Some time after the funeral loved one, you have decided to install a beautiful granite headstone. But the question arises: what to do with the cross that has already stood on the grave from the moment of burial?

The complexity and delicacy of this problem is fueled by superstitions. Nevertheless, the issue of cemetery etiquette is surrounded by many superstitions and signs, many of which only confuse people and do not contain a drop of truth. Here we will look at what can and should be done with the cross from the point of view of logic and religion.

It is believed that throwing away a cross is a great blasphemy. This is a symbol of faith in eternal life. In addition, this object towered over the man’s grave for some time; it already, to some extent, bears the memory of him. Therefore, simply throwing away the cross is at least tactless.

It is also not customary to sell crosses. This thing is quite personal, and not an empty everyday object. In addition, not many people will agree to a “used” cross for their loved one.

Cross: into fire or into earth

One option for both a metal and wooden cross is the grave itself. It is buried shallowly in the ground in accordance with the position of the deceased. The cross on it should not be upside down.

If you do not want to burn or bury the cross, just take it to church. Perhaps there it will be given for the funeral of a person from a low-income family or a lonely person.

How to leave a cross on a grave and erect a monument

The question is purely personal. If you want to preserve the cross and install a monument at the same time, this is your decision and no one can challenge it.

For church ministers, the cross is a central and obligatory attribute of the grave. When they are buried, the first cross is often preserved, and a small monument is placed under it. This is how churchmen express their modesty and the importance of the spiritual, not the material.

In cemetery practice, there are often monuments installed opposite the cross, at the head of the deceased. This combination symbolizes the unity of the earthly and heavenly.

We manufacture monuments, crosses, fences, tables and benches in our own workshop. You can order a monument from us based on an individual project, in the form of a cross or with additional decorative elements. Kamen Grad employees will fulfill the order in accordance with your requirements and install it in the cemetery.

If for some reason it is impossible to replace a cracked monument with a new one, it can be glued together. For these purposes, both regular universal glue for ceramics and porcelain and professional two-component glue with the addition of granite chips, used to work with all types of stone, are suitable. The fracture surface must first be cleaned and degreased. For reliability, it is recommended to reinforce the structure with metal or plastic pins.

After complete drying, excess glue is removed, and the seam is thoroughly rubbed and, if necessary, tinted.

What to do if the monument is tilted

In this case, it is necessary to establish the cause of the roll:

• Curvature of a metal rod used as a guide. In this case, the stele is dismantled and the bent rod is replaced.
• The structure tilted completely due to uneven subsidence of the soil. To level the monument, it is necessary to lift it from the tilt side using a jack and dig it, after which the pit is backfilled and filled with concrete.

What are cemetery monuments made of?

Various materials are used to create grave monuments. Expensive designer models are made from natural stone (granite, marble). As budget analogues, monuments are made from marble and granite chips, metal, and polymer granite.

The monument is shaking - what to do?

In order to strengthen the monument on the grave if it becomes loose, it requires its complete dismantling and reinstallation. Before this, you need to level and compact the soil with sand. Using reinforcing mesh, metal pins and concrete mortar, a foundation is poured onto which the structure is firmly fixed.

What can you do if the monument sank?

In order to raise a sagging monument, it is necessary to add crushed stone and compact the soil or increase the height of the concrete “cushion” under the structure. For graves with unstable soil, it is advisable to install a granite base, which is responsible for the stability of the monumental composition.

How to level a monument

If the monument is installed crookedly, it is possible to correct it with your own hands. It is enough to lift the structure, fill the hole under the monument from the side of the slope and concrete it.

How and with what to drill marble monuments

Being a naturally soft material, marble can easily be drilled with a conventional drill with a steel drill, which must be periodically moistened with water to avoid overheating (if the drill is electric, it is recommended to use oil instead of water).

How to repair a crack on a monument

Small cracks on a grave monument can be masked using a two-component marble putty, which is given the desired shade using a tinting paste. The crack is carefully rubbed, excess putty is removed, after which the seam is coated with a water-repellent compound.

How to remove stains on a monument

To clean monuments, it is unacceptable to use caustic solvents, vinegar and harsh abrasives that can damage the surface of the monument. Remove dirt with a soft cloth soaked in warm water or weak soapy solution, after which the surface of the monument is polished with a piece of suede. You can remove stubborn stains using a special gentle stain remover for marble and granite surfaces.

How to restore the brightness of the inscriptions on a monument yourself

Tombstone inscriptions for painting are usually made using deep engraving, which allows you to update appearance gravestones yourself without the involvement of professionals. It is enough to carefully draw the contours of the engraved letters with a thin brush using a white acrylic paint or gold paint on stone.

If a monument fell in a cemetery

It is not advisable to reinstall a fallen gravestone. Regardless of the reasons for the fall (manufacturing defects, improper installation, the influence of the elements), the resulting damage, sometimes invisible externally, makes it unsuitable for further use. After identifying and eliminating the causes of the fall, the necessary preparatory work and a new structure is installed.

What to do if a cross falls on a grave

If a grave cross that has fallen for some reason is of good quality and strong, it is restored. If an old cross falls, it must be removed and replaced with a new one. According to church canons, old crosses are not thrown away, but burned or buried in order to prevent them from being trampled upon.

What to do if a cross breaks in a cemetery

Most people honor the memory of deceased relatives and consider it their duty to visit the cemetery every year and care for the grave. But ignorance and non-compliance with the rules can lead to unintentional, but sinful actions and deeds.

