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51-524: It became ubiquitous on headstones in the 18th century, and is widely used today when mentioning someone's death. The phrase dormit in pace (English: "[he] sleeps in peace") was found in the catacombs of the early Christians and indicated that "they died in the peace of the Church, that is, united in Christ." The abbreviation R.I.P., meaning Requiescat in pace , "Rest in peace", continues to be engraved on

102-411: A certain shape or position to facilitate grass-cutting. Headstones of granite , marble and other kinds of stone are usually created, installed, and repaired by monumental masons . Cemeteries require regular inspection and maintenance, as stones may settle, topple and, on rare occasions, fall and injure people; or graves may simply become overgrown and their markers lost or vandalised . Restoration

153-414: A community. Some gravestones were even commissioned and erected to their own memory by people who were still living, as a testament to their wealth and status. In a Christian context , the very wealthy often erected elaborate memorials within churches rather than having simply external gravestones. Crematoria frequently offer similar alternatives to families who do not have a grave to mark, but who want

204-503: A day, living in a mourning shack placed beside the house, and moaning in pain at certain intervals of the day. It is said, that after the death of Confucius his followers engaged in this three-year mourning period to symbolize their commitment to his teachings. Funerals are considered to be a part of the normal process of family life, serving as a cornerstone in inter-generational traditions. The primary goals, regardless of religious beliefs, are to demonstrate obeisance and provide comfort for

255-448: A discreet reference code as well to help accurately fix the location for maintenance. The cemetery owner, church, or, as in the UK , national guidelines might encourage the use of 'tasteful' and accurate wording in inscriptions. The placement of inscriptions is traditionally placed on the forward-facing side of the memorial but can also be seen in some cases on the reverse and around the edges of

306-460: A focus for their mourning and for remembrance . Carved or cast commemorative plaques inside the crematorium for example may serve this purpose. A cemetery may follow national codes of practice or independently prescribe the size and use of certain materials, especially in a conservation area. Some may limit the placing of a wooden memorial to six months after burial, after which a more permanent memorial must be placed. Others may require stones of

357-402: A gravestone was the stone slab (or ledger stone ) that was laid flat over a grave . Now, all three terms ("stele", "tombstone" or "gravestone") are also used for markers set (usually upright) at the head of the grave. Some graves in the 18th century also contained footstones to demarcate the foot end of the grave. This sometimes developed into full kerb sets that marked the whole perimeter of

408-495: A headstone may settle or its fixings weaken. After several instances where unstable stones have fallen in dangerous circumstances, some burial authorities "topple test" headstones by firm pressure to check for stability. They may then tape them off or flatten them. This procedure has proved controversial in the UK, where an authority's duty of care to protect visitors is complicated because it often does not have any ownership rights over

459-474: A household altar alongside other deceased ancestors. This act symbolically unifies the ancestors and honors the family lineage. Incense is lit before the altar daily, significant announcements are made before them, and offerings such as favorite foods, beverages, and spirit money are given bi-monthly and on special occasions, such as during the Qingming Festival and Zhong Yuan Festival . Prayer

510-414: A number of members of the same family. In the 19th century, headstone styles became very diverse, ranging from plain to highly decorated, and often using crosses on a base or other shapes differing from the traditional slab. By this time popular designs were shifting from symbols of death like Winged heads and Skulls to Urns and Willow trees. Marble also became overwhelmingly popular as a grave material during

561-613: A stone. In addition, before laying a stone flat, it must be recorded for posterity. Gravestone cleaning is a practice that both professionals and volunteers can do to preserve gravestones and increase their life spans. Before cleaning any gravestones, permission must be given to the cleaner by a "descendant, the sexton , cemetery superintendent or the town, in that order. If unsure who to ask, go to your town cemetery keeper and inquire." A gravestone can be cleaned to remove human vandalism and graffiti, biological growth such as algae or lichen , and other minerals, soiling, or staining. One of

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612-618: Is "not commonly used in Jewish contexts", though some commentators say that it is "consistent with Jewish practice". The traditional Hebrew expression עליו השלום , literally 'may peace be upon him', is sometimes rendered in English as 'may he rest in peace'. On the other hand, some Jews object to using the phrase for Jews, considering it to reflect a Christian perspective. [REDACTED] Media related to Requiescat in pace at Wikimedia Commons Headstone A gravestone or tombstone

663-663: Is a marker, usually stone , that is placed over a grave . A marker set at the head of the grave may be called a headstone . An especially old or elaborate stone slab may be called a funeral stele , stela , or slab . The use of such markers is traditional for Chinese , Jewish , Christian , and Islamic burials , as well as other traditions. In East Asia, the tomb's spirit tablet is the focus for ancestral veneration and may be removable for greater protection between rituals. Ancient grave markers typically incorporated funerary art , especially details in stone relief . With greater literacy, more markers began to include inscriptions of

