Where do they place the cross during burial among Orthodox Christians? When are wreaths removed from a grave after a funeral according to church canons? When to erect a monument after a funeral? What is the symbol of the cross, depending on where it is installed?

Last Tuesday, May 14, Orthodox believers celebrated Radunitsa, the day of remembrance of the dead. On that day, people visited relatives and friends in cemeteries, prayed, and priests blessed the graves. One of our readers, having visited the cemetery in the village of Zadubie, noticed that on some graves the monument is not at the head, but at the feet. This innovation was also noticed by a native of the village of Zadubie Anatoly Sidorevich, who reported this to “MS” and independently tried to find the answer to the question: where in fact, according to Orthodox canons, should a tombstone cross and monument be placed? The relatives of the deceased, who erected a monument at the feet of the deceased at the Zadubensky cemetery, did not have much difficulty. The GCH correspondent asked the relatives of the deceased what was the reason for this deviation from local traditions.

Valentina Sidorevich explained that she is a believer. I often visit Zhirovichi, I read a lot religious literature, listened to different preachers and came to the conclusion that the monument should be at the feet. She explained this by saying that the cross should be in front of the deceased, and not behind him.

According to her, their local priest also thinks so. Vyacheslav Tsevan, who used to convince people that putting a cross at their feet is wiser, but no one listened to him. And until this time, all the deceased at the Zadubensky cemetery were given gravestone crosses according to the established tradition - at the head of the cemetery. Throughout the week, it was not possible to talk with the priest of the Malkovichi parish, Father Vyacheslav. In search of an answer, the author of the article turned to Peter Sychevich, rector of the Transfiguration Church in the village of Budcha and St. George's Church in the village of Chudin, where the tradition is to place tombstones formed at my feet earlier.

Father Peter said that there are no specific regulations regarding where the monument should be erected. “When a person is buried, the deceased is lowered into the grave with his head facing west. At the cemetery, the priest prays, turning towards the sunrise, since it is from there that God will come. People don’t turn their faces away from the cross, so the monument should be placed at their feet.”. This is exactly what the residents of the villages of Chudin and Budcha are doing now.

The response signed by Archpriest of the Minsk Diocesan Administration Nikolai Korzhich says: “This or that practice of placing a cross at burial depends on local traditions and is not at all heretical. And the tradition in different places may have different kind. Chadam Orthodox Church it is worth adhering to the traditions accepted in the region in which they live. In general, there are several interpretations of the symbolism of the installation of the cross. Thus, a cross installed at the feet implies that in the future resurrection a person, rising from the grave, looks at it and turns to His Creator. And the cross installed at the head signifies the banner that a person will carry after the resurrection as a symbol of victory over Satan.”.

Thus, we come to the conclusion that everyone can act according to their own convictions. But still, it is better not to violate the traditions of our ancestors.

Records found: 65

Hello, someone leaves handfuls of coins or several at my father’s grave pectoral crosses, on the monument, on the table, on the floor. Not for the first time. What could this mean and what to do? Thank you.

Tatiana

Tatiana. I don’t know who is doing this and why, but I am sure that you do not need to fear anything. Take the crosses to church, and distribute the change to those in need.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello! Please tell me what to put on the grave of a relative and what not? Is a cross enough, are photos and other information about the deceased needed? They say that we need something like a monument with photos and data. Tell me what is really needed?

Yuri

Hello, Yuri! First of all, there should be a cross on an Orthodox grave. For the memory of the living, you can hang a sign with the data of the deceased, a photograph. If you eventually want to erect a monument, then the cross should still be present on it.

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

Good health. I wanted to order a new cross from the cemetery, because the old one fell, and they offered me to put up a used cross, but I also have to buy it, only it’s cheaper. These, they say, are the crosses that are removed to erect a monument. Is it even possible to put up such a cross?

Catherine

Ekaterina, of course you can. If it's expensive to put new cross On the grave, place the one that is offered to you. An Orthodox grave should not have a monument, but an Orthodox cross.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello, is a photograph required on the monument of the deceased?

Tatiana

Tatyana, there must be an Orthodox cross on an Orthodox grave; everything else (monuments, photos, etc.) is not at all necessary.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Good afternoon, father! In the Kharkov region, a mother and her three children - 6 months, 6 years and 7 years old - burned to death during a fire. They were buried in two coffins: a mother with a 6-month-old child in one coffin, and children 6 and 7 years old in another coffin. And in the cemetery, instead of four graves, there are only two. How does the church treat such cases and is this even acceptable? God bless you for your answer. Sorry to bother you.

Natalia

Natalya, yes, it’s possible, there’s nothing reprehensible here: remember, for example, soldiers’ mass graves, where many people are buried, and over the grave - one big monument or cross. Moreover, this was also the case with the early Christian martyrs - each of them was not always buried separately. Very often the bones of martyrs burned in ovens or torn to pieces wild animals, the pagans were buried in one grave.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Hello, please tell me, is it true that soil from one grave cannot be poured onto another? The fact is that when installing monuments to my parents, the soil from the graves was mixed. If this is a violation, how can it be corrected?

Lydia

Lydia, there are no rules in the church that would indicate that you cannot take soil from one grave to another. I think this is not significant. We all live on the same earth, under the same sun, and we all breathe the same air. Don't worry, there's nothing wrong. The main thing is to pray for your departed, and visit church more often, confess and receive communion.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello, father! Doesn’t the fact that on the grave contradict the Orthodox canons? Orthodox man When installing the monument and fence, the workers pulled out an oak cross, placed it on the grave, filled it with concrete and laid paving slabs on top. (In the upper corner established monument there is a small Orthodox cross).

Gennady

Gennady, we Orthodox Christians must live and die in an Orthodox manner, and we must be buried strictly in a Christian manner. The most important thing on an Orthodox grave is, of course, the CROSS. The cross should not be drawn, but stand at its full height. Tell me, why does the deceased need a monument at all if it is erected instead of a cross? It is not right. The cross should not have been removed from the grave. The cross is our hope, our hope. And what is a monument? It’s a soulless block of marble, which, unfortunately, many now put in place of the Cross. Cross on the grave Orthodox Christian It must be mandatory, and not lie down, but stand!

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello! Please answer two questions on Genesis. 1. Why does the Bible tell us twice about the origin of man - once every sixth time [Gen. 1:23-29], and the second time the seventh day of creation [Gen. 2:2-8] and [Gen. 2:15-24]? 2. Why is the creation/creation of man different on the sixth and seventh days of creation? Thank you!

Vladimir

Vladimir, there is no contradiction here, it’s just a style of storytelling characteristic of this ancient monument like the Bible. First, it talks about the creation of the world, including man, and then in more detail about the origin of all things.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Hello! Please answer my question. My grandmother died and the exact date We don’t know the death, because we found her on the morning of January 12, and this date was written everywhere, in documents and on the monument. But having compared some facts, we doubtfully came to the conclusion that she died on the afternoon of January 11th. What should we do now and when to do it? memorial days, a particularly important fortieth day? This is a very painful question for me. After all, we may be late (so to speak) with the memorial day. Please help and thanks in advance.

Natalia

Natalia, if the most likely date of death is January 11, then remember in accordance with this date, and without embarrassment.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Hello! Please tell me what would be right: to erect a monument on the grave of an Orthodox Christian with an image of a cross and a photograph of the deceased, or just a cross? If you just put up a cross, is it possible to place an image of the deceased on the cross, or is only a sign with the full name allowed? and date of birth and death?

Oleg

Oleg, a Christian should always have the Cross, both during life and after death. The cross on the grave should stand independently of the monument. You can erect a monument, as convenient, but the cross is separate. It is better to put only the date and full name on the cross, and a photo separately. But you can make a tombstone with an inscription and a photo, and put the cross separately, it will be inexpensive.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello. Help, tell me what to do. Neighbors bring grave crosses from the cemetery and place them in front of my windows. They also erected a monument depicting the deceased. Previously, my child suffered from the actions of these people - he spent more than a month in the hospital, and when he was discharged, crosses appeared under the window. I can't remove them. I live alone and have two small children.

Irina

However, what “hardworking” neighbors you have found, Irina! If only their energy could go in a peaceful direction!
Don't be afraid of anything, this whole circus won't harm you. And yourself - stand stronger in faith, live together with the Church, approach the Church Sacraments more often, grace will protect you, and the Lord will not abandon His! The Apostle said: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. Ch. 8, v. 31). And besides, you can turn to utility services and the help of the law, because It is unlikely that the law allows cemetery crosses taken from unknown sources to be installed on residential or public property.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Hello. Thanks for all your answers. I have another question: they ordered a monument for my late mother, but my grandmother wanted (good thing they talked me out of it) to first make a monument for herself with a portrait and date of birth. Is it not a sin to order a monument for yourself in advance? And another question: they say that young people cannot bring fresh flowers to the cemetery, but only artificial ones - otherwise young people will supposedly die. This is just superstition, isn't it? And where do people get this nonsense from? Thanks in advance for your answers!

