Is it possible to put portraits on grave crosses: what the priests said
Posting photos of the dead on grave crosses is not prohibited by church rules. Relatives have the right to independently decide what the design of the burial place will be, including whether to install a portrait of the deceased.
The tradition of the Orthodox burial originally assumed the installation of a cross without a photograph of the deceased. However, in the Soviet period, stone tombstones with portraits began to spread, which gradually became the usual practice of decorating graves.
In recent years, some believers prefer to return to the old custom and install only crosses on burial sites. This choice is connected with the desire to follow the traditional Orthodox idea of what a burial place should look like. At the same time, the church does not establish a mandatory requirement to refuse photos.
The priests note that the portrait of the deceased does not contradict religious traditions. For relatives, a photo can have a special meaning: it helps to preserve the memory of a loved one and feel a connection with him after the loss.
Source.
