02.07.2020

The cross from the candle burned down on the grave. When are the wreaths removed from the grave after the funeral according to church canons? When to erect a monument after the funeral? The cross is not a hindrance to the monument


Probably, everyone had to witness the omens at the cemetery, which later came true. Definitely not to be overlooked are the signs that fate points to. It is necessary to own at least a few beliefs, and then you will know what can alert you and what should not be given importance.

They have special signs at funerals and at the cemetery:

  • You cannot bring natural or artificial flowers from the cemetery, otherwise you risk getting sick.
  • The same applies to any thing taken from there. Taking away, you can get other people's misfortunes.
  • It is better to put the deceased's favorite things in a coffin or bring to the grave, so that he does not come in a dream with requests to give.
  • It is also prohibited to eat or drink alcoholic beverages in the cemetery. Remembrance of the deceased with food is an ancient pagan rite that does not fit with Christian beliefs. Better serve to the poor and visit the temple, order for the deceased requiem. This way of honoring the dead is more acceptable and spiritually beneficial.
  • After the convoy, carrying the coffin box, they pour grain so that no one else from the family dies.
  • Meeting a funeral procession on the street, a passage in front of a riding hearse or people carrying power, promises danger and grief to the passer-by.
  • It happens that the coffin does not enter the prepared hole. In this case, they say that the land of the sinner refuses to accept, or after the deceased there will be another dead person.
  • On the contrary, it will be a good sign for a person who has passed away to find an old burial with whole bones in a prepared grave. Belief says that the deceased in the afterlife will find consolation and will not bother his relatives, coming to them in dreams and hallucinations.
  • You should not brag about your good life in the cemetery, otherwise you will leave luck here.
  • It is a bad omen to count money during a funeral, you will become a beggar. If the bills are accidentally taken out of your pocket, you will have to leave them here. It is possible on the grave of the one who was buried, or on the grave of a person with the same name as the owner of the money.

There are also traditions that are observed in the provinces. For example, when taking a coffin with a body out of the house for funeral service on a sled, the owner is supposed to look under the hooves of a horse harnessed to a cart or stick a needle without an ear into the clamp. This is only a small part of the existing ones.

The monument on the grave sagged or fell

The sign of a broken tombstone a priori cannot promise anything good. Provided that the monument deteriorated without human intervention, then in the near future there will be another deceased in the family of the deceased.

It doesn't matter what damage the burial site received: whether the cross just broke, the tombstone cracked, or the earth subsided and a deep hole formed. Each change threatens the relatives of the person lying here with another death. However, you can understand to whom the old woman with a scythe will look next time, having determined from which side the earth has collapsed:

  • from the southern side - a man will die;
  • from the northern "fell" - a woman will die;
  • the eastern edge has subsided - an elderly family member will die;
  • from the west, the land is gone - death will take a small child.

Speaking about the place of burial, it should be noted that the graves of evil and sinful people are covered with bad grass: nettles, thistles, wolf berries. And where the righteous is buried, lilies, forget-me-nots, hawthorn or roses grow.

Cat, dog in the cemetery - sign

The dead are able to transmit information through various animals and birds. It is not for nothing that birds in the old days were considered the embodiment of souls that had lost their human bodies. But the birds flying over the graveyard or the house where the deceased lies are not as dangerous as the cat, which was considered by the ancient Egyptians to be a mythical animal.

Here's what cat omens say:

  • Pets were removed from the dwelling where the death occurred for some time, so that the spirit of the deceased would not enter into his pet.
  • Which, laid down at the base of the coffin, shows that the deceased alone will not end the business, the bony one will take someone else.
  • Murka, who joined the funeral procession on the way to the churchyard, should be driven away. However, do this not with kicks, shouts, but with due respect, treating the fluffy escort with some food.
  • Do not worry when you see a cat sneaking past in the cemetery. It's just that someone's spirit came to see a new deceased friend.