714-529: Is a specialized job for a monumental mason . Even overgrowth removal requires care to avoid damaging the carving. For example, ivy should only be cut at the base roots and left to naturally die off, never pulled off forcefully. Many materials have been used as markers. Markers sometimes bear inscriptions . The information on the headstone generally includes the name of the deceased and their date of birth and death. Such information can be useful to genealogists and local historians . Larger cemeteries may require

765-464: Is an aspect of the Chinese traditional religion which revolves around the ritual celebration of the deified ancestors and tutelary deities of people with the same surname organised into lineage societies in ancestral shrines . Ancestors, their ghosts, or spirits, and gods are considered part of "this world". They are neither supernatural (in the sense of being outside nature) nor transcendent in

816-520: Is illegible after about a hundred years... For those of you who seek a degree of immortality , a slate headstone, or as a second choice, one carved from an Irish limestone, should ensure that your name will remain on view for several centuries to come! The choice of language and/or script on gravestones has been studied by sociolinguists as indicators of language choices and language loyalty. For example, by studying cemeteries used by immigrant communities, some languages were found to be carved "long after

867-428: Is often delayed according to wealth; the coffin would remain in the main room of the family home until it has been properly prepared for burial. More traditionally, this delay is pre-determined according to social status: the corpse of a king or emperor would be held in abeyance for seven months; magnates, five; other officers, three; commoners, one. In some instances, a "lucky burial" can take place several years after

918-524: Is prevalent. Some contemporary scholars in China have adopted the names "Chinese traditional patriarchal religion" ( 中國傳統宗法性宗教 Zhōngguó chuántǒng zōngfǎ xìng zōngjiào ) or "Chinese traditional primordial religion" ( 中國傳統原生性宗教 Zhōngguó chuántǒng yuánshēng xìng zōngjiào ) to define the traditional religious system organised around the worship of ancestor-gods. Mou Zhongjian defines "clan-based traditional patriarchal religion" as "an orthodox religion that

969-453: The acrostic message "KFC tortures birds". The group placed its grave marker to promote its contention that KFC is cruel to chickens. Gravestones may be simple upright slabs with semi-circular, rounded, gabled, pointed-arched, pedimental, square or other shaped tops. During the 18th century, they were often decorated with memento mori (symbolic reminders of death ) such as skulls or winged skulls, winged cherub heads, heavenly crowns, or

1020-743: The 1800s in the United States. More elaborately carved markers, such as crosses or angels also became popular during this time. Simple curb surrounds, sometimes filled with glass chippings, were popular during the mid-20th century. Islamic headstones are traditionally more a rectangular upright shaft, often topped with a carved topknot symbolic of a turban ; but in Western countries more local styles are often used. Some form of simple decoration may be employed. Special emblems on tombstones indicate several familiar themes in many faiths. Some examples are: Greek letters might also be used: Over time

1071-480: The Confucian religion traditionally lacked a social religious organisation while traditional patriarchal religion lacked an ideological doctrine. In Chinese folk religion , a person is often thought to have multiple souls, categorized as hun and po , commonly associated with yang and yin , respectively. Upon death, hun and po separate. Generally, the former ascends into heaven and the latter descends into

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1122-602: The United States alone, pre-purchased headstones with pre-carved death years beginning with 19–. Bas-relief carvings of a religious nature or of a profile of the deceased can be seen on some headstones, especially up to the 19th century. Since the invention of photography, a gravestone might include a framed photograph or cameo of the deceased; photographic images or artwork (showing the loved one, or some other image relevant to their life, interests or achievements) are sometimes now engraved onto smooth stone surfaces. Some headstones use lettering made of white metal fixed into

1173-422: The blink of an eye. We captured the whole world through our courage and strength, Yet could take nothing with us to our grave." Or a simpler warning of inevitability of death: Remember me as you pass by, As you are now, so once was I, As I am now, so you will be, Prepare for death and follow me. Headstone engravers faced their own " year 2000 problem " when still-living people, as many as 500,000 in

1224-412: The burial. The bones are dug up, washed, dried, and stored in an earthenware jar. After a period of storage, the contents are then interred in their final resting place in a location selected by an augur to optimize the flow of qi . A bad qi flow could result in a disgruntled spirit who could possibly haunt their descendants. The deceased would often be buried with sacrifices, typically things one

