Location of the monument at the grave. Where is the cross on the grave of the Orthodox? Why monuments and crosses are placed at feet - an Orthodox tradition

But even among the ministers of the Orthodox Church there are disagreements on this matter. For example, in the book “All are alive with God” it is said: “The cross, the symbol of salvation, rises above the grave of every Christian (it is placed at the feet)”.

Father Afanasy (Gumerov) says: “According to the Orthodox tradition, the deceased is buried with his head to the West and, accordingly, his face to the East, so that he can see the sunrise. The sun is born in the East, but dies in the West. The position of the deceased expresses silent prayer and the desire to follow from darkness to light, from West to East, from this earthly

the world into eternity. Before the end of the world, Christ will come from the East, where according to the Bible is Paradise. And when he comes, the dead must see His face, and Christ must see the faces of the dead. The cross of Christ is placed at the feet of the deceased. Orthodox churches are also built in such a way that believers face the East during prayer. "

And the hieroschemamonk Amfilochiy (Nikolai Fedorovich Trubchaninov) writes in the book “The Power of the Cross of Christ”: “And then the time came that they began to put the cross at the feet of the deceased. So he said: “I am ready to accept any, the most cruel torments, but only so that the words do not come out of my mouth: to put a cross in my feet. And God forbid that they put a cross at my feet, I will come from there and show then where the cross is being placed. "

Father Oleg Molenko answers the question of a believing woman about the installation of the cross as follows: “On the day of the glorious general resurrection of the dead ... the bodies of all dead people By God's power will rise and rise from their graves. Those who, according to pious custom, had a cross at their feet, those who rebelled,

first of all they will see this beloved symbol of their salvation. Those who, due to ignorance or other reasons, put the cross at the head of the bed ... they can only hit their head on the base of the cross ”.

So it's up to you to decide which tradition to follow and where to put a cross on the grave.

When to erect a monument

How long after the funeral

• Directly a registration plate is placed on the grave of the deceased, on which they indicate Full name of the deceased and years of life... These are obligatory inscriptions on the monument, which will be installed after a year or more.
• The registration mark can be of any shape and design. At the grave of an Orthodox Christian wooden cross with a sign.
• A permanent monument is being erected the next year after the funeral or later... safer on soil that has already shrunk.

Season - from May 15 to October 15

• Timing for installation permanent monument to the grave defines cemetery administration.
• , and in central Russia, the season for installation is the same everywhere - from May 15 to October 15... A total of five months, and the main season - summer.
• In the south of the country, the time for the installation of monuments is increasing, and the season is longer: it starts earlier in spring and ends later in autumn. The main limitation is by this time the soil must thaw.
• The monument is being erected in good weather- like any construction work on outdoors, installation of the headstone difficult in the rain.

Who can dismantle or erect a monument in a cemetery

For the initial installation or subsequent replacement of the headstone, you must obtain permission issued by the administration of the cemetery on the basis of a death certificate and a document confirming the readiness of the monument. At the funeral, one of the close people of the deceased is appointed responsible for the burial, and only that person has the right to get permission to carry out any work on the grave, including dismantling of the old and installation of a new monument... The issue of changing the responsible person is decided through the court. The person who took responsibility for the grave is issued tombstone construction certificate and in registration book the place of burial, the number of the grave, the last name, first name and patronymic of the buried person, information about the monument (size and material used), as well as the personal data of the person responsible for the burial are indicated.

Documents for obtaining permission to install a monument or fence

• Grave certificate.
• Passport of the person responsible for the burial.
• Installation application. In most regions of Russia, work on the installation of the monument is registered on a declarative basis... In St. Petersburg, the prerogative for the installation and the organizations authorized by them.
• Contract for the manufacture of a grave structure (and its installation) with an invoice or receipt for the purchase of a monument or fence.

Usually dismantling and installation gravestones are handled by the cemetery administration or by a contractor with whom the administration has an agreement. In accordance with the law, relatives can independently dismantle or install the gravestone, but only with the permission of the same administration... Flower beds, monuments and fences erected by citizens are their property, and the cemetery administration does not bear material responsibility for their safety.