Hello Julia! In Orthodoxy there is a tradition of preparing a coffin and a cross for yourself during your lifetime. Many saints did this, and there is nothing wrong with it. This is a remembrance of death that every Christian, especially the elderly, should have. If the grandmother wants to order a monument, let her order it if the relatives do not mind. Regarding flowers, this is definitely a superstition. Fresh flowers in a cemetery are a symbol of the eternal life of the deceased. And superstitions are born from ignorance and unwillingness to study one’s faith.

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

In 2007, I erected a tombstone for my deceased wife. The tombstone made of red granite depicts an Orthodox cross, a portrait of Tanyusha, a favorite flower - clematis and a stylized (unrecognizable) sculptural image little girl. The intended meaning is that my Tanya will be like a guardian angel to her granddaughter Alexandra, whom she loved very much. Now eldest daughter Anastasia insists on remaking the monument. Advise, father, what to do.

Kozlovsky Vladimir Leonidovich

Of course, your daughter is driven by superstitious fear. There is no need to redo the monument; the plot can be reinterpreted. Look at the icon of the Assumption Mother of God, there the soul of the Mother of God is depicted in the hands of the Savior in the form of a little girl, so this figure on the tombstone can be interpreted as a symbolic image of the soul of the deceased.

Deacon Ilia Kokin

Hello, my name is Natalya, I am from Kazakhstan. I have one question, but first a little background: my mother, to my great regret, has been gone for almost 5 years, she sang in the church choir and I grew up in the church (so to speak) and now, I remember that my mother always She said that she did not want a monument to be erected for her after her death, and she only allowed us to erect a wooden cross. She explained this, but I don’t remember exactly how she explained it, word for word. She said something about how on Judgment Day the cross would have to be carried, but the monument would be impossible to raise... And my question is: is this described somewhere in the Bible? Where did mom get this decision?

Natalia

Hello, Natalia.
Placing a wooden cross on a grave is a pious act. Russian tradition. The simplicity of the material speaks of the non-covetousness of the deceased.
Many bequeath a portion of their funds and property to donate to those in need, and to place a simple wooden cross on the grave.
On the other hand, in this way Christians confess their readiness to follow Christ and hope for the salvation of their souls. After all, the instrument of our salvation, the Cross of Christ, was made of wood.
Perhaps my mother’s desire to carry a wooden cross on Judgment Day should not be taken literally, but she certainly wanted to have evidence that she had carried her Cross through all the trials of earthly life.
God bless.

Priest Sergius Osipov

Father, bless! At my father's grave, curb stones were used for landscaping. I want to put a monument on the grave and remove the curb stones. Can they be used on summer cottage? Save me, God.

Oleg

Hello, Oleg! These stones are your property, you can do with them as you wish. But I personally wouldn’t take stones home from the cemetery.

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

An Orthodox cross was installed at my mother’s burial place 57 years ago. Now I want to erect a monument. Is it possible to replace or remove an old cross that has become unusable?

Alexander

Hello, Alexander! You can erect a monument with the image of a cross, and the old cross, so as not to be desecrated, can be burned or sawn into pieces and burned again.

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

Hello! I really want to embroider my husband and I’s wedding portrait. Everything is ready for this. Mom, having learned about my desire, said a couple of days later that this should not be done, that this was something like a monument during my lifetime. I was very upset, so I want to know if this is so, and is it possible to embroider a wedding portrait? Maybe you need to go to church and ask for blessings before starting work. Please tell me what is the right thing to do?

A tombstone is a financially significant purchase. The difference in prices is more than 200 thousand rubles. (minimum cost – 10 thousand). Therefore, the question of when is the best time to install a monument is the main one for most buyers.

How long after the funeral

When installing a monument, the issue of practicality is of paramount importance: the soil on the grave must shrink as much as possible. Otherwise, there is a risk that the soil will not withstand the load and the tombstone will warp. The timing of the work may vary depending on the structure of the soil:

• After 6 months. Land shrinkage occurs at 60%. Guaranteed reliability is provided by the option in which it is installed on a prepared foundation. This type of work entails increased costs;
• After 1 year. The soil shrinks by 80%. Concrete beams or metal channels are used for installation. This is the most common and affordable option;
• After 5 years. Soil shrinkage occurs at 100%. Additional means of strengthening are not required, so the monument will not tilt even after decades.