1275-456: The corpse, followed by its attiring in grave clothes; the transfer of symbolic goods such as money and food from the living to the dead; the preparation and installation of a spirit tablet or the use of a personator , often symbolic. Sometimes, ritual specialists such as Taoist priests or Buddhist monks would be hired to perform specific rites, often accompanied by the playing of music or chanting of scripture to drive away evil spirits. Burial

1326-454: The custom has also spread to ethnic minority groups. Ancestor veneration is largely focused on male ancestors. Hence, it is also called Chinese patriarchal religion . It was believed that women did not pass down surnames because they were incapable of carrying down a bloodline. Chinese kinship traces ancestry through the male lineage that is recorded in genealogy books . They consider their ancestral home to be where their patriline ancestor

1377-428: The dangerous marker. Authorities that have knocked over stones during testing or have unilaterally lifted and laid flat any potentially hazardous stones have been criticised, after grieving relatives have discovered that their relative's marker has been moved. Since 2007 Consistory Court and local authority guidance now restricts the force used in a topple test and requires an authority to consult relatives before moving

1428-403: The deceased's name, date of birth, and date of death, often along with a personal message or prayer . The presence of a frame for photographs of the deceased is also increasingly common. The stele (plural: stelae ), as it is called in an archaeological context, is one of the oldest forms of funerary art . Originally, a tombstone was the stone lid of a stone coffin , or the coffin itself, and

1479-405: The deceased. Other goals include: to protect the descendants of the deceased from malevolent spirits and to ensure the proper separation and direction of the deceased's soul into the afterlife. Some common elements of Chinese funerals include the expression of grief through prolonged, often exaggerated, wailing; the wearing of white mortuary clothes by the family of the deceased; a ritual washing of

1530-461: The different types of stone available: The use of slate for this plaque was a good choice as it weathers very slowly and the quality of the carved lettering remains good for many years. Many (Irish) gravestones from the mid 1700s and 1800s are made of slate. This is fortunate for those interested in tracing genealogies , as many of the inscriptions can still be read after two hundred years. This contrasts sharply with lettering cut into granite, which

1581-549: The dust enclosèd here. Blest be the man that spares these stones, And cursed be he that moves my bones. Or a warning about mortality , such as this Persian poetry carved on an ancient tombstone in the Tajiki capital of Dushanbe . I heard that mighty Jamshed the King Carved on a stone near a spring of water these words: "Many – like us – sat here by this spring And left this life in

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1632-399: The earth and/or resides within a spirit tablet ; however, beliefs concerning the number and nature of souls vary. In accordance with these traditional beliefs, various practices have arisen to address the perceived needs of the deceased. The mourning of a loved one usually involves elaborate rituals, which vary according to region and sect. The intensity of the mourning is thought to reflect

1683-539: The grave. Footstones were rarely annotated with more than the deceased's initials and year of death, and sometimes a memorial mason and plot reference number. Many cemeteries and churchyards have removed those extra stones to ease grass cutting by machine mower. In some UK cemeteries, the principal, and indeed only, marker is placed at the foot of the grave. Owing to soil movement and downhill creep on gentle slopes, older headstones and footstones can often be found tilted at an angle. Over time, this movement can result in

1734-618: The gravestones of Christians, especially in the Catholic , Lutheran , and Anglican denominations . In the Tridentine Requiem Mass of the Catholic Church the phrase appears several times. Other variations include "Requiescat in pace et in amore" for "[May they] rest in peace and love", and "In pace requiescat et in amore". The word order is variable because Latin syntactical relationships are indicated by

1785-443: The inflexional endings, not by word order. If "Rest in peace" is used in an imperative mood, it would be "Requiesce in pace" (acronym R.I.P.) in the second person singular, or "Requiescite in pace" in the second person plural. In the common phrase "Requiescat in pace" the "-at" ending is appropriate because the verb is a third-person singular present active subjunctive used in a hortative sense: "[May they] rest in peace." The phrase

1836-554: The language ceased to be spoken" in the communities. In other cases, a language used in the inscription may indicate a religious affiliation. Marker inscriptions have also been used for political purposes, such as the grave marker installed in January 2008 at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky by Mathew Prescott, an employee of PETA . The grave marker is located near the grave of KFC founder Harland Sanders and bears

1887-586: The most important tenets of gravestone cleaning is "do no harm." In the United States, the National Park Service has published a list of guidelines that outline the best practices of gravestone cleaning: Do Don't Chinese ancestral veneration Model humanity: Main philosophical traditions: Ritual traditions: Devotional traditions: Salvation churches and sects : Confucian churches and sects: Chinese ancestor veneration , also called Chinese ancestor worship ,