Basic rules for the installation of monuments in a cemetery

• You can only erect a monument within the time allowed by the administration(usually from May 15 to October 15).
• Grave monuments can be installed only in areas designated for burials. Otherwise, the cemetery administration has the right to demolish the monument.
• Normal grave size for two burials - a plot of size 1.8m x 2.0m... To increase the size of the grave, you need to submit the grounds to the cemetery administration, and if technically feasible, such a service can be provided.
• The erected monuments and fences should not block access to other graves and should not have parts protruding beyond the boundaries of the site.
• The monument must indicate reliable information O a person buried in this grave... There are times when one is installed big monument on two or three graves (where close relatives are buried) with a listing of all the names on one monument. This is against the law, and confusion may arise as to who is buried in which grave.
• The size of the fence must correspond to the size of the area allocated for the grave, otherwise the cemetery administration has the right to remove it. Normal limitation in height - 0.5 meters and a ban on the use of sharp peaks.
• To install the fence, you need written permission from the administration cemeteries. Fences are not permitted in all cemeteries. In particular, a fence should not be erected if it blocks the passage to other graves.
• There are cemeteries where norms and restrictions on size and height apply tombstones and fences. So, in particular, in cemeteries belonging to the State Unitary Enterprise "Ritual" (Moscow), it is not allowed to put steles more than 2 meters high... Most often, monuments can be erected in cemeteries. up to 1.5 meters high.
• To clarify the rules and regulations for the installation of the monument, you need to contact the cemetery administration.

What can be a monument on a grave

As for the external and the material from which it will be made, here the legislation does not restrict citizens either, or in them. Endless variety is a vivid confirmation of this.

Installation of the monument

The main details of the tombstone are a pedestal, an obelisk / stele and a flower garden. Their installation is preceded by work on marking and site preparation. The installation begins by strengthening the soil using sand. Special attention is paid to preparing the foundation and leveling the surface so that the monument does not tilt or fall. After the installation of reinforced concrete beams, a concrete pad and a pedestal are poured. At the end, they make a blind area and beautification of the grave, including sprinkling with marble chips.

Special types of monuments and requirements for them

Separate standards, determined by the decree of the government of the Russian Federation, relate to military cemeteries, where the military, cadets, participants and invalids of the Great Patriotic War... According to this decree, 8 types of monuments have been identified that can be installed in such cemeteries, depending on their rank, type of service (contract or conscription) and service life. But, despite the existence of standards and rules, relatives are still allowed to make some changes in the appearance and content of the inscriptions and drawings on such monuments. Also, these rules do not apply to military graves in ordinary cemeteries.

Immediately after the funeral, a cross is placed on the grave mound with a tablet on which the full name and dates of life and death are written. The monument, at the request of the relatives, is erected in a year, when the soil settles. The cemetery administration determines the time of the year when monuments are allowed to be erected. As a rule, it is 5 months from May 15 to October 15... The main condition is that the earth is soft and not frozen. The monument is erected in good weather without rain.

In order to replace the gravestone cross with a monument, it is necessary to submit an application to the cemetery administration on the basis of the death certificate. This application can only be submitted by the one who was appointed responsible for the burial at the funeral, and, accordingly, has in his hands a certificate of the construction of the tombstone.

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

Usually the cemetery administration itself is engaged in the installation of monuments. However, you can also submit a claim that you want to do the installation yourself. It should be understood that monuments, flower beds, fences belong to your personal property and the administration is not responsible for their damage.

Before erecting a monument, ask the administration about rules, including the fact that the monument should not interfere and close access to other graves, it should contain reliable information, correct dates and full name. According to the law, one large monument cannot be used for 3, say, related graves, as confusion can 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 can be fenced at all; on those that are possible, you first need to 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 site, on average in height - 0.5 meters, the use of sharp peaks is prohibited.

Which monument to choose?

Photo on metal on the cross: For a temporary monument, as a rule, a wooden cross with a sign is placed. Sometimes relatives order a photo on metal for a temporary monument. This photo is no different from photoceramics, except that it has a cavity in the back, in order to be easily attached to a wooden cross. However, as a rule, this is a temporary option until the main monument is installed:
For a permanent monument, people traditionally choose between marble and granite. Marble is cheaper, granite is more expensive.

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 to the stone, since it will be difficult to see. Not some still emboss a portrait on a light stone:

Therefore, more often than not, additional granite slabs are attached to the monument, where inscriptions or images are already knocked out (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 blotches:

Marble, a more malleable material, 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 such a cross, as you can see, a granite plate was added below to leave an inscription, they decided not to take a photo:

To add a photo 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 onslaught of nature, the inscriptions become discolored, the color of the stone fades, small cracks may appear, in addition, light monuments get dirty faster. At least once every 5 years, you need to call the master to update protective layer on the monument and, if necessary, made restoration.

