Where to put the cross from the grave after installing the monument?

Most often, when a wooden cross is replaced with a monument, the workers take the cross with them. It was like that for us and I didn’t even think that we needed to do something about it.

But many believe that it is better to burn this cross in a cemetery.

An interesting question, somehow it never even occurred to me, but really where should the cross be put after the monument has been erected, since both the cross and the monument cannot stand together.

That year, they erected a monument to my grandfather, so the workers who erected the monument took it with them, probably then they simply threw away the monument, because it was temporary, made of wood, you definitely can’t sell it for metal.

Some people burn crosses, but the rest are simply thrown into a landfill.

If a wooden cross was installed on the grave before the monument, then it can be burned and the ashes simply scattered over this grave. If the cross is made of metal, then the best option would be to simply bury the cross right there in the tombstone. But you can’t throw away crosses.

Particularly ardent adherents of Christianity do not remove the wooden cross at all until it has completely decayed.

Some also, without removing the cross, erect a monument at the same time - low, right in front of the cross.

You can also install a monument at the other end of the grave; this is most logical, since the cross is at the feet of the deceased, and the monument is placed at the head.

In any case, the cross cannot be thrown into a landfill, much less sold. It is best to burn the cross and scatter the remaining ashes to the wind or over the grave.

If the cross is metal or granite, it can be dug into the grave itself.

By the way, it is not recommended to erect a monument earlier than a year after the burial: you need to wait until the earth settles well.

As far as I know, when installing a monument, the cross is placed either near the fence or in the fence itself, and then after a while it can be thrown out or burned.

You can also ask the priest in any church what to do with the cross and he will explain everything to you in detail.

Before memorial days At the cemetery of our locality, work was organized to clean up the cemetery area. Cleaned up and took out trash. There were also metal crosses that people threw away when installing more expensive monuments. It’s clear that no one will take this home and this shouldn’t be done, but from the landfill where the garbage is taken, people without OMG will take these metal crosses and hand them over to a scrap metal collection point.

In our region now they usually don’t do anything with crosses; I saw them piled up in the cemetery. It is possible that they are then burned.

If there is a temple or chapel on the territory of the cemetery, it is better to ask for advice. It is also believed that you can give the cross to those in need, but in our region this is also not accepted.

An old, unnecessary tombstone cross must be burned; it is a sin to throw it away. But a monument, even if it depicts a cross, will not replace a tombstone cross. There must be a cross on the grave

The ideal option is to burn the cross and scatter the ashes in a cross pattern over the grave, and also leave the cross along with the monument. The metal cross can be disassembled and buried in a gravestone. It is also acceptable to give the cross to a needy family or to a church at a cemetery if it is in good condition.

After a person's death, a cross is placed on the grave. Most often wooden. Only after a year is a monument or marble slab placed on the grave. Usually all old crosses are thrown into a cemetery landfill. The best option is to burn the cross. Yes, and calmer. If the cross is iron, bury it.

The grave cross is sacred for every Orthodox believer. He must be treated with respect and understanding. If you suddenly decide to replace the cross with a monument, then the cross of Christ’s crucifixion must be displayed on the monument, otherwise, without an image of the cross, it will be a useless block of stone, or a piece of metal, if it is made of such. What to do with the cross that was to be replaced? It should absolutely not be thrown away. If the cross was made of wood, then it is more advisable to burn it, scattering the ashes on the tombstone. If it was made of metal or some other non-combustible material, it should be buried in the gravestone. This will be the best option and the correct one. Even plaster crucifixes, which are found in homes and have become unusable, should not be thrown away, but when you go to the cemetery, take them with you and bury them in a tombstone. In a word, it is necessary to treat the cross with respect. I also wanted to draw attention to the fact that on the front side, the inclined cross bar should always show at 10 and 16 o’clock, and never at 14 and 20 o’clock. Why am I saying this, but to the fact that when I visit cemeteries, I very often notice such an incorrect installation of the cross. It's just that many people don't know about it, or forget.

Ask the administrator. Usually somewhere in the outskirts of the cemetery or not far outside the territory there is a landfill. If you need to dismantle and dispose of a concrete or stone tombstone, a cart will come in handy.

