50 different species, including poplars, cork oaks, carob trees, walnut trees, orange trees, fig trees, jacarandas, oaks, willows and strawberry trees.

On 2 October, the cemetery inaugurated the 'Jardín de las Estrellas' ('Garden of the Stars'), specifically designed to recognise and provide support for perinatal loss, offering parents a dignified and peaceful setting in which to lay the ashes of their children who died before or shortly after birth.

The focus on the emotional aspect of bereavement is complemented by a pioneering service at national level. Parcemasa remains the only public funeral company in Spain to provide universal and free psychological support to relatives who require assistance during the grieving process.

During last year's special event alone, which ran from 29 October to 2 November, some 15,000 vehicles were recorded entering the site and approximately 45,000 people visited San Gabriel.

On Sunday, the number of visitors stood at 1,593,747. The website, meanwhile, receives over 331,000 visits annually.

Between Thursday and Monday, the cemeteries extended their opening hours and organised various cultural and religious activities. Among these were the Iberclásico performance at the El Palo cemetery from 12pm to 1pm on Monday and the mass at the Churriana cemetery at 5pm, featuring a performance by the same group.

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