When should a monument be erected after a funeral? Where should the tombstone cross and monument be located?

Often, people who consider themselves Orthodox have disputes about how to arrange the grave of a deceased relative, so that, on the one hand, not to violate the canons, and on the other hand, to make everything, as they say, no worse than that of other people. This publication contains advice from clergy on the most frequently asked questions.

Where to put the cross?

It is generally accepted that in the Orthodox tradition it is to place a cross at the feet of the deceased, while Catholics place crosses at the heads. But even in Orthodox cemeteries, a cross installed at the feet can rarely be seen. According to priest Igor Semyonov, there is no heresy in either tradition. The cross installed at the feet symbolizes the support that will help the resurrected person rise from the grave. The cross installed at the head is a symbol of victory over dark forces, which the resurrected man will carry as a banner.

Which monument does not contradict Orthodox traditions?

Hegumen Fyodor Yablokov explains that it should be a wooden or stone cross, but a stone tombstone is also allowed. Place a portrait of the deceased on a monument made in the shape of a cross Orthodox priests not recommended. The cross symbolizes the crucifixion, so placing a portrait of a person on it looks somewhat blasphemous. You can place an icon of the Savior on the cross, and a photo of the deceased on the monument (if both a monument and a cross were installed on the grave) or on the fence. Epitaphs bearing spiritual or philosophical meaning, Orthodox tradition welcomes.

Are tables and benches appropriate near the grave in the fence?

The very fact of installing a table and bench near the grave does not contradict Orthodox traditions. The road to the cemetery can be long, and there is nothing against religious morality in sitting down to rest, and maybe even refresh yourself. The church condemns drunken feasts at graves and leaving food “for the deceased.”

Is it permissible to arrange mock graves at the sites where people died in road accidents, erecting crosses and bringing wreaths?

A grave cross is only appropriate in a burial place, according to clergy. But at the same time, there is nothing reprehensible in marking the place of death of a person with a cross (not a grave cross). Perhaps someone, seeing such a cross, will pray for the soul of the deceased, and someone will remember to be careful on the roads.

When someone close to you passes into eternity, the last thing you want to think about is any practical issues. However, one has to deal with problems such as organizing a funeral, memorial dinner, etc., and later the question inevitably arises of when the monument can be erected.

Concerning religious rules, the church does not give clear instructions about the time of installation of tombstones. There is only one rule that should not be broken from an Orthodox point of view - placing a cross on the grave. This must be done on the same day as the burial. Everything else is not of fundamental importance in religion, so relatives have the right to independently decide when to erect a monument.

At the same time, the correct installation of a tombstone has important, since the monument is an expression of respect for the personality of the deceased, and relatives of the deceased strive to do everything possible to preserve the memory of him for centuries.

If we talk about practical issues, experts recommend installing tombstone structures no earlier than every year. This is due to the natural properties of the earth, which must be given enough time to settle and compact well. Practice shows that during this period of time the grave mound becomes almost twice as low.

There is an opinion that it is better to install the monument after two years, since there is more guarantee that the soil will settle completely and the gravestone will remain in a horizontal position. If you do not maintain a certain period of time after burial, there is a likely risk that an outwardly new and beautiful monument looks sideways - everyone who has been to the cemetery has repeatedly observed a similar picture.

Relatives have the right to do as they please; I would just like to note that thanks to new technologies, the installation of the monument became possible immediately after the burial. However, in practical terms, no negative consequences occur, since modern systems The fortifications of the monument can withstand quite heavy loads. From a religious point of view, you need to wait at least 40 days and only after that start decorating the grave. In any case, this is what most priests say.

If relatives decide to wait, you can get by with a temporary tombstone for some period. It can be either a wooden cross or just a small slab made of inexpensive materials. The main thing is that even from a temporary monument it is possible to identify the burial place of a particular person. For these purposes, it is necessary to place an appropriate sign indicating the name and surname of the deceased, and the dates of birth and death must also be displayed.

Many people are interested in the question: should they remove the cross immediately after they decide to mount the monument, or leave it standing next to the monument? Again, it is best to consult with church representatives on this issue. However, if you are not superstitious, nothing bad will happen if the cross is dismantled and a presentable stele is installed in its place. By the way, a cross can also be engraved on the monument.

Another important one practical advice from experts - it is not recommended to erect a monument in winter. Due to the fact that the ground is very frozen at this time of year, it is simply not possible to install a tombstone efficiently and reliably.