Dog in the cemetery- a negative sign and omen, especially if it winds around the coffin. Lies under it - to another imminent death.

It used to be thought that the black dog in the cemetery was a rebellious ghoul or evil spirits. If a dog barks or howls during a funeral, it disturbs the spirits, calls them. In any case, dogs, which sense the subtle worlds, were always treated with caution, moved away from the animal, did not welcome him.

Sign if fell on the grave

Weak, impressionable natures, small children, poorly moving old people, etc.
Undoubtedly, to pay the last debt to the deceased and honor his memory by being present at the burial means to show the moral and ethical norm prescribed by society.

Only it will be completely out of place if such a person, having worried or stumbled, falls on the territory of the burial ground. Sudden death is destined for him. Even just stumbling, passing between the graves, means a warning about the negative impact received here.

Superstition advises a fallen man to immediately retire home, and there he read the Our Father three times, bathe in holy water, light a church candle and cross himself with it.

The soul does not care where a loved one will remember about it. At the cemetery, in the temple, or in a conversation with family. The main thing is that it was sincere, and the memories were of a bright, kind character.

In a separate line, it is important to mention a common question: is it possible to be photographed in a cemetery. There are no signs as such, but pictures from the churchyard will not decorate a home album. But they can attract negativity to the monastery.

Is it possible to be photographed in the cemetery

Taking pictures against the background of many graves, you capture the invisible world of the spirits of the departed and otherworldly entities, which later will easily find their way to you.

Not only signs at funerals and cemeteries warn of mortal danger. Around any person living on the planet is full of signs indicating an unfavorable development of events or a threat to health. For example, a certain one is a messenger of trouble.

Only a few have the ability to read omens, although there is nothing difficult in learning. You just have to be moderately attentive and not forget your cultural heritage - folk signs left by ancestors for descendants are time-tested.

The final resting places have always attracted attention, it is not surprising that cemetery superstitions are so numerous. What can the secret signs that otherworldly forces send us in a mournful place warn about? We understand the issue.

In the article:

Cemetery signs - what you can do

There are many superstitions associated with this place. All rules of conduct are required. You cannot come empty-handed - bread and other treats, leave them at the grave.

Funeral alcohol

It is forbidden to go to the resting place of thousands of people drunk. It is also unacceptable to consume alcohol at a funeral.

Moreover, alcohol unties the tongue, and at the cemetery it is better to follow the words so as not to offend the deceased. For the repose of the soul, you will drink at the commemoration.

What should I say

There is such a sign:

Anything good you say at the grave will stay on it.

You can share your experiences and joys with deceased relatives, and you should not cause them envy or excessive pity. Because in one, and in another case, they will want to take the speaker to themselves. A phrase like "I live so badly, I'd rather die" can be fatal. The spirits will regard this as a call to action and “come to the rescue” of the sufferer who is so eager to get into the other world.

It must be remembered that you can only allow yourself to be open with a relative whom you trusted during life and with whom you were close. If you talk loudly and brag about your victories at someone else's grave, then all the good will go to the relatives of its inhabitant.

Refrain from sorting out the relationship and swearing among the graves. The sign says that whoever comes to the cemetery to quarrel will live in eternal showdowns.

Is it possible to take things from the grave

Of course not. Remember this rule yourself and explain it to your children: the house is the territory of the living, and everything that is in the cemetery belongs to this place. Taking anything from there is a very bad omen.

Bringing in graveyard land is like recognizing your home as part of a graveyard. For spirits, it will be "marked" as their sphere of influence. The help of a very strong magician will be required to clear the dwelling from the grave seal.

To lift something from the grave means to take this thing away from the dead. And the departed are very jealous of what belongs to them.

Is it possible to count money in a cemetery

There is another well-known sign: if you count the money on the grave, you will part with it forever. Bills fell out - do not touch them. Let even a large amount lie.

If you raise money from the cemetery land, because of your carelessness and greed, you can make problems and diseases and spend much more money on their solution than you could have left.