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

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

If you want to the image or inscriptions were directly on the stone, then you need to take black granite. Previously, the image was transferred to black granite by artists. This process is complex, but of high quality. The artist puts his soul into the image, the image turns out as if it were alive.

In addition, when personally tapped with knitting needles, the image is durable and reliable. Today, more and more ritual firms acquire so-called machines for engraving, in this case all that is needed is to put a photo into a printer, and the machine itself “knocks out” and knocks out a portrait on granite. After the machine knocks out the portrait, the stone with the image is transferred to the engraver, who completes and completes the unbreakable areas, in general, brings the portrait to the desired state.

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

Before ordering an image on granite see 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 directly engraving. As for the design itself, it can be anything, only you decide what shape, size, 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 ritual agency will help you choose something to your liking. However, remember that natural stone is always more expensive than artificial, the work of an artist is more expensive than the work of an automatic machine.

Advice... Choose 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 exactly in the place where the pupil of the eye should be located is a light spot, and if there are a lot of 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 harder for him to do it on such a stone.

Output... First, decide if 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 knocked out on the stone itself, but as if glued to it.

Be sure to ask how it will look! It is not uncommon for people to unknowingly order an engraving of inscriptions or even a portrait on light marble or other stones not intended for this. It comes out cheaper, but it 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 resistant, of high quality and more expensive, and the Thermal transfer is cheaper, faster to manufacture, but of lower quality and more suitable as a temporary option for a cross.

In addition, there are different types ceramics: Slip-casting ceramics are cheaper and of lower quality, dry-pressed ceramics are more expensive, but of high quality. And porcelain stoneware, which is perfect for placing a large portrait.

Compare both options and choose the one that's right for 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 can be of two types: manual - when the artist knocks out the image and automatic, when the machine does it. It is believed that hand-made images are more resistant and durable.

Questions and answers:

The portrait on the monument does not look like:

Perhaps you gave a too small 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 starting the artist's work, you should have been shown an enlarged image, and shown what the result would be. If the image is very different from what you were shown, you can order the resurfacing of the monument in order to redraw the image or use another method of applying the image, such as photoceramics.

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

How to take a photo from a monument?

If it is photoceramics, then, as a rule, it is firmly glued to the monument. However, you can try to carefully punch the portrait along the edges with a chisel and a hammer. Be prepared for the photoceramic product to crack and become unusable.

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

If you are not an artist, then you can’t. Even if you know how to paint portraits, you will need special equipment: knitting needles for knocking out, an engraving machine or a kiln for firing photoceramics. However, it happens that people themselves knock out inscriptions on the stone and decorate it themselves:

What is the name of the photo on the monument?

So they call it, a photograph on a monument. You can often find names - engraving a portrait on a monument or photo ceramics on a monument.

Maintenance of a granite and marble monument

Granite... Granite has one unpleasant moment, it literally absorbs grease, which means that all your fingers can get imprinted on it. If this happened, then it is problematic to clean the monument, but the plus is that within a month a small stain will evaporate by itself.

If the stain must be removed, then you can use baking soda. Apply a teaspoon of baking soda and water to the greasy spot until the baking soda resembles yogurt. When the solution is dry (about a day), just wipe it off.

To clean the granite monument from dust and dirt, you can use special means store bought, and also use a regular soft cloth soaked in warm water. A mild soapy solution is sometimes used.

Use household chemicals you can't wash the kitchen with! After cleaning the monument, it is wiped with a dry cloth so that no streaks remain. Advice: special napkins for stones are sold in stores, took out and wiped everything clean and no streaks.

If there are cracks on the granite, even small ones must be covered with a special putty for stone. If this is not done, then in winter moisture during freezing can contribute to the destruction of the stone. If you notice that drops on contact with the monument do not collect into balls, then it's time to renew the protective layer of the monument. To do this, after cleaning with soapy water, apply a special agent (most often it is a spray) and let the sealant soak for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, wipe off excess sealant with a dry cloth.

If paint gets on the granite, it is better to purchase a special solvent for the stone. It is not recommended to restore inscriptions and portraits on monuments on your own, for this you need to contact 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 compound that prevents dirt and fading in the sun. Marble does not tolerate moisture and high temperatures poorly. When wiping, the rag does not need to be very moistened in water. Care must be taken to handle the candle without bringing it too close for a long time.