In addition, permits from the cemetery administration, without which such work cannot be carried out, are issued strictly within a specified period of time - from mid-May to mid-October. Of course, in order to save money, you can order a monument at any time of the year, but installation is possible later, when it gets noticeably warmer.

Many people ask the question when a monument is installed on a grave, without taking into account other nuances. For example, it is equally important what type of soil prevails at the burial site, as well as what material the monument is made of. The most successful soil from the point of view of reliability is sandy soil, but clay is not always suitable for installing heavy structures, despite the fact that the structure is placed on a concrete base.

By the way, about the weight of the monument. If you decide to use a marble stele to decorate the grave of the deceased, you should remember that marble is a very heavy material. The installation of such headstones must be approached with extreme caution. It is better to allow a sufficient period of time for the soil to completely shrink, or to further strengthen the soil.

A few words about how to care for the monument. Many people advise covering steles for the winter with cellophane film or other materials. This is done in order to protect the stone from the harmful effects of precipitation and bad weather conditions. At the same time, experts argue that such safety measures only aggravate the situation and the appearance of condensation can damage the surface of the structure. If the monument is made of natural stone - marble, granite, its natural properties allow it to be quite durable, and such a monument will stand long years without additional protective measures.

In order to replace a tombstone with a monument, you need to submit an application to the cemetery administration on the basis of a death certificate. This application can only be submitted by the person who was appointed responsible for the burial at the funeral and, accordingly, has a certificate of the construction of the tombstone.

To obtain permission to install a monument, you will need to provide the administration with a passport, a certificate of construction of a tombstone, an agreement with a payment receipt indicating that you ordered a monument or fence, and you will also need to write an application.

Usually the installation of monuments is carried out by the cemetery administration itself. However, you can also submit an application stating that you want to do the installation yourself. It should be understood that monuments, flower beds, fences are your personal property and the administration is not responsible for their damage.

Before installing a monument, ask the administration about rules, among which may be that the monument should not obstruct or block access to other graves, it should contain reliable information, correct dates and full names. Legally you can't use one big monument for 3 let's say related graves, as confusion may occur. Part of the monument should not protrude beyond the boundaries of the site, and its size, for example in some cemeteries, is regulated by no more than two meters in height.

The same rules apply to fences. Not all cemeteries allow you to install a fence; for those that do, you must first submit a written application. The fence should not block access to other graves, the size of the fence should correspond to the size of the plot, the average height is 0.5 meters, the use of sharp peaks is prohibited.

Which monument to choose?

Marble monument light color, and therefore they do not engrave on it, that is, the master will not be able to transfer the image itself and the inscriptions directly onto the stone, since it will be difficult to see. Not some people still carve a portrait on a light stone:

Therefore, most often additional granite slabs are attached to the monument, where inscriptions or images are already embossed (in the center there is a circle of granite):

Or they use photoceramics, gluing an oval color photograph to the monument:

Although marble is rare black color, however, it has pronounced white patches:

Marble is a more pliable material and is used to make stunning statues, monuments, and sculptures. In any case, marble is more suitable for decorative elements, for example, from it, you can make a cross like this, as you can see, they added a granite tablet at the bottom to leave an inscription, they decided not to take a photo:

To add a photograph to a marble monument, you can use any photo sealed in glass:

Due to its pliability and relative softness, marble is inferior to granite in durability; under the pressure of nature, inscriptions become discolored, the color of the stone fades, small cracks may appear, and in addition, light-colored monuments become dirty faster. At least once every 5 years you need to call a specialist to update protective layer on the monument and, if necessary, carried out restoration.

Granite is a more resistant material, but it is practically not used to make complex sculptural works, often marble and granite are combined together in one monument. Granite has many types and colors from yellow to red. However, for portraits drawn on the stone itself, only black colors are used; for the rest, just like for marble, you will have to use inserts.

Karelian and Australian gabbro-diabase are considered the best; Ukrainian gabbro is cheaper, but of lower quality. In any case, the agency will advise you and select a monument depending on what you want to do with it: an image, an inscription, or a sculpture.

If you want to the image or inscriptions were directly on the stone, then you need to take black granite. Previously, artists transferred images onto black granite. This process is complex, but high quality. The artist puts his soul into the image, the image turns out lifelike.

In addition, when individually tapping with knitting needles, the image is stable and reliable. Today, funeral firms are increasingly purchasing so-called engraving machines; in this case, all that is needed is to place the photograph in the printer, and the machine itself will “tap” and emboss the portrait on granite. After the machine embosses the portrait, the stone with the image is transferred to the engraver, who completes the unbroken areas and, in general, brings the portrait to the desired state.