The Orthodox canons do not give specific recommendations regarding the timing of installation. The question of placement of the cross is interpreted freely by the church - the option “at the head” and “at the feet” is allowed.

IMPORTANT! Immediately after the funeral, a plaque with the name of the deceased and dates of birth and death is installed on the grave. Such a registration mark is required for burial. In Orthodoxy, its functions are performed by a wooden cross.

What time of year is it better to erect a monument?

For each region, the timing varies and is regulated by the cemetery administration depending on climatic conditions. Several points must be taken into account:

• For central Russia, work is carried out from May 15 to October 15;
• In southern regions, installation times may be longer;
• The most suitable period is summer;
• Work is not carried out in late autumn - in winter the soil shrinks;
• The main limitation is that the soil must thaw in the spring.

IMPORTANT! On outdoors construction work is carried out in good weather - the presence of excess moisture complicates the process and reduces the quality of the installation.

What is needed to install a monument

As usual, and is the prerogative of the cemetery administration or the contractor who has entered into an agreement with it. Independent installation of a tombstone is carried out with the permission of the administration.

At the time of the funeral, one of the relatives of the deceased is appointed as responsible for further work on installing the monument on the grave. Only this person has the right to obtain permission from the administration after submitting the following documents:

• Certificate for the grave;
• Application for installation;
• Passport of the person responsible for the burial;
• The contract for the production of the monument and the document confirming its payment (receipt or invoice).

At independent organization relatives of work on the installation of tombstones, flower beds, fences, the administration does not bear any responsibility for their safety, since these products are not its property.

How the monument is installed

Installation work is carried out in accordance with certain rules:

• Within the time limits permitted by the cemetery administration (traditionally from May 15 to October 15);
• In certain areas specified by the administration. If buried in an unauthorized place, the administration has the right to remove the monument;
• An area of ​​2 m by 1.8 m is provided for 2 burials. To increase the size, a documentary justification is provided to the administration, which is satisfied if possible;
• Some cemeteries have restrictions on the height and size of monuments and fences. Usual height indicators: 0.5 m for a fence, 1.5 m for a monument (sometimes 2 m). The exact parameters should be clarified with the administration;
• Written permission is also required to install a fence. Its location is planned so as not to interfere with the passage to neighboring graves:
• It is not allowed to install fences using sharp spikes.

To obtain accurate information about the rules and regulations for installing monuments in a particular cemetery, you should contact the administration.

What kind of monument to erect?

The traditional version of the monument consists of several elements:

• Pedestal;
• A stela is a vertical slab with images and inscriptions. In military cemeteries, a monument is erected - a vertical pillar with identical edges, tapering upward;
• Tombstone (sometimes with a built-in flower bed);
• Flower garden.

The design of each part is made in accordance with a standard project; individual elements can be adjusted at the request of the customer.

One of the types of monuments is memorial Complex– a composition for several graves located nearby. In this case, special permission from the administration is required.

The main materials for manufacturing are granite and marble, especially expensive ones are metal products (cast or forged). Budget options are monuments made of cast marble or polymer granite - materials obtained from granite or marble chips.

When installing a monument on a grave, it is worth considering the features of the material of manufacture:

• Granite monument It is quite lightweight, so its installation does not require a long period of time for the soil to shrink;
• Marble monument weighs much more, for its installation it is necessary to withstand as long a period as possible (or choose a different material).

Installation work requires professional knowledge, so it’s worth turning to specialists. Our company produces and installs monuments of various configurations in accordance with the models presented in the catalog. All the necessary information (price, assortment, contacts) is on the website pages. Here you can make an application online and get advice from a manager by phone.

Christian graves are usually marked with a cross, regardless of which branch of this religion the deceased belonged to during life. But by the shape of the cross and by some signs of its design, it is possible with a high degree of probability to determine who rests under it: Orthodox or Catholic.

Catholicism

He is especially attentive to observing all the rules and rituals prescribed by the church. A true representative of this religion, as a rule, is very devout and during his life, according to strict instructions, he always wears a crucifix on his chest.

After death, a cross, canonical from the point of view of Catholicism, must be installed at the place of his burial. Moreover, not only its appearance, but also the installation principles themselves are also strictly regulated.

Catholic branch of Christianity differs from the other 2 especially in its consistent adherence to various rules and regulations. The rituals and paraphernalia must be observed most strictly by believers: this applies to both lifetime and posthumous religious ceremonies.