As well as on granite, oily fingerprints can remain on marble, once again it is better not to touch the monument, or to do it with gloves. When cleaning a marble monument, as a rule, a simple soft cloth or sponge soaked in warm water is done. If necessary, use either special means for cleaning marble, or detergents with low level pH.

Ordinary detergents can damage the monument. After cleaning the monument and letting it dry, they apply protective agent and wait for it to be absorbed. After that, an anti-fading agent is applied (if the marble is colored). Then a special water-repellent compound 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 its color, cracks appeared on it, the image and inscription began to fade over time, then it is better to contact the specialists who will carry out all the necessary procedures for the restoration of the monument and giving it the best appearance... Usually such services are ordered once every 5 years.

What to do with the cross after the monument is installed?

In fact, there are not many options here:

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

2. Ask the workers who are erecting the monument to pick up 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 tombstone of the grave.

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

5. Burn the cross if it was made of wood. In no case should the cross be thrown into the trash can next to the cemetery, and the cross should not be sold.

What to write on the monument?

On the monument, in addition to the full name, surname, patronymic, dates of birth and death, people sometimes want to write an epitaph. Epitaph these are words of condolence, for example: We remember, we love, we grieve.

The monument serves us so that we remember. At the end of the epitaph, many ask to depict a rose, or other flowers. The epitaph text can be invented by the relatives themselves, or taken from the network. This is usually a phrase that expresses the feelings of the bereaved or speaks of achievements - good qualities deceased. However, nothing prohibits you from using any phrase you want to see on the grave. dear person for example your poems.

It must be remembered that if the text is large, then you need to say in advance that you want to place the epitaph. Since on the monument first there is a photograph, then the full name, then the date of birth and date of death, and only then the epitaph, and if there is a desire and a place, then at the end they can add a rose. If desired, or if there is no place ahead, warm 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?

If the photo will simply be placed in sealed glass and fixed on a monument, then any photo you like. However, most often a photograph will be needed to transfer the image to ceramics, or to the stone itself. Earlier for photoceramics preferred to use black and white photographs, but today color photographs, thanks to special solutions, do not fade in the sun. Photoceramic images are usually not big size in the form of an oval, and therefore the requirements for photography are lower. Important so that the face in the photo is large. How big photo have to increase, the more the photo will lose in quality. You also need to understand that old photographs printed on matte paper are very grainy. If possible better to use glossy photography.

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 magnified, then the artist (if the artist draws) will have to finish the eyes himself. Imagine yourself that you are giving a 3 by 4 photo, and it is enlarged to A4 format 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 portray an accurate portrait.

There are difficult cases when an artist is brought a small shabby photo from a passport, since other photos simply have not survived. Then, in addition to an enlarged copy, the artist uses a magnifying glass, 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, however, similarity with a small photo is guaranteed.

Many workshops for the production of images on the monument know how to use photoshop and retouching.

Should I portray a man with a hat?

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

How old is the person?

Anyone you want. There are no religious or ethical considerations on this matter. There are people who consider and depict on the monument the closest photo in the time of death, and someone thinks that it is possible to depict an old person younger when he was still in his prime.

Output: Use photographs where the face and fine details of the face are clearly visible. The larger the photo, the better. Use a glossy photo whenever possible. The workshop will help you choose a photo, you can select and take the best pictures of the deceased with you. As a rule, they will immediately print a photo enlarged to A4 size in front of you so that you can see what will turn out in the end.

Usually, people rarely think about where to put the stele of the deceased - at the feet or head. By the time it comes to installing the stele, they have already made some kind of decision, but they are often guided by incomprehensible, even ghostly facts.

Therefore, we decided to delve into the essence of the question posed and find an answer to it.

Orthodox Church believes that the installation at the feet or at the head is a pure example of the manifestation of the traditions of the place where a person lived and was buried. If crosses were erected in his city or village, and then steles at his feet, then this tradition should be adhered to. If on the contrary, then the answer is the same.

Specific negative words about what needs to be put only in the head, and in no case will you hear in the feet, since this is the choice of the living relatives of the deceased and it will not be considered heretical. Accordingly, everyone is free to decide where and how, and most importantly - which monument to erect. You can choose from a series of reinforced concrete monuments, also granite, marble or basalt - a matter of personal taste.

