With synthetic grass on the ground, amateur photographs on the walls and even direct access to heaven, the mausoleum with the mortal remains of ‘O Rei’ Pelé opened its doors to the public this Monday in the Brazilian city of Santos.
The pilgrimage to visit the legendary Brazilian striker has already begun at the Ecumênica Necropole Memorial, considered the highest cemetery in the worldwith an act that was attended by his son Edinho and several of his most unconditional fans.
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“We still feel a lot of pain, we miss him a lot, but we also feel a lot of pride and joy for all the love and obeisances he has been receiving,” he said. Edinho in statements to the press at the gates of the mausoleum where his father rests
The triple world champion rests in a room that breathes football on all four sides. At the entrance, two brass statues of the figure of a Pelé short dress and smiling anticipate the majesty of the place.
In dim lighting, the walls are made up of fan photos, giving the impression of being inside a stadium.
Edinho’s pride
The floor is synthetic grass and in the corners are exposed the three shirts that forever changed the life of Edson Arantes do Nascimento: that of Santos, that of the Brazilian team and that of the New York Cosmos.
“It is one more memorable moment for our family and to encourage our king to be eternal (…) The place has been designed with great care and love. It is noble, simple and very pleasant,” Edinho described.
A room where football is breathed
In the center of the room is the imposing tomb of the king of soccer, made of marble, with golden details, and escorted by two columns made of mirrors. The edges of the sepulcher have the shape of the World Cup. In the lower part, some moments of his sporting life are sculpted.
The lid glitters from all corners. There is a huge cross in relief and his name appears at the bottom, the date of birth (October 23, 1940) and that of his death (December 29, 2022).
Above the tomb, a strongly illuminated pale blue rectangle opens on the ceiling, imitating the sky. A direct access to Paradise.
So are the visits
The mausoleum will be open for visits between 09:00 and 12:00 in the morning and 14:00 and 18:00 in the afternoon.
To do this, it is necessary to register in advance on the cemetery’s website (memorialsantos.com.br/rei), since only 30 people are allowed to enter in the morning shift and another 30 in the afternoon.
The cemetery
Inaugurated in 1991, the Ecumenical Necropole Memorial is the brainchild of Argentine businessman Pepe Altstut and is located about 700 meters from the Vila Belmiro stadium, where Pelé became a legend in the Santos jersey.
Two decades ago, the former soccer player acquired a space in the cemetery, which holds a Guinness record that recognizes it as the highest in the world and where his father, João Ramos do Nascimento ‘Dondinho’, and his brother Jair were also buried.