In addition to the photograph itself, on the back of the granite they often depict what the deceased loved. For example, an artist will be able to knock out a car, summer garden, sea, and much more. Therefore, if you want a truly high-quality image on a monument, still find a funeral agency with real artists who can transfer the image to the monument as if it were alive.

Before ordering an image on granite look at the portfolio artists:

Each artist is individual and sees and transfers the image to the monument in his own way. Color images are obtained by applying special paint to the monument, after direct engraving. As for the design itself, it can be anything, only you decide what shape, size, and material the monument will be. It can be in the shape of a heart, a cross, a stele, and many other shapes.

In any case, contacting a funeral agency will help you choose something to your liking. However, remember that natural stone is always more expensive than artificial stone, the work of an artist more expensive than work automatic machine.

Advice. Choose your granite carefully. Any granite monument Not Pure black, if you look closely at it, it has a grainy structure, these inclusions affect the work of artists. Imagine that there is a bright spot exactly in the place where the pupil of the eye should be located, and if there are many such spots, then the image may turn out a little worse than if there were fewer inclusions. However, an experienced artist will always be able to draw a portrait, although it will be more difficult for him to do it on such a stone.

Conclusion. First, decide whether you want the deceased to be depicted on the monument. Then choose exactly how you want to transfer the image to the monument: photo ceramics, a portrait in glass, an artist or a machine will draw on the monument itself.

For example, if you want to use a photo in glass, then you do not have to choose black granite; you can choose a monument of any color, because the photo of the deceased will simply be embedded in the stone. For non-black granite monuments, workshops, as a rule, make special inscriptions that are not stamped on the stone itself, but are sort of glued to it.

Be sure to ask how it will look! It is not uncommon for people, out of ignorance, to order engraving of inscriptions or even a portrait on light marble or other stones not intended for this. It works out cheaper, but looks like white on white.

Also ask, what technology to choose for applying the image? For example, you want to order photoceramics. The decal is more durable, of higher quality and more expensive, while the Thermal Transfer is cheaper, is faster to produce, but is of lower quality and is more suitable as a temporary option for a cross.

In addition, there are different types ceramics: Slip cast ceramics – cheaper and of lower quality; Dry pressed ceramics – more expensive, but of higher quality. And porcelain tiles, which are ideal for placing a large portrait.

Compare both options and choose the one that suits you. Remember that photoceramics can be of any shape and size, from a standard oval to a rectangle. The technology of applying an image to the monument itself is called engraving; it comes in two types: manual - when the image is embossed by an artist, and automatic, when it is done by a machine. It is believed that handmade images are more durable and durable.

Questions and answers:

The portrait on the monument is not similar:

Perhaps you gave too small a photo and the artist brought out what is shown in the photo, but in real life the man looked a little different. In any case, before the artist started working, you should have been shown an enlarged image and shown what the final result will be. If the image is very different from what was shown to you, you can order a resurfacing of the monument to redraw the image or use another method of applying the image, such as photoceramics.

In practice there are often dissatisfied customers who do not like the image, which is exactly like the photograph, but relatives claim that in real life the person is completely different than in the photo. But an artist simply cannot know what kind of person he was during his lifetime, so one should not expect anything beyond a miracle from him. The image turns out exactly the same as in the photograph, only in black and white.

How to take a photo from a monument?

If it is photoceramics, then, as a rule, it is tightly glued to the monument. However, you can try to carefully punch through the edges of the portrait using a chisel and hammer. Be prepared for the fact that the photoceramic product will crack and become unusable.

How to transfer a photo to a monument with your own hands?

If you are not an artist, then no way. Even if you know how to draw portraits, you will need special equipment: knitting needles, an engraving machine or a kiln for firing photoceramics. However, it happens that people themselves carve inscriptions on the stone and decorate it themselves:

What is the name of the photo on the monument?

That’s what they call it, a photograph for a monument. You can often come across names like engraving a portrait on a monument or photoceramics on a monument.

Caring for a monument made of granite and marble

Granite. Granite has one unpleasant thing: it literally absorbs grease, which means all your fingers can get imprinted on it. If this happens, then cleaning the monument is problematic, but the advantage is that within a month the small stain will evaporate on its own.