I had to get a wallet at the cemetery - leave the coins on the grave. Better at the tombstone of a relative or at least a namesake.

Is it possible to be photographed in the cemetery

Most will say that it is impossible, since this is a place of accumulation of negative energy. The mystical connection between a person and his image in the photo is known - the imprint of all the negative of this place will remain in the picture.

If you imprint yourself in the realm of the dead, you will either attract them to yourself, or you yourself will soon go there.

It is especially rash to take a picture near the coffin with the deceased, as well as on graves under forty days old. It has long been known that this period is not accidental, that is how much negative energy is stored, which was released during the death of a person. The soul of the deceased is among the living, not finding peace. The consequences of such a photo can be disastrous - up to the appearance of serious diseases.

It is believed that the memories of this belief have been preserved from ancient times in the word "term". "Deadline" means that forty days have passed.

Taking photographs can disturb the souls of people buried in the graves that are in the frame. They will return to their home or visit the person who took the photo. In this case, it is quite possible to encounter.

The cemetery is used not only for the burial of the dead. This is one of the main places where black rituals are held. Here, they ask, and the witches are here. It is saturated with powerful negative information that will remain in the picture.

It doesn't matter if it's a paper photo or an electronic one. The second option is even worse, because digital images are easily copied. Do not post them on the Web.

Storing "dead" images is fraught with a deterioration in the atmosphere in the home, illnesses of household members and the appearance of problems in relationships, money issues and other aspects. Children especially suffer from such sources of negativity - they are more susceptible to magical attacks than adults.

If there are already similar photos in the house, and there is no desire to part with them, despite bad omens, keep them face down, so that the image cannot be seen. You can pack the source of the negative in a tight envelope.

Signs at funerals and cemeteries

Seeing off the last journey is a very serious event. :

  • stand not in black clothes, but in white or multi-colored;
  • talk loudly, show disrespect to the deceased;
  • take any things from the coffin (even if the deceased promised to give them during his lifetime);
  • tell stories that are not related to the topic of the event;
  • talk badly about the deceased;
  • wear open shoes (bare toes, heel).

To get rid of the negative energy of the place, you should take a bottle of holy water with you and wash your face, hands and feet at the exit. You can leave the cemetery only the way you came.

Sign - if fell into a cemetery

This sign indicates that the fallen person is being pulled towards the grave ground, and possibly him. Those who fell at the funeral need to urgently leave the cemetery. After that, over him you need to read the prayer three times " Our Father”, Wash with holy water and cross with a burning church candle.

If a monument fell in a cemetery

In this case, they say that it is the restless soul of the deceased who makes itself felt. If something keeps a person in this world, he will try to figure out what is the reason for the delay.

Perhaps the deceased has an unfinished mission or he needs to protect relatives or friends from something - the spirit will try to contact them in every possible way. The fallen monument is a clear sign that the soul wants to be heard. You should seek help from a medium and find out what a relative needs.

A cat at a funeral is a bad omen

In ancient Egypt, cats were considered intermediaries between the living and the dead. According to legends, these animals could speak on behalf of the deceased and even temporarily serve as a haven for his soul.

There should be no pets in the room where the deceased is. This is especially true for cats. As soon as a misfortune happens, they need to be taken out of the house. And even better - send to live with relatives for a while.

The cat rushes back - to a new deceased. It is especially dangerous if the animal lies down to sleep under the coffin with the deceased. This suggests that soon another grief will happen in the family.

It is better to drive off an animal that has joined the procession, but show respect to it. Do not kick or push - someone's spirit may come in his image. Throw aside a present, which you do not mind - pay off.

If a cat jumps on the deceased or the lid of the coffin, this portends the death of the deceased's closest person. In some countries, it is believed that this behavior of a cat indicates a terrible prediction in the form of a vampire or ghoul for the deceased.

