If you’re looking for the burial place of someone who has passed away, there are a few things that need to be taken into consideration. You’ll want to ensure that the burial ground is near family members, jives with religious beliefs and is easily accessible.
Historically, graveyards were associated with churches and located on church grounds. As the number of congregants began to increase, these graveyards began to run out of space.
What is a graveyard?
Until recently, graveyards were typically run by churches. Therefore, only church members were able to be buried there. However, this resulted in overcrowded graveyards and dead bodies infiltrating the water supply causing diseases like cholera. Eventually, people began to move away from the traditional church graveyards and start creating newer, landscaped cemeteries.
In the Middle Ages, wealthy or influential Christians were often interred inside of their church after death, in a crypt below the floor. The rest of the church’s congregants were then buried outside, in what became known as the graveyard.
The word ‘graveyard’ is a compound of the proto-Germanic word “graban” meaning to dig and gardan referring to an enclosed area of land. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, though they have slightly different definitions on a technical level. The main difference is that a cemetery is commercially run while a graveyard is a part of a house of worship. They also have different rules and regulations.
Why are they called a graveyard?
Although the words graveyard and cemetery are often used interchangeably, they actually have very different meanings. Graveyards are generally associated with a church and only allow members of that church to be buried there. Cemeteries, on the other hand, are independent and can be used by people of any faith.
As the population grew, it became apparent that church-affiliated graveyards were becoming overcrowded. This led to problems such as disease and toxic gases from decaying bodies infiltrating the water supply. In order to address these issues, new burial grounds were needed. This is when cemeteries came into existence.
The word cemetery is derived from the Greek term koimeterion, which means “a sleeping place.” The Christian belief is that when we die our body goes into a temporary sleep until it is raised at the Resurrection. The pagans, however, believed that when our bodies are buried they go into a permanent resting place. This is why the cemetery is so often referred to as the final resting place.
What are the rules of a graveyard?
As a general rule, you should always ask the spirits before taking anything from a graveyard. This is especially important when it comes to taking flowers or anything else that you might want from a graveyard. Taking things from a graveyard can upset the spirits and cause them problems.
The rules of a graveyard are usually set by the caretakers of that cemetery. Most of the time these are simple rules such as respecting the dead and not disturbing them or their loved ones. It is also important to be careful when walking through a graveyard so that you don’t step on someone’s headstone or otherwise hurt yourself.
The difference between a graveyard and a cemetery is often confusing to people who don’t live near them. But understanding the distinction between these two places can help you to plan your own funeral arrangements and make sure that your next of kin understands what you want when you pass on.
What are the benefits of a graveyard?
The most obvious benefit is that a graveyard allows people to be interred in peace, in an area that has been specifically chosen and set aside for that purpose. Unlike a random patch of land next to a church, a cemetery has been designed for burials and has strict rules about what can be done there.
Another benefit is that it provides a natural habitat for flora and fauna. Native plant species thrive in the soil, and animals such as foxes and hedgehogs can be seen hunting or nesting there.
A cemetery can also be a source of income, as people are willing to pay for the opportunity to be buried there. This can help to keep older cemeteries open and reduce the need for them to be closed permanently. The revenue generated from the sale of plots can also be used to maintain cemetery grounds and facilities.