1938-626: The other religions of China, as it is evident in the worship of founders of temples and schools of thought in Taoism and Chinese Buddhism . Ancestor veneration practices prevail in South China, where lineage bonds are stronger and the patrilineal hierarchy is not based upon seniority and access to corporate resources held by a lineage is based upon the equality of all the lines of descent; whereas in North China worship of communal deities

1989-418: The picks and shovels of the gravedigger . Somewhat unusual were more elaborate allegorical figures , such as Old Father Time , or emblems of trade or status , or even some event from the life of the deceased (particularly how they died). Large tomb chests, false sarcophagi as the actual remains were in the earth below, or smaller coped chests were commonly used by the gentry as a means of commemorating

2040-435: The quality of relationship one had with the deceased. From the time of Confucius until the 20th century, a three-year mourning period was often prescribed, mirroring the first three years in a child's life when they are utterly dependent upon and loved unconditionally by their parents. These mourning practices would often include wearing sackcloth or simple garb, leaving hair unkempt, eating a restricted diet of congee two times

2091-527: The secretary of the Evangelical Protestant Society , said on a BBC Radio Ulster programme that he would encourage Protestants to refrain from using the term "RIP". Thompson said that he regards "RIP" as a prayer for the dead , which he believes contradicts biblical doctrine. In the same radio programme, Presbyterian Ken Newell disagreed that people are praying for the dead when they use the phrase. The expression "rest in peace"

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2142-425: The sense of being beyond nature. The ancestors are humans who have become godly beings, beings who keep their individual identities. For this reason, Chinese religion is founded on veneration of ancestors. Ancestors are believed to be a means of connection to the supreme power of Tian as they are considered embodiments or reproducers of the creative order of Heaven. It is a major aspect of Han Chinese religion, but

2193-519: The stone itself. Some families request that an inscription be made on the portion of the memorial that will be underground. In addition, some gravestones also bear epitaphs in praise of the deceased or quotations from religious texts, such as " requiescat in pace ". In a few instances the inscription is in the form of a plea, admonishment, testament of faith, claim to fame or even a curse – William Shakespeare 's inscription famously declares Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbear, To dig

2244-475: The stone, which is easy to read but can be damaged by ivy or frost. Deep carvings on a hard-wearing stone may weather many centuries exposed in graveyards and still remain legible. Those fixed on the inside of churches , on the walls , or on the floor (often as near the altar as possible) may last much longer: such memorials were often embellished with a monumental brass . Irish geologist Patrick Wyse Jackson mused on gravestone legibility in 1993 with regards to

2295-428: The stones being sited several metres away from their original location. Graves and any related memorials are a focus for mourning and remembrance. The names of relatives are often added to a gravestone over the years, so that one marker may chronicle the passing of an entire family spread over decades. Since gravestones and a plot in a cemetery or churchyard cost money, they are also a symbol of wealth or prominence in

2346-508: Was born (usually about five generations back) or the origin of their surname. Confucian philosophy calls for paying respect to one's ancestors, an aspect of filial piety ; Zhuo Xinping (2011) views traditional patriarchal religion as the religious organisation complementing the ideology of Confucianism. As the "bedrock faith of the Chinese", traditional patriarchal religion influences the religious psychology of all Chinese and has influenced

2397-414: Was first found on tombstones some time before the fifth century. It became ubiquitous on the tombs of Christians in the 18th century, and for High Church Anglicans, Methodists , as well as Roman Catholics in particular, it was a prayerful request that their soul should find peace in the afterlife . When the phrase became conventional, the absence of a reference to the soul led people to suppose that it

2448-664: Was the physical body that was enjoined to lie peacefully in the grave . This is associated with the Christian doctrine of the particular judgment ; that is, that the soul is parted from the body upon death, but that the soul and body will be reunited on Judgment Day . In 2017, members of the Orange Order in Northern Ireland called on Protestants to stop using the phrase "RIP" or "Rest in Peace". Wallace Thompson,

2499-414: Was thought to be in need of in the afterlife. This was done as a symbolic demonstration of filial piety or grandeur. For the wealthy and powerful, bronze vessels, oracle bones, and human or animal sacrifices often accompanied the deceased into the grave. More common sacrifices included candles and incense, as well as offerings of wine and food. After the funeral, families often install an ancestral tablet at

2550-452: Was usually performed at the household altar in a separate room containing the po of their ancestors. The eldest male would speak to the altar on a regular basis. In some belief systems where special powers are ascribed to the deceased, he may supplicate the spirit to bless the family. When a family member dies in modern China and Taiwan, they are given various kinds of rewards such as "a toothbrush, money, food, water", "a credit card and[/or]

2601-460: Was widely accepted by all classes, and had been practiced for thousands of years in ancient China". Mou also says that this religion was subordