Cemetery Praying

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Does anyone else go to the cemetery to pray for the dead ? …especially on the anniversary of their death… I do, and I’ve kinda made a hobby of going to places like that to pray. I like to drive to my church and pray in the parking lot. I like to to to the cemetery to pray. Sure I can pray at home, but that’s boring…
 
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Yes, when I pass a cemetery I say the Eternal Rest prayer. Also if I am in a cemetery I say the prayer. I do not regularly go into cemeteries because most of them are only open during my work hours, and my loved ones are buried in different states and I am usually not near their graves on the dates of their exact deaths. But some churches I visit have cemeteries attached so one has to walk through them to get to Mass, so that makes it easy to pray in the cemetery. Also there is a custom in certain older towns of having beloved parish pastors buried on the church lawns, making a little cemetery there.

You get a partial indulgence applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory for going into a cemetery and praying for the souls of the deceased, except during November 1 through November 8, on which days you can get a plenary indulgence each day under the usual conditions, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, for praying for the dead in a cemetery. The last few years I have made sure to go into a cemetery and pray every day on those days to get the plenary indulgence. I try to visit a different cemetery each time and include non-Catholic cemeteries like Jewish, Presbyterian, non-denominational, Episcopalian, Baptist etc.

You also get a partial indulgence, applicable only to the dead, for saying the Eternal Rest prayer.
 
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Praying outside the box!

Prayer for the dead, no matter where it is done, is one of the spiritual works of mercy. It can take on a new significance at the cemetery.

Praying at Church - an area priest reminded us that we do not have to wait for adoration. Even if the building is locked, “He’s right on the other side of the wall”

He noted that even 5 minutes spent near the Lord in prayer would be the best minutes of your day.
 
Yes, my family does that. Sometimes it’s a relative, sometimes, it’s a stranger whose marker we read and it sparked something. (We also weed other people’s grave sites too, because we feel bad that no one else has been there to do it.) We stop at cemeteries we are passing, especially if they have old headstones and statues.

We are all going to go someday, it’s nothing morbid or weird.
 
I’ve heard the song I just wondered why she included it in the post
 
Yes. I visit my husband’s grave regularly, and there are others I knew who are buried there. So I pray for them all while I’m there.
 
Yeah, I just include it so my post meets the minimum number of characters.
 
I pray the the St. Gertrude Prayer and the Eternal Rest Prayer any time I go to the cemetery.
 
Jews have the long standing tradition of visiting the gravesite on the anniversary of death. They also light a special votive candle that burns for 24 hours and say a special prayer called the Kaddish for them.

Question? Do Catholics leave a stone or small rock on the tombstone to mark the visit? If you are ever in a Jewish cemetery you will often notice a small pyramid of stones on many headstones. Tradition also has them wash their hands before leaving so you will see faucets located around the entrance and exits. Just curious! Thanks.
 
I meant leaving rocks. Sorry. I knew that they dud that. I just don’t know why
 
The stones are just a way to say, “I was here or I remember you”. The washing of hands is to symbolically wash off the death represented by a cemetery. Jews are also fanatical about not stepping on a grave. Part of that may be superstition but it’s mostly a sign of respect for the dead. They have a very strong tradition of respect for the dead no matter how long ago the death took place.
 
In America at least, every synagogue has a group of volunteers that maintain Jewish cemeteries. It’s considered a great Mitzvoh (blessing) to do so. All the graves are weeded and if a family is too poor to pay for maintenance by the cemetery operators (mowing and watering, etc.) then the community has funds to pay for it. Like I said, it’s considered one of the greatest charities someone can do.
 
We leave rocks for family members. I forget when we first heard that it is a Jewish custom, but we thought it was nice and adopted the idea. My kids liked doing it. It was something they do to this day.
 
That’s so sad. Is it a specificity Catholic cemetery? Is that a thing? Sorry I’m kind of ignorant about burial traditions in Christianity. I suppose if there is no longer a Church nearby I can see that happening. Jews are, of course, a much smaller religion so the number of Jewish cemeteries are fewer as well but synagogues will take on the responsibility of cemeteries located out of the region as well.

It sounds like vandalism is as much to blame as neglect, correct?
 
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