The remains of an old tombstone are sometimes used for the foundation. If there is a massive stele on the grave, it can be buried entirely right on the site. It will serve as a foundation, and at the same time, such a solution will save you from the difficult disposal of a heavy monument. But on this matter, it is better to consult with the workers who will install the new tombstone.

If the monument is massive, bury it on the site no possibility, consult the experts. You may need a special one. equipment for dismantling and removal.

If the stone is not badly damaged, you can try to sell it. Some funeral parlors polish old monuments and sell them in a new way. Ask around in shops near the cemetery, usually they are the ones who “indust” in this kind of business. Don’t count on big profits - they’ll pay you pennies, but at least they’ll take it away themselves and save you from worrying about disposing of the monument.

People often ask: what to do with a wooden cross? Throwing away a cross is blasphemy, and burying it is not the best option. There are several solutions:

If the cross is in good condition, it can be removed during dismantling and then put back on the grave. This is often found in cemeteries - the monument stands at the head, and at the feet, as expected, is a wooden cross.

It can be sold, especially if the cross is carved and well preserved. There's nothing wrong with that, even Orthodox priests They will confirm this to you.

If the cross is old, and you do not want to offend the shrine, it must be disassembled into boards and burned. Previously, wooden crosses were handed over to butcher churches. They heated the stoves: the disposal is environmentally friendly, and the symbol of the Lord’s Crucifixion is not trampled upon, and the parishioners feel warm.

In ancient times, the column was considered a conductor between earth and heaven and was a symbol of the presence of God in earthly life.

And in pagan cultures, high pillars - idols - were worshiped and even sacrificed, recognizing deities in the gigantic columns.

If you do not want to deal with the dismantling and disposal of the monument yourself, talk to the cemetery workers. Usually these people are simple people - they will hire you for work inexpensively. But the quality will be appropriate.

The most reliable option is order both dismantling and disposal from the same team that will erect the new monument. These guys are responsible for the final result of the installation, so it is in their best interests to do a high-quality dismantling. Yes, you'll have to pay. But there is a reason: workers spend time, effort, and if the monument is massive, then it is hard physical labor.

The price cannot be determined offhand - only a specialist will be able to estimate the cost of the work, and already on site. The price for dismantling a metal stele with a simple flower bed is symbolic. And if the whole complex needs to be dismantled, or, for example, a stone monument has half sunk underground, the cost of dismantling will rise noticeably.

Can. Religion does not prohibit doing this. And it doesn’t matter for what reason: it got worse appearance, collapsed or not satisfied with the shape. Relatives can replace the monument with a new one.

There are signs among the people. Many people believe that it is impossible to change the monument on the grave. But this is just a sign that is not related to religion. The clergy who were asked a similar question are of the same opinion - it is allowed to restore order and improve the grave site.

As for the details of the burial ritual, they differ in the regions of Belarus. The only thing that the clergy clarify is the religion of the deceased. It is recommended to bury people of different faiths in different cemeteries.

Common reasons for replacing a monument:

• there is no photograph, inscription, painting on the reverse side;
• cracks, chips have appeared, a photograph or inscription has been damaged;
• the foundation collapsed, the old monument leaned and collapsed;

Why does the view deteriorate?

It’s good when the replacement is due to the desire to make the monument more beautiful and better: to add a few important details, information or a photograph. But usually loved ones have to resort to buying new memorials when the old one gets damaged. This happens during natural disasters, aging, insufficient good quality installation or material of manufacture.

When choosing a funeral workshop, you must also carefully evaluate the quality of the services provided and the monument itself. With professional performance of all work related to installation and selection of durable materials, the product will retain its appearance for more than 100 years.

It happens that the team responsible for the installation makes mistakes. This results in a weak foundation and frame. The monument will simply tilt or fall. IN best case scenario you'll just have to reinstall it. At worst, replace it with a new one.

How to achieve a quality installation

If there are cracks in the monument, there is a high probability that it will collapse quickly. Therefore, it is important to check the integrity of the monument when purchasing. Of course, this is not what you want to do, but you shouldn’t throw money away either.

There are people who prefer to install products themselves. Naturally, without the proper skills and experience, you can make mistakes that will lead to the rapid destruction of the monument. Therefore, it is better to trust the installation of the monument to professionals. Of course, it can always be replaced, but it’s better to do it well the first time.

