FAQ | Non-Catholic Cemetery

Frequently Asked Questions

Who owns the Non-Catholic Cemetery?

The Non-Catholic Cemetery is private. Its management is the responsibility of an association formed by 15 Embassies in Rome which have nationals buried in the Cemetery. The Embassies are: Australia - Canada - Denmark - Germany - Finland - Greece - Ireland - Netherlands - Norway - Russian Federation - South Africa - Sweden - Switzerland - United Kingdom - United States of America.

How is the Cemetery funded?

The Cemetery is entirely self-supporting through the fees charged for the concession of plots for burial, and from the annual maintenance payments that concession-holders pay. It also relies on private contributions and grants to pay for essential conservation and maintenance work.

How can I contribute to the Cemetery?

We ask you to contribute at least €5.00 each for your visit. You may like also to become a Friend of the Cemetery. Brochures about membership are available in the Visitor Centre. Contributions are always welcome through PayPal

I am looking for a specific grave – is there a complete list of them?

Yes, you can consult the Burials Database [LINK on our website under Our Graves/databases]. If you are visiting the Cemetery, you can consult the same database in the Visitor Centre (ask the person there to help you). If you still have queries, please send us an email.

Is it still possible to be buried in the Cemetery?

Yes, the cemetery is still active. Burials are permitted both in existing family graves and in new small plots for cinerary urns. [Who can be buried nowadays in the cemetery?]

Why are there so many Italian names on graves in the Cemetery?

An Italian or a Catholic may be buried in the Cemetery only if he/she is the partner, spouse or child of a person already buried in the Cemetery.

When was the first burial made in the Cemetery?

The first burial that we know was made here in 1716 [LINK to Newsletter 21]. The earliest grave of which traces have been found is that of George Langton who died in 1738, and the earliest stone monument is that of George Werpup who died in 1765. In the Parte Antica you can visit several graves dating from the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Am I allowed to take photos or to shoot videos in the Cemetery?

You may ONLY take photos (not videos) for your individual use. You must not share these on social media or publish them. Permission to shoot commercial or documentary films or to publish photos must be sought from the Director of the Cemetery (direttore@cemeteryrome.it) and, if granted, is subject to rights and due fees being agreed. Read more [LINK]

Is it possible to get into the Pyramid from the Cemetery?

No, the entrance is from Piazzale Ostiense. The Pyramid is occasionally open for guided visits but you must make reservations: phone Coopcultura at 06 39967700.

Who looks after the cats around the Pyramid? Can I help them?

The cats have their own website in English, Italian and German (www.igattidellapiramide.it). You can become a volunteer and/or donate some money. A cat colony has existed here since at least 1850.

For more information, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Who can be buried nowadays in the Cemetery?

The Cemetery is an active one in which burials and other forms of commemoration can still take place today. (New tombs can be conceded only for the interment of cremation urns.)

The information given here is based on an explanation of two official documents, the Statute of the Non-Catholic Cemetery in Rome (revised June 2008) and the Cemetery Regulations (revised 2009). In any question of interpretation, these two documents take precedence over the text below.

1. Who is entitled to be buried in the Cemetery?

1.1. You can be buried in the cemetery if (a) you are a citizen of one of the following countries and (b) are not of the Roman Catholic faith and (c) at the time of your death are effectively a resident of Italy:

Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States of America.

1.2. If you are a citizen of another state, are not of the Roman Catholic faith and at the time of your death a resident of Italy, you may be buried in the Cemetery subject to the approval of the President of the Assembly of Ambassadors.

1.3. If you are an Italian citizen or of the Catholic faith and are either the spouse or the mother/father or the son/daughter of someone qualified under (1.1) and (1.2) above, you may - subject to the approval of the President – be buried in the Cemetery but only in the same tomb as the qualified person already deceased and only if space permits.

1.4 The rights regarding spouses (see 1.3) can apply to you if you were a live-in partner of the deceased, so long as you can document cohabitation for at least five years.

1.5 If your spouse is Italian or Catholic and survives you but then re-marries, he/she loses the right to be buried in the same tomb as you (the same applies to partners, see 1.4 above).

2. Can burial in the Cemetery be arranged prior to death?

2.1 You can request a concession for burial in the Cemetery prior to death, but only if you meet the requirements of 1.1 above and are over 75 years old or in the terminal stages of an incurable disease (medical documentation needed).

2.2 If you are granted a pre-concession under 2.1 (above), it will be considered retracted if you subsequently convert to Catholicism or surrender your non-Italian citizenship.

For more details and for information about other forms of commemoration available in the Cemetery, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone 06 5741900