A majority of people come to cemeteries to pay respects to their loves ones. As a cemetery is a sacred burial ground, it is critical for people to respect individuals, both living and dead, every time they visit a cemetery.
There are certain etiquette rules that people should follow on their cemetery visits. The following is a list of activities allowed and prohibited at nearly all cemeteries. Take a look:
Follow rules
Most cemeteries have their rules and regulations posted on a sign placed usually near the entrance. It is essential that everyone respects and follows these rules every time they go to a cemetery. There should be no exceptions to this.
If a sign isn’t available, check out the cemetery’s website, which could be the website of the church the cemetery is associated with. The rules contain information regarding visiting hours, prohibited practices, and contact information if you have any inquiries.
Be respectful
You should always be respectful of those around them in a cemetery. It is, after all, a place where people come to mourn and visit their loved ones. Keep you voices down, turn off your phones and do not leave any trash anywhere. Not only is it unhygienic, it could also get in the way of mourners.
Don’t take anything
It goes without saying that you should not even think of taking flowers or other objects from gravestones. Whatever you find in a cemetery is NOT your personal property, which means you have no permission to remove any item left behind the family members of the deceased.
Don’t touch anything
Do not touch headstones, flowers or any other monuments as you could damage something. Do not even lie on or use the headstone for support. Youcan touch these objects only if have permission to restore or replace something. Most importantly, headstones cost a significant amount of money and touching it unnecessarily can lead to an accident.
If you have caused damage to any object by mistake, do the right thing and pay the cemetery staff for the damages incurred.
Children
If your children accompany you to a cemetery, always keep them near you so that they don’t get lost. Don’t let them run, make noises or play with any of the monuments. This is not only disrespectful, but it could also damage a weak stone. Ensure you carry something, for example their favorite toy, to keep them busy. Most importantly, make use of the opportunity to teach them how to behave in any cemetery.
Avoid a funeral procession
Do not stare at an ongoing funeral procession. People grieving are not a spectacle to be stared at. In fact, show respect to them by moving away from the procession. Furthermore, respect their privacy and consider coming at another time.
Do not bury without permission
Buying a lot or anything else at a cemetery requires you to make a payment to the cemetery owners. You cannot bury anyone without permission as it equates to stealing of land.
In conclusion, these are a few pointers that you should consider when going to a cemetery. The rest of it is just common sense, and boils down to being respectful to everyone in a cemetery. If you are interested in sympathy flower delivery services to Fort Snelling National Cemetery, check out Fort Snelling Cemetery Flowers – a veteran cemetery service company based in Minneapolis. Click here to discover more.