Important

All work, including cleaning the burial site and disposal of the old monument, is carried out by the craftsmen who install it. Can't leave old monument or throw it away at the nearest landfill. Such services can be ordered separately or entrusted to professionals.

More than once from fellow villagers before parenting days, including on the eve of Trinity parent's Saturday, I happened to hear questions: how to remember loved ones correctly, is it possible to change tombstones and crosses that fell over time, rotted, and where to put them when replacing them with new ones... The ZS correspondent addressed these and other questions to the rector of the Nelkan Church of the Annunciation Mother of God Father Konstantin.

There is no need to remember the dead in the cemetery with food. This custom has no religious basis - Father Konstantin says. - It appeared in Soviet times, when churches were closed. On memorial days, people came to cemeteries and, according to their own understanding, commemorated their deceased relatives. Over the years, this custom, not sanctified by the church, acquired hypertrophied forms. Po-minks turn into picnics with copious amounts of alcohol. There is a decline in spiritual culture. This is why it is necessary to compare our actions with church teaching about the afterlife.

The Church plays the same role in the world as salt for food. Just as food without salt has no taste, so human customs without church consecration deteriorate, and society gradually degrades. Therefore, it is necessary to explain the meaning of what is happening in cemeteries in parenting days. First of all, these are days of spiritual, prayerful remembrance, and not a holiday of the belly and not a reason to drink. On this day we must come to the church, light candles, write a note with the names of the deceased, and thereby add our prayer to the one that is performed in the temple on this day. This is our spiritual mercy towards the dead. A sign that we are spiritually together with them and do not forget them even when our heart is filled with the joy of the holiday of the Holy Trinity. Together with the church, we ask for an improvement in the fate of their souls in the afterlife. After all, the soul, created in the image and likeness of the immortal God, is not destroyed at the moment of death. “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for with Him all are alive” (Gospel of Luke, pl. 20, verse 38). Then we can go to the cemetery to care for the graves of our loved ones and prayerfully congratulate them on Pentecost. The deceased hear our prayers. You can sprinkle millet for the birds. Caring for our little brothers is also a form of remembrance. And that's enough.

The Apostle Paul, seeing the intemperance of his contemporaries, admonished them: “Don’t you have houses where you can eat and drink?” Is there a place for a meal in a place of decay? Is there a place for a feast in a place of rest? Shouldn't the deceased, tired of their earthly life, finally be given the right to rest from the turmoil? Don't they deserve it? Based on these considerations, the church does not bless funeral feasts in cemeteries, as it is not a Christian matter.

- Does what has been said mean that what is happening is eating food and alcohol, walking from one grave to another - this is simply paganism? But people don’t know what to do. I have heard more than once in Aim, and also in Nelkan, from local residents, that before it was generally not customary for the Evenks to go to the cemetery. They buried him and left him alone.

When people were churchgoers, such a custom did not exist not only among the Evenks, but throughout Russia. He appeared during the era of the struggle against the Church. Arranging funeral meals at burial sites is a revival of pre-Christian customs, pagan funeral feasts, accompanied by orgies and all sorts of lasciviousness. This is a consequence of the loss of true knowledge about the afterlife. The Church calls us to take comfort not in perishable food, but in the word of God: “Truly, truly, I say to you, the time is coming, and has already come, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and having heard it, they will live... And they will come out.” those who did good into the resurrection of life, and those who did evil into the resurrection of condemnation” (Evan. from John, chapter 5, vv. 25, 29). What a consolation to know that our separation is not forever, but only for a while, because our Lord Jesus Christ promises to resurrect them, just as He resurrected Himself! We need to leave our departed alone and learn to remember them with prayer and good deeds. It will be good for them more benefits, as we ourselves will be convinced of, moving in due time to eternity.

- What does the church think, is it possible to replace a cross or monument if it has rotted over the years and fallen? Where should I put it?

Since the monuments installed on the graves are not consecrated, it is permissible to dispose of rotten and unusable ones along with other garbage. If the Cross was installed and consecrated, then the disposal of consecrated objects, which become unusable over time, occurs by burning them or lowering them into the river. You can also bury them in the ground when burying someone, lowering them into the grave along with the deceased.

