October 10 – Pokrovskaya Parental Saturday: what to do with the grave cross after the installation of the monument

“After the funeral of a baptized person, it is customary to install an eight-pointed Orthodox cross on the burial hill indicating the name, patronymic and surname of the deceased, the dates of his birth and death,” Father Anthony explains. A photograph of the deceased is usually placed not on the cross, but at its foot.

The monument on the grave is usually erected later, after the anniversary of the death, when the ground has settled enough. And then the question arises: what to do with the grave cross?

“If the deceased was a believer, then usually the cross is not removed, and after the installation of the monument is transferred to its headboard,” said the father. The cross not only testifies to the Orthodox faith of the deceased, but also to our hope for eternal life. Alternatively, the cross can be dismantled, but make sure that the monument has an image of an eight-pointed Orthodox cross. It is usually applied in the upper right corner of the monument next to the photograph of the deceased.”.

Father Anthony clarifies: if they decided to remove the cross from the grave, or replace it with a more thorough one, then it can not simply be thrown away.

“I advise you to go to the church at the cemetery, ask the clergyman, maybe they need a cross to install on the grave of a lonely deceased or from a low-income family,” explains the father. - If there is such a need and the cross looks quite presentable - just give, accept with gratitude. It will be updated and new names and dates of life will be added.”.

As Father Antony says, it is also often asked what to do with the photograph of the deceased that was on the cross?

“Because of superstitions (they say that nothing can be taken home from the cemetery), many are afraid to take it home,” says the father. The Church does not share such superstitions.