Much also depends on the color of the cat met at the churchyard. Of course, signs pay special attention to black individuals. It is believed that in their appearance there may be a witch or a necromancer mage. According to ancient legends, they are the repositories of the souls of sinners. The white cat is the embodiment of a righteous man who has not completed some work in the world of the living. But meeting with him does not bode well, it is a sign of illness or serious danger.

Life and death are two inseparable components of the earthly existence of the human soul. Different peoples have developed certain rules for burial, which are carefully passed on from generation to generation. According to Christian customs, the deceased are buried; on the day of burial, a wooden eight-pointed cross is placed on the grave, and flowers are laid. When are the wreaths removed from the grave after the funeral and should it be done? Let's try to answer these questions based on church canons and folk traditions.

The cross as a symbol of the incorruptibility of the soul

According to Christian customs, the cross should be placed at the feet of the deceased, so that the face of the deceased is turned to the crucifixion. This rule is often neglected by placing a cross in their heads. Another church canon is often violated - the fastening of a photograph of a deceased relative to the cross. You don't need to do this, just hang up a sign with your name and dates of birth / death.

For Orthodox Christians, the cross is a traditional form of a tombstone, the head tending upwards points to heaven - the place of residence of the soul freed from the mortal body. According to established traditions, flowers are laid on the grave and funeral wreaths are placed in tribute to the memory and respect for the deceased.

Which flowers are better, natural or artificial?

Keeping order in the cemetery is not so much a spiritual aspect as a social one. Agree that the deceased does not care at all what his grave looks like. This is necessary for the living - so that there is somewhere to come in moments of sorrow or joy, to ask for advice or to receive a blessing. The question of when the wreaths are removed from the grave after the funeral according to the church canons should not have existed in principle. In any case, this problem did not arise until the middle of the last century.

The thing is that, according to Christian customs, the graves were decorated with fresh flowers, the lifespan of which is short. Therefore, they were removed during the first few days. It is possible and necessary to clean the burial place of unnecessary details, bring it into proper form at any time. Most clergy think so. Moreover, according to the canons of the church, artificial flowers that have come to replace the living today are a symbol of lies and hypocrisy.

Binding to the fortieth memorial day

In Soviet times, when they were not particularly observed, a tradition arose to lay flowers made of light fabric or paper on the graves. Today, funeral wreaths are made of plastic, which greatly extends their lifespan. These memorial attributes can be outdoors without prejudice to their appearance for several months or even years.

People who are deeply religious, when asked when they remove the wreaths from the grave after the funeral according to church canons, usually answer: by the fortieth day after the burial. In fact, there are no strict church rules on this score.

It is possible to explain the validity of this statement by the custom, which has developed in Orthodoxy, after 40 days after the funeral, to invite a priest to the grave of the deceased to perform the funeral service. It is highly desirable that it be nicely and cleanly tidied up by the time of the father's arrival. But we repeat: there are no prohibitions on putting things in order in burial places before this date.

How to care for a grave

The care of the graves, according to the clergy, should be carried out regularly, as needed. Removing faded flowers, replacing worn-out wreaths, touching up crumbling earth - this can be done at any time. Thus, the living pay tribute to the dead, show others, and first of all themselves, that memory and love for the departed do not fade in their hearts.

When the wreaths are removed from the grave after the funeral, in case of subsidence of the soil, it is corrected with a shovel, giving the mound the correct shape. The surface can be overlaid with green turf, perennial flowers can be planted around. Chrysanthemums, zinnias, marigolds, daffodils, lilies of the valley take root well and do not require constant care. In this case, there is no need to use artificial attributes.

What to do with worn-out wreaths

Each cemetery has specially designated places for storing such items, which are ultimately household waste to be disposed of. In many countries, they are gradually abandoning the use of artificial wreaths, as plastic recycling requires additional costs and harms the environment.