- I would also like to note that on parenting days, many leave food and alcohol at the graves of their relatives. Supposedly for the deceased. What do you think about it?

The dead do not need food left behind. The soul, having separated from the body, does not need material food. Therefore, it is better not to leave it on the graves, since after the people leave, a dog feast begins. It seems that it is better to feed dogs in another place, because often, excuse me, they immediately defecate, desecrating our shrines. And graves and cemeteries are considered holy, just like temples. Animals have nothing to do here. It’s better to treat someone with food. Such alms, in memory of the deceased, will bring great benefit to his soul from the hands of Christ himself. And sprinkle millet on the grave, the birds, after pecking, will pray in their own way to the Creator for the deceased. “We try, as much as possible, to help the departed, instead of tears, instead of sobs, instead of magnificent tombs - with our prayers, alms and offerings for them, so that in this way both they and we will receive the promised benefits.” , - wrote St. John Chrysostom.

- I would also like to say that every deceased Orthodox Christian must be commemorated annually on his birthday, death, and name day. On such days, it is advisable to donate to the needs of the church, give alms with a request to pray for the departed.

Interviewed
Tatiana Fonova.

When to install a monument on a grave. Where to put it?

Dates for installing a monument in the cemetery.

There are two views on the question of when to install a monument on a grave. Sometimes you hear that you need to place it after 40 days. Of course, from the point of view of common sense, a monument should be erected when the ground has settled after burial, soil has been added, and the foundation has completely dried out. If you do not do this, you cannot avoid the monument skewing to one side, or worse, subsidence or sinking into the ground. The time for complete shrinkage of the earth after burial is considered to be a year.

Worth your time Special attention correct installation of the monument on the grave. On one ground, an easy installation is sufficient; for heavy monuments and viscous moving soil, it is necessary to pour a good foundation that firmly connects the stele, stand, plinth or fence. Installation must be thought out, water drainage and ground level must be taken into account. If you decide to erect a monument yourself and monitor the grave in the future, it will not be superfluous to know why graves sink.

The monument must be installed in dry, warm weather, during the season, which lasts from May 15 to October 15. The same applies to installing a fence, table, bench or plinth.

What does the Christian religion say about this? In Orthodox funerals it is customary to install a cross, and this is the main thing. As for the monument, the only thing the priests recommend on this issue is keeping the cross in a fence or having an engraved cross on the monument.

Do you know why it is necessary to install a monument on a grave? Should the cross be replaced with a monument? We wrote a separate article about this.

We figured out when to install a monument on a grave; this is necessarily a warm time of year and not before a year After the burial, now let's talk about installing a monument in the cemetery. First about legal side question. You can buy and order a monument wherever you want, where the price suits you, where the craftsmen take your fancy. No one has the right to limit you in your choice. Professional installers should be invited to install the monument; unprofessional installation of the monument can lead to the product falling and even to its destruction, which would be very undesirable.

Where are monuments placed? As a rule, the stele is installed in place of a wooden or metal cross, which in turn can be preserved and rearranged directly behind the monument. If you do not want to keep the cross, it has become weathered or deteriorated; according to Christian customs, the cross is not thrown away, but a tourniquet is used.

Each religious ceremony has its own rules for installing a monument. It can be placed at the feet of the deceased or at the head. Having erected a monument as required by religion, they often install a fence, it creates a feeling of privacy.

Old people often ask their relatives not to erect a monument at all, a heavy tombstone evokes negative emotions in them, many say: don’t let the stone strangle me, don’t let the stone put pressure on me, etc. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to talk about the wishes of your elderly relatives, try to ask about this during your lifetime, and as a result, fulfill their will. If you can't ask or decide, then just do what's best for you, what's best for your peace of mind.

Let's return to the installation of the monument. Today there are no too strict standards and standards for the installation of stone products on graves, but there are some details that are still worth paying attention to. Approximately 5-7 years after burial, relatively inexpensive coffins begin to deteriorate, the earth sinks into the resulting voids, and the grave may sag. During a normal installation of a monument that is not reinforced with horizontal beams, the monument may tilt and will have to be remounted. To take into account all the details of when and how to install a monument, it is best to turn to professional installers. Experience in such installations will allow you to save money and not worry after several years.