Without exception, all Catholic ceremonial actions have a clear hierarchy that is explained in every detail. Deviations from the rules are especially undesirable when organizing a funeral. After all, burial, from the point of view of faith, is a process that largely determines the further existence of the immortal soul. How she will appear before the Lord on the Day of the Last Judgment depends on how carefully the church norms are fulfilled.

The appearance and design of the Catholic cross must be special

Firstly, it is always four-pointed (as opposed to the six- or eight-pointed Orthodox). It looks overall very simple, its lower part seems elongated.

On its upper part (above the Savior’s head) there is usually a tablet with the inscription in Latin - INRI (which means “Iesus Nazareus Rex Iudaorum”, that is, “Jesus the Nazarene King of the Jews”).

In the presence of a crucifixion, Christ's legs are folded together, since his body is nailed with 3, and not 4 nails, as in the Orthodox faith. The image of the Savior itself is made very naturalistically. He is usually depicted as a man experiencing true torment.

His almost lifeless body hangs heavily on the nails, his face is distorted in pain, and blood flows from his wounds. Sometimes on the forehead of Jesus a crown of thorns is visible, tearing the flesh. All these details emphasize the idea of ​​a mortal sacrifice to atone for sins.

Generally accepted design Catholic crucifixes are usually modest, without pompous decorations. However, it can sometimes look more whimsical. For example, it is allowed to imitate ribbons, ropes or rose stems with thorns that seem to hold the crossbars together. Sometimes the ends of the cross are made into shapes.

At the same time, the following rule always remains unshakable: in no case should you hang a portrait of the deceased on a cross, since only the crucifixion of Christ is appropriate on it. However, as an exception, engraving of a photograph at its foot is permitted. This partly symbolizes the apocryphal skull of Adam, which is sometimes drawn in this very place when full version images of a sacrifice scene. After all, the execution was carried out on Golgotha ​​- the burial place of the father of humanity, on whose remains the blood of the Redeemer was shed, washing away his sins.

The rules for installing the Catholic cross also have great importance

At first, Catholicism prescribed the location of the cross exclusively at the head of the burial. However, later this condition ceased to be strict, and today two types of installation are allowed, each of which has its own interpretation.

Is there a tradition of installing funeral symbols or canons, let's figure it out.

The Orthodox cross is one of the traditional symbols

The cross on the grave of a Christian is a silent preacher of reverent immortal life and the upcoming resurrection. The deceased, as a rule, is placed in the grave with his head to the west and his feet to the east, supposedly the deceased goes to the east. The West is associated with the end of life, its decline, and the East with eternal life. And it is customary to pray, turning to the Lord to the east, in anticipation of the Second Coming of Christ. During his lifetime, the cross was on the chest of a Christian believer and now it is also with him, the crucifix is ​​turned towards the deceased and stands at his feet. In the event of the deceased rising from the grave, he could contemplate great victory Lord over Satan and could take up the cross and walk along the path to God. “Yes, is it really possible to hammer a cross into your head,” many say.

Reading the diaries of church ministers, you can also see the following lines: “The Orthodox cross is placed at the feet of the deceased and nothing else.” But what to do, you ask, if the cross is installed incorrectly? Will this not disturb the deceased and will this be considered a sin? Father Nikolai answers: “The cross is a symbol of fidelity to our Lord on life path Christian from baptism to the separation of body and soul. And on the day of the uprising of all those buried, the first thing that appears before the eye is a symbol of salvation. And those whose cross stands at the head of their head will hit their heads against it. And all reasonable deeds in the name of goodness and goodness are our duty, therefore helping our neighbor correct a mistake is not a sin.” A monument is also erected in place of the cross. The cross is burned or buried in a grave or open field.

Informed Christian opinion.

Archpriest Vladimir Bushuev says this: The deceased is carried feet first and his face seems to be looking where he is being carried. In the Temple it lies with its feet towards the Altar, also facing the east. They bury their heads to the west and their faces to the east, so that they can silently pray and look at the sunrise. The birth of the Sun occurs in the East, and the death of the Sun in the West. And the Temple is being built to the East. In accordance with Orthodox canons, the monument is placed on the grave in the place of the cross, also at the feet of the deceased. And what is important for him is your prayer for his soul and good deeds in memory of a person dear to you.

Working through this question, came across one article in which the Minsk diocese gave the answer.

Based on the above, I can say the following: every Christian will act as he pleases. But still, the customs and canons of our ancestors must be respected.