The death of a loved one introduces you to a new world of discussion and decisions, often on unfamiliar territory with vocabulary that feels foreign. One of the most important of these is where to lay a loved one to rest.
Historically graveyards have been consecrated church grounds. This makes it difficult to re-use older grave sites, as the original family may be dead or uncontactable.
What is a Graveyard?
While many people use the words graveyard and cemetery interchangeably, the two places differ in size, religious affiliation, and the kind of headstone required. Understanding the roots of each word can help you to discern the differences.
Historically, the majority of dead people were buried in graveyards that were adjacent to church buildings. However, as the population increased and cholera epidemics were more frequent, burial spaces became limited. In addition, decaying matter was contaminating the water supply and causing a public health hazard.
In the early 19th century, graveyards began to be replaced by completely new places of interment. These often included landscaped grounds and were situated outside of city centers and old town or village centers. This also allowed for more burial space and eliminated the need for family members to dig their own graves. Graveyard regulations usually require that headstones are more subdued and include conservative Christian inscriptions, while cemetery rules allow for a wider range of choices.
What is a Cemetery?
A cemetery is a place where dead people are buried. It can be a religious, secular or private burial ground and it can also house the urns of cremated loved ones. It is a place where loved ones can come to remember, pay tribute and honor a deceased person or family member who has passed away.
The word “cemetery” derives from the Greek word koimeterion, which means dormitory or resting place. While the modern cemetery is a fairly recent development in human history, early civilizations began burying their dead long ago.
The earliest cemeteries were typically located near or adjacent to the church where members of the community who had passed away would be laid to rest. The privileged members of the church would be buried inside of the church itself, while those who were less wealthy or did not regularly attend the church would be buried in the graveyard outside of the church. These early graveyards were often crowded and overcrowded with people, which led to sanitary concerns that eventually caused people to start choosing private non-denominational burial grounds instead of the traditional churchyard.
What is the Difference Between a Graveyard and a Cemetery?
When a person dies, they are either laid to rest in a graveyard or a cemetery. While these locations are similar, they differ in several ways, including size, religious affiliation, and headstone requirements.
In the early 19th century rapid population growth and continued outbreaks of infectious disease were putting pressure on overcrowded churchyards. As a result, “cemeteries”–separate burial grounds from churches–became popular.
Many churchyards became landscaped to provide a more peaceful resting place for the dead, and large monuments such as the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris were built. Most of these places of burial became municipally run, independent of the church.
Some people choose to be buried in natural cemeteries, which are intended to return back to nature faster than conventional cemetery sites. However, some people find this to be offensive and prefer to be buried in a conventional graveyard. Regardless of which type of grave you choose, you will need to comply with the rules and regulations regarding headstones and other markers.
What is the Difference Between a Churchyard and a Cemetery?
Although the words graveyard and cemetery appear interchangeable at first glance, they have distinct meanings. A graveyard is a specific area of land set aside for burials and often located near a church. A cemetery, on the other hand, refers to a larger space that can accommodate multiple burial sites and may be separate from any religious institution.
Early churchyards became overcrowded, resulting in the spread of infectious diseases due to poor sanitation. The lack of space also prevented burials from being properly conducted, with too little backfill between coffins to allow for proper decomposition.
Older graves are often considered for re-use in cemeteries, but this can be controversial because family members of the deceased might feel that their grave is being desecrated. It can be difficult to contact families who have not visited or paid for their family’s graves for decades, and even if the authorities are able to reach them, they might object to the re-use of their plot.