If the stain absolutely needs to be removed, you can use baking soda. Apply a teaspoon of baking soda and water to the greasy stain until the baking soda resembles yogurt. When the solution dries (about a day), simply wipe it off.

To clean a granite monument from dust and dirt, you can use special products purchased in the store, or use a regular soft cloth soaked in warm water. Sometimes a weak soap solution is used.

Use household chemicals You can’t use it to clean the kitchen! After cleaning the monument, wipe it with a dry cloth so that there are no streaks left. Advice: in stores they sell special napkins for stones; take it out and wipe everything clean and there are no streaks.

If there are cracks in granite, even small ones must be covered with a special putty for stone. If this is not done, then in winter, freezing moisture can contribute to the destruction of the stone. If you notice that drops do not form into balls when they hit the monument, then it’s time to renew the protective layer of the monument. To do this, after cleaning with soapy water, apply a special product (usually a spray) and let the sealant soak in for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove excess sealant with a dry cloth.

If paint has come into contact with granite, it is better to purchase a special solvent for stone. It is not recommended to restore inscriptions and portraits on monuments yourself; for this you need to turn to professionals.

Marble. Marble is cheaper and therefore more problematic material. As a rule, even in the workshop, light and black marble is coated with a special composition that prevents contamination and fading in the sun. Marble does not tolerate moisture and high temperatures. When wiping, the rag does not need to be heavily soaked in water. You need to handle the candle carefully, not bringing it too close for too long.

Just like on granite, greasy fingerprints can remain on marble; once again, it is better not to touch the monument, or do it with gloves. When cleaning a marble monument, as a rule, you can use a simple soft rag or sponge soaked in warm water. If necessary, use either special products for cleaning marble or detergents with a low pH level.

Regular detergents can damage the monument. After cleaning the monument and letting it dry, apply a protective agent and wait until it is absorbed. Afterwards, an anti-fading agent is applied (if the marble is colored). Then a special water-repellent composition is applied. To protect the inscriptions, you can use a special emulsion to protect the engraving.

Remember, if you have a vase installed, then before winter you need to pour out the accumulated water from it.

If the appearance of your monument no longer pleases you, if it has lost color, cracks have appeared on it, the image and inscription have begun to wear out over time, then it is better to contact specialists who will carry out everything necessary procedures to restore the monument and give it the best possible appearance. Typically, such services are ordered once every 5 years.

What to do with the cross after installing the monument?

1.Leave a wooden cross next to the monument. Some people honor traditions and believe that a cross must be on the grave, especially if the cross is not depicted on the monument itself.

2. Ask the workers who are installing the monument to take the cross or ask where it can be taken. For example, to the temple, which is located next to the cemetery.

3. Bury the cross in the gravestone.

4. Give the cross to a poor, needy family for a funeral.

5. Burn the cross if it was wooden. Under no circumstances should you throw the cross into a trash can near the cemetery, and you should also not sell the cross.

What to write on the monument?

The monument serves us so that we remember. At the end of the epitaph, many people ask to depict a rose or other flowers. The text of the epitaph can be invented by the relatives themselves, or taken from the Internet. Usually a phrase expressing the feelings of mourners or talking about achievements - good qualities deceased. However, nothing prevents you from using any phrase you want to see on the grave dear person, for example your poems.

You need to remember that if the text is large, then you need to say in advance that you want to place an epitaph. Since on the monument there is first a photograph, then the full name, then the date of birth and date of death, and only then the epitaphs, and if there is a desire and space, then at the end they can add a rosette. If desired, or if there is no space in front, kind words can be placed on back side monument, or on the reverse side you can make a three-dimensional image.

How to choose a photo for a monument?

Engraving. When engraving, the size of the photo is also very important. If, for example, a detail of the eye is not visible in the photo when enlarged, then the artist (if the artist is drawing) will have to complete the drawing of the eyes himself. Imagine yourself that you give a 3 by 4 photograph, and it is enlarged to A4 format in order to transfer it to the monument. Of course, in this case the image loses quality.

The larger and clearer the face image, the easier for an artist paint an accurate portrait.

There are difficult cases when the artist is brought a small, worn-out passport photo, since no other photographs have survived. Then, in addition to the enlarged copy, the artist uses a magnifying glass and peers into small parts faces and redraws (knocks out) these details on the monument. However, in this case, and in all other cases, when the photo is too small and the details are very poorly visible, the artist does not guarantee 100% similarity to the original, but similarity to the small photograph is guaranteed.

Many workshops that produce images for monuments can use Photoshop and retouching.