Imagine a huge city cemetery where hundreds of graves are made every day. Naturally, when the wreaths are removed from the grave after the funeral, whole heaps of unnecessary memorial attributes are formed, which are then taken to the landfill. In rural areas, worn-out wreaths are simply burned somewhere nearby. The acrid odor of plastic released at the same time not only pollutes the environment, but also disrupts the blissful atmosphere inside the village churchyard.

What days are you not allowed to clean the cemetery?

According to church statutes, it is forbidden to do cleaning, paint fences, plant flowers and trees on graves on all Sundays, and even more so on Orthodox holidays. Such actions are considered a sin and an expression of disrespect for the church.

In addition, there are certain periods when you should not go to the cemetery at all. These include:

  • Christmas days (from 7 to 20 January).
  • Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Great Saturday.
  • Easter and the following Bright week.
  • The days of the twelve holidays.
  • Any Sundays.

Visiting the deceased usually begins with Radonitsa (parental day), which falls on Tuesday sixteen days after Easter.

Do you need a monument?

The Orthodox Church condemns any excesses in the arrangement of burial places. But since many of us do not consider ourselves to be deeply religious, over the past few decades, the custom has developed to erect monuments on graves. As a rule, such monuments are made of marble or granite, cast from various types of metal. In response to the question of when to erect a monument after the funeral, you can often hear the statement: not earlier than twelve months later. Why is that?

Some explain this by the need to withstand a period of 1 year, after which any manipulations on the grave of the deceased will not be able to disturb him. According to popular beliefs, after 12 months the soul of the deceased finally leaves our world. It is quite possible that there is some kind of rational grain in such reasoning. No one has yet been able to look beyond the edge of eternal darkness.

Interestingly, the workshops for making heavy tombstones will tell you the same thing. Only the foundation will be more mundane, without reference to the afterlife mythology. So when to erect the monument after the funeral? Only when the soil on the grave is completely compacted will it finally shrink. This process in most cases takes at least one year. Otherwise, the metal or stone structure may become uneven, skewed, fall or deform due to the movement of the soil layers.

The cross is not a hindrance to the monument

Now we know where and when the wreaths are removed from the grave after the funeral. But the crosses installed during the burial, according to Orthodox customs, should be handled with care. Even if you decide to immortalize the memory of a deceased relative in marble or bronze, the cross must be left in place. In this case, the monument is installed either next to the cross, or on the opposite side from it.

In some cases, the cross can be laid next to the grave or, in agreement with the clergyman, burned in a church oven. It seems that in any case, external manifestations of respect for the dead are not so important. The main thing is the spiritual relationship and the memory that lives in our hearts.

Everything related to death has been used in fortune telling and witchcraft since ancient times. In our times, nothing has changed, as a rule, ancient teachings are used for magical rites.


The basis of such rituals is the recent burial, up to 40 days, when the soul of the deceased is still next to the body. It also happens that witches come to the cemetery in search of a funeral procession and, while grieving relatives say goodbye to their loved ones, they can either put something in the coffin, or, conversely, take something.

What to do if the grave of a loved one is left with traces of someone else's presence, obviously not with good intentions?

Strange items


If you find objects on the grave that you did not bring there, in no case take anything and do not touch it. If a witchcraft ceremony was held at this place, then the witch takes her ritual items, such as candles, animal skulls, books and other things, with her. At the grave, she can leave only the so-called ransom to the deceased, that is, the sacrifice that she gives to the deceased as a token of gratitude. It can be anything - money, a doll, a bottle of liquor, a deck of cards, a bouquet of flowers.


  • Some healers advise not to do anything with such things and leave everything as it is, justifying this by the fact that this is a gift to the deceased, and the thing no longer belongs to this world.

  • Others advise sprinkling an item with holy water, taking it with a newspaper or scoop, and then throwing it into running water.


Whichever method is chosen, in any case, it is necessary to order a prayer service for the repose in the church (in no case put funeral candles at home) and commemorate the deceased.