Most people honor the memory of deceased relatives and consider it their duty to visit the cemetery every year and care for the grave. But ignorance and non-compliance with the rules can lead to unintentional, but sinful actions and deeds. These laws were not laid down by our century; centuries are behind the current rituals. And it has long been a pious Russian tradition to place a cross on the grave mound at the time of burial.

According to excerpts from the Bible, it follows that the cross on which Christ was crucified was made from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This tree was described as universal, with a height from the earth to the heavens. Therefore, a cross installed on a grave and rising upward means that although the body of the deceased is in the ground, his soul strives for heaven. As a rule, the cross is placed at the feet so that the deceased resurrected by Christ “can first of all see the cross of Christ and be encouraged by great hope.”

The relatives of the deceased have enough time to think about the improvement of the grave. After only a year, during which the land of the burial site will undergo natural changes, it becomes possible to erect a monument. But many Christians believe that until the cross decays, it is not worth introducing innovations into the decoration of the grave and fence. Whatever time the relatives of the deceased consider necessary, before installing the chosen monument, one must remember that the grave cross is a shrine for every believer, which requires special careful treatment.

What not to do

Under no circumstances should the cross be taken to a cemetery garbage dump. Throwing away the cross - a symbol of victory over death - is considered a very serious sin.
Selling a well-preserved cross would also be a blasphemous act.

A metal or granite cross can be disassembled and buried in a gravestone.
The wooden cross should be burned and the ashes scattered in a cross pattern for burial.
Christian virtue would be to give the cross to a needy family who at that time needs help with the funeral of a loved one.
You can take it to a temple, if there is one on the cemetery grounds.

What to do

The ideal option is considered to be a combination of both a cross and a monument in the fence.

Not everyone knows that no inscriptions can be made on the cross, the only exception being a prayer or an epitaph. Therefore, in front of the cross, you can install a small monument or gravestone with dated information. A small monument is recommended by church ministers who believe that heavy pedestals crush and strangle the deceased.
Also, in accordance with Christian canons, the monument will be installed opposite the cross. If the cross is at the feet of the deceased, then the monument, accordingly, is at the head. The cross carries a spiritual load, which is very important for the soul of someone who has passed on to another world. The monument, in turn, is intended to preserve information on long time. Therefore, this is a combination of material and spiritual origin is considered justified.
If only the monument remains in the enclosure, then do not forget about the obligatory presence of a drawing or engraving of a cross on the stone product. Since without the designation of a cross, there will simply be a soulless block of marble standing on the grave hill.
These are the main options for proper landscaping of a burial site. Choosing an expensive monument or a wooden cross will not indicate the depth of grief. Constant and proper care, maintaining cleanliness and order at the grave will much more show the degree of respect for the deceased and preserving his memory.

Most people honor the memory of deceased relatives and consider it their duty to visit the cemetery every year and care for the grave. But ignorance and non-compliance with the rules can lead to unintentional, but sinful actions and deeds. These laws were not laid down by our century; centuries are behind the current rituals. And it has long been a pious Russian tradition to place a cross on the grave mound at the time of burial.

The cross is a symbol of Christ

According to excerpts from the Bible, it follows that the cross on which Christ was crucified was made from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This tree was described as universal, with a height from the earth to the heavens. Therefore, a cross installed on a grave and rising upward means that although the body of the deceased is in the ground, his soul strives for heaven. As a rule, the cross is placed at the feet so that the deceased resurrected by Christ “can first of all see the cross of Christ and be encouraged by great hope.”

The relatives of the deceased have enough time to think about the improvement of the grave. After only a year, during which the land of the burial site will undergo natural changes, it becomes possible to erect a monument. But many Christians believe that until the cross decays, it is not worth introducing innovations into the decoration of the grave and fence. Whatever time the relatives of the deceased consider necessary, before installing the chosen monument, one must remember that the grave cross is a shrine for every believer, which requires special careful treatment.

What not to do

• Under no circumstances should the cross be taken to a cemetery garbage dump. Throwing away the cross - a symbol of victory over death - is considered a very serious sin.
• Selling a well-preserved cross would also be a blasphemous act.

What can you do

• A metal or granite cross can be disassembled and buried in a gravestone.
• The wooden cross should be burned and the ashes scattered in a cross pattern for burial.
• Christian virtue would be to give the cross to a needy family who at that time needs help with the funeral of a loved one.
• You can take it to a temple, if there is one on the cemetery grounds.

What to do

The ideal option is considered to be a combination of both a cross and a monument in the fence.

• Not everyone knows that no inscriptions can be made on the cross, the only exception being a prayer or an epitaph. Therefore, in front of the cross, you can install a small monument or gravestone with dated information. A small monument is recommended by church ministers who believe that heavy pedestals crush and strangle the deceased.
• Also, in accordance with Christian canons, the monument will be installed opposite the cross. If the cross is at the feet of the deceased, then the monument, accordingly, is at the head. The cross carries a spiritual load, which is very important for the soul of someone who has passed on to another world. The monument, in turn, is intended to preserve information for a long time. Therefore, this combination of material and spiritual principles is considered justified.
• If only the monument remains in the enclosure, then do not forget about the obligatory presence of a drawing or engraving of a cross on the stone product. Since without the designation of a cross, there will simply be a soulless block of marble standing on the grave hill.

These are the main options for proper landscaping of a burial site. Choosing an expensive monument or a wooden cross will not indicate the depth of grief. Constant and proper care, maintaining cleanliness and order at the grave will much more show the degree of respect for the deceased and preserving his memory.