Should I depict a man in a hat?

For some reason, this is considered bad manners, but if a person wore a cap all his life, loved it very much, and in almost all photographs he is wearing it, then why not depict him in his favorite cap? However, some people ask to remove the headdress using Photoshop.

How old should you portray the person?

Any one you want. There are no religious or ethical considerations on this issue. There are people who consider and depict on the monument the photo closest to the time of death, while others believe that it is possible to depict a younger, old man when he was still in his prime.

Conclusion: Use photos where the face and fine facial details are clearly visible. The larger the photo, the better. If possible, use a glossy photo. In the workshop they will help you choose a photograph; you can select and take with you the best photographs of the deceased. As a rule, they will immediately print out a photo enlarged to A4 format in front of you so that you can see what the end result will be.

Records found: 65

Hello, please tell me, I want to make an inscription on the monument: “God rest, the soul of your departed servant,” but can it be written like this with the name - “Lord rest, the soul of your departed servant Vladimir”? And also, at the end of these words, which sign is better, an ellipsis? Thank you.

Julia

Yes, Julia, you can write it like that. God help you.

Priest Sergius Osipov

Father, hello. I will order a monument to my father with a cross on it. Crosses can be made in different ways - seven, three, five-pointed, which one is better?

Julia

Julia, at the grave Orthodox Christian there must be an Orthodox cross. The rest is up to you.

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

Hello! I have a question: they buried my grandmother with my dad. If you stand facing the grave, then the father’s monument stands as usual (how he was buried - where to face, I don’t remember), and the grandmother’s cross was placed at her feet - it turned out to be on the opposite side of the monument. And if you stand facing the grave, you cannot see the cross with your face. Is it possible to move the cross next to the monument?

Olga

Hello Olga. The cross should stand at the feet of the deceased, lying facing east. If the grandmother is buried like this, it is better not to rearrange it. God help.

Priest Sergius Osipov

Hello, please tell me why passionate attachment to animals is a sin? Thanks for the answer.

Irina

First, I would like to hear from you, what do you consider “passionate affection for animals”? For example, I don’t understand cemeteries with monuments for them - this is a religious sin. But caring for the homeless, the wounded, feeding and caring for them is not a sin. This is fine. Of course, you can’t keep 100 cats in an apartment. It's not designed for that.

Archpriest Maxim Khizhiy

Good day! What is the significance of the images of saints on tombstones? In particular, the image of the Mother of God on the back side of the monument. Thanks in advance for your answer.

Svetlana

Christ is risen, Svetlana! Traditionally, Christians place a cross on a grave as a sign of our faith and that of the deceased. For the same reason, they began to depict icons on monuments. It is more logical to depict them not from the back, but from the front, but there is usually a photograph of the deceased there. God bless you.

Priest Sergius Osipov

Is it possible to mount a photograph on the monument?

Svetlana

Svetlana, the photo can be installed - but this does not give anything to the deceased. The most important and important thing on the grave is the Orthodox cross. And I personally don’t welcome monuments on graves at all.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Good afternoon and God help you. More than 6 years ago my mother died. She was cremated, like her grandmother. Both lie in the same grave, both baptized. Is it possible to erect a monument in the form of a Cross over their grave? Is it worth depicting Jesus on such a monument? It is difficult to find the canonical six-pointed Cross (I am not talking about wood, but about stone). Is it possible to install a four-pointed one? How important is this? Thanks in advance for your answers. God bless you!

R.B. Ksenia

Of course, you can erect a monument in the form of a cross; it is advisable to erect a traditional Orthodox eight-pointed cross (this form of cross is very popular, it is strange that difficulties arise with this). If you can’t put up an eight-pointed cross, put up a four-pointed one, with a crucifix or not - it’s at your discretion.

Deacon Ilya Kokin

A year since my father died. Today we were at the cemetery, I was sweeping snow from the monument, and the sign with the name and dates of birth and death broke in half. I can’t find a place for myself, was this a sign to me or was it just my mistake?

Oksana

Oksana, the sign is broken because it is on outdoors and exposed to atmospheric conditions (snow, rain). Order a new sign and stop inventing and worrying yourself with empty worries. But you must definitely pray for the departed - both at home and in church.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Bless, father! Hello. They say that a monument cannot be erected before a year. There must be a cross. But the year falls on a frosty time. Is it possible to set it on Parents' Day? My husband was buried in his homeland, very far from us, relatives, and we don’t have the opportunity to visit often. I think it’s not good until a year, but my brother wants it in the spring. Tell me what will be the right way? That's what we'll do. And he died on November 13th. Remember, for Christ's sake.