Living grave


In the lexicon of witches and sorcerers there is such a thing as an active, or living grave. Near such a burial, there is an increased growth of plants, the activity of animals and insects, very often there are anthills near such burials. Why is this happening?


If there are signs of an active grave, then this may mean that magical rites are regularly held in this place. Practitioners of black magic with their help "bind" the dead to this world in order to use their capabilities. As a result, the spirit cannot rest and continues to be in the world of the living in the quality in which it is necessary in magic. Usually a witch thanks her otherworldly helper - she regularly cleans the grave, plants flowers, carries gifts.


To help your loved one go to another world and prevent warlocks from disturbing his spirit, the following actions are necessary:

  • In no case yourself do not read any spells and other things on the grave, you do not know what you are dealing with and you can harm yourself and the soul of the deceased with your actions.

  • If the deceased has children, they should be the first to remember, light a candle for the repose and order the Forty-mouth in the church.

  • On the day of commemoration or the date of death of your relative, bake a cake and give it to strangers for commemoration;


Invite a priest to consecrate the grave, faith and the church are the most effective methods against the action of black magic.

Over the 23 years of my work at the cemetery, I have often thought about why people sometimes make ridiculous mistakes when they come to the graves of their relatives and friends. While still a worker, I tried to explain to them the essence of these mistakes. This is not about church canons, omens, mysticism. It is better to talk about this with the clergy. I was more worried about the issues related to what I had to do every day. Namely: work on the improvement of burial sites and digging of graves.

Subsequently, when I became the head of the cemetery, people became more trusting in my advice. But, unfortunately, this often happened after certain actions had been taken, leading to not very good consequences, including the loss of large sums of money. Let's talk about the most common mistakes.

Trees near graves: friends or foes

Don't plant trees near graves. Firstly, the tree and its roots occupy the volume of the area allotted to you, and therefore will interfere with subsequent burials. Secondly, if a tree or its large branches fall due to wind, illness, damage to the root system when digging a grave, then the tombstone and fence standing on the grave of your relatives and neighbors can be damaged. Thirdly, the roots affect the already established monuments, raising their foundations. Fourth, most flowers planted at burial sites require sunlight, which the dense foliage discourages.

Therefore, if a tree is already growing next to the grave, then it is advisable to get rid of it faster. You should not try to do this chemically, or by removing part of the bark. This can lead to an uncontrolled fall of the tree, with all the ensuing consequences. Given the difficulties, it is better to resort to the services of climbers in such cases. But the stump can be removed by yourself, using special chemicals or salt for this.

Polyethylene: a way to protect or destroy

Do not wrap monuments with plastic for the winter. The reasoning that you are protecting the monument from the penetration of water into microcracks does not take into account the fact that condensation forms under the film. Droplets of the resulting moisture in sufficiently severe frosts will produce the same effect from which you were trying to protect yourself. If vases made of granite or marble are installed at the burial, then be sure to drain the water for the winter, for which there is usually a special hole. Then cover them on top to avoid further moisture ingress. Removable plastic vases just need to be removed.

Candles and lamps on the graves

Do not leave burning candles and oil lamps on graves after you leave. Even a slight gust of wind or a fallen branch can ignite artificial flowers or wreaths. It happens that it is impossible to read the inscription on a granite monument because of soot, and monuments made of granite-polymer under the influence of fire can be melted and completely destroyed. Sometimes neighboring burials also suffer.

A kiss forever

This tip is mainly for the ladies. Lovely women, do not kiss graphic portraits on monuments. The fat that is part of any lipstick instantly penetrates into the surface layer of the stone, leaving stains. In most cases, they can be removed with a colorless solvent, but unfortunately not always.

Extra sand is not good

Every year before Easter, sand is brought to the cemetery, which visitors can use free of charge. Do not try to cover the area adjacent to the grave with a very thick layer. Even taking into account that some of the sand will subsequently be washed away by rain, the annual addition leads to the fact that the base of the tombstones and flower beds will inevitably be sunk into the ground.