Why monuments and crosses are placed at feet - an Orthodox tradition

If we take into account specifically Orthodox traditions, then there is some difference in where to place the stele. It is believed that if a cross or a slab is at his feet, then the deceased will be resurrected and, first of all, will turn to his Creator. If at the head, then the stele (cross) denotes a banner, which is a symbol of the victory of God and the human race over Satan and his temptations.

As you can see, neither one nor the other breaks the rules, but is simply some variation.

For companies that are engaged in the creation and installation of monuments Kharkiv, it makes no difference where to install - their professional feature is the correct installation and creation, but church canons must be performed by the relatives of the deceased.

Signs, superstitions and prescriptions of the Church about crosses on the grave.

The symbol of Christ's crucifixion - the cross - has been shrouded since ancient times in a mysterious entanglement of riddles, secrets and superstitions. Many of these signs have acquired religious form since then, as Christianity spread throughout the world, choosing the cross as its symbol.

According to religious dogmas, death is an important, turning point in the life of every person. Moreover, monks and elders call life a preparation for death, since it is with the end of “earthly affairs” that the soul meets the Lord. Therefore, it is not surprising that so many different religious prescriptions and instructions are associated with the burial ceremony. A very important one is the installation of a cross on the grave of a deceased Christian.

The cross is a revered and awe-inspiring shrine for all Christians. And in this regard, when installing it on the grave, some practical questions may arise due to the fear of offending sacred symbol, thereby incurring divine wrath.

How to install a cross on a grave?

Building on tradition Orthodox Christianity, the grave is placed in such a way that the head of the deceased is directed to the west, and the legs to the east. According to biblical tradition, this is how Jesus was buried.

The gravestone cross is placed at the feet of the deceased, so that at the moment when the soul leaves its last refuge, it can see the holy symbol of forgiveness in front of it and offer prayers to it. Catholic traditions prescribe to put a cross over the head. It is believed that when leaving the earth, the soul kisses the crucifixion, expressing its humility and devotion to Christian teaching.

What to do with the old cross?

On the day of the funeral, an ordinary wooden cross is erected on the grave. This is done not only for religious reasons, but also for practical reasons: a structure made of wood has a fairly light weight (compared, for example, with tombstones made of stone), and therefore its installation will not interfere with the natural subsidence and compaction of the soil at the burial site.

But when the time comes to install a new, permanent tombstone, the cross is dismantled and the question arises of what to do with it. It is really impossible to throw the shrine into the trash, as this is a manifestation of disrespect. It is advised to burn the wooden cross as unnecessary. If there is such a need, you should ask the cemetery administration where this can be done. As a rule, there are places for such needs at each churchyard.

If the cross is well preserved, it can be given to a workshop or even sold. According to the clergy, there is nothing forbidden and shameful in the installation of the old crucifix. In addition, an old tombstone can become the personification of the deceased's non-possession, his meekness and lack of desire for material, earthly goods.

What should I do if the cross is crooked or fallen down?

Due to bad weather, a tombstone, especially a temporary one, made of lightweight material and installed without a solid foundation, may askew or fall altogether. If the crucifix is ​​askew, it should be corrected, a dense earthen embankment should be made and it should be tamped well. The cross must be level on the grave.

Opinions are twofold about the knocked down crosses, but they agree that this is an unfavorable sign. Some argue that a tumbled headstone can be simply reinstalled, but this time a better installation can be done. According to others, fallen cross should be burned, and a new one should be installed in its place. Be that as it may, the Church recommends ordering a prayer service for the repose or lighting a candle if something like this happened at the grave of your loved one.

Signs and superstitions

Many people associate various superstitions with grave crosses. They are used to guesswork, remove and damage them, make love spells and conspiracies. The Orthodox Church disapproves of such rites, they are called pagan. The Holy Fathers say that if you notice unkind signs associated with gravestone crosses, as if someone wants to call trouble on you, you should not be afraid and take it too close to your heart. You need to strengthen your faith, go to church, pray, accept holy communion, then no misfortunes can affect either you or your family.

With crosses, in one way or another, many more different signs and religious requirements are associated. To bury a loved one, thoroughly observing the instructions of the Church, is a laudable, good desire, however, if faith lives in the heart and sincere prayers for the deceased emanate from the depths of the soul, then one should not be afraid to make small mistakes associated with the installation of the tombstone.