Maria

Mary, actually, according to the Orthodox tradition, there should be a cross, not a monument, on the grave of a Christian. The tradition of placing a monument on a grave only after the anniversary is not caused by church regulations, but rather by technical reasons for the installation. Therefore, you can decide the issue of installation timing at your own discretion.

Priest Vladimir Shlykov

Good afternoon. Please tell me, my husband died on November 15, 2013. Before Easter I want to erect a monument. They tell me that this cannot be done until one is a year old. Tell me what to do correctly. Thank you in advance for your response.

Olga

Olga, in general I am against monuments. An Orthodox grave must have a tombstone cross. The cross can be made from stone. You can make a combined one: the upper part is the actual Cross, and Bottom part like a monument. I think this is best. They don’t install it for up to a year only because the soil has not completely settled and the stone may sag. If the soil is hard enough, then you can do it at any time and not wait a year.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Darina, it’s your choice, but I don’t really like the idea of ​​a monument. I don’t think that the city administration will support it - this is the allocation of space, this is a project, etc. But hanging a creative banner is a different matter. You can always update it or move it to another location. Closer, for example, to abortion clinics.

Archpriest Maxim Khizhiy

Hello! Please tell me, my grandfather, Archpriest John, he passed away to God in August, we are now ordering a monument in the form of the Cross, well, everything is as he wished. But we don’t know how to make the inscription correctly - Archpriest John and the surname, or just the surname, Ivan Fedorovich, and the font should be Old Church Slavonic or does it have no meaning? God bless you!

Anna

Anna, the font does not matter, but you must write that he is Archpriest John, and in brackets - his last name, first name and patronymic. It will be right.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Hello! Bless me to ask a question to Abbot Nikon (Golovko). Thank you for your help and advice about family life. Now my question is on a different topic. How does the Orthodox Holy Church relate to history? Ancient Egypt, and specifically, to Egyptian pyramids? Are they considered occult symbols or simply monuments of architecture and history, or is there some kind of scientific theory about their impact? Nowadays there is a lot of talk about the pyramids and their impact. Some manage to build them in houses and on personal plots, speaking about their healing, healing properties. They share the “miracles” that come from them. Help me figure out how I feel about the pyramids and the scientific arguments that are given about them? Thank you.

Lyudmila

Lyudmila, I personally don’t remember any specialized research carried out by Orthodox theologians or priests regarding the pyramids. However, I can imagine why this topic is not much developed - it’s just that everyone is busy with their own salvation, the fight against sin and passions, and the question of the pyramids goes so far beyond the issues necessary for salvation that there is simply, apparently, no time to deal with it. It can, however, be said quite unequivocally that the pyramids were built, first of all, as religious buildings, and this cult was by no means divine, but satanic, demonic. Therefore, all the “miracles” that happen inside them must be attributed to demons - through these “miracles” they lure the souls of inexperienced people to the pyramids, distracting them from the thought of God and salvation.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Please tell me, is it possible to draw on a monument a deceased person who is laughing in the photo? This is a young guy.

Natasha

Natalya, in the Christian tradition, a cross is placed on the grave. Since you are erecting a monument, choose the image in agreement with your loved ones. God bless you.

Priest Sergius Osipov

Good afternoon. In our family, dad died at the beginning of September. The death was unexpected; he was only 52 years old. Literally 10 days before, my mother went to visit her mother for the anniversary of her death, and behind the monument she found 2 piles of earth wrapped in napkins. Even then this alarmed her. She was advised to try burning it. We did everything we could. And so, 10 days pass, and our dad dies... Before 40 days, my mother had a fire and a gas leak in her house. Thank God that everyone is alive and well, and the house was not seriously damaged. But both my mother and I are worried about those piles of earth in the cemetery, and the fact that there were exactly 2 of them. Tell me, what could it be and why did they do it?

valentine

Valentina, I cannot say where this earth came from, who could have placed it and why, however, I want to warn you that it is very unreasonable to believe such signs, panic about it, connect any events in life with these piles of earth. sinful. If a person believes in God and prays, if he confesses, has a clear conscience and takes communion, then nothing will harm him. And without God, man is afraid of every bush. Therefore, stop your fears, please thank God for saving you from troubles and go quickly to church, to worship, to communion, so that you can be with God and not upset Him by living differently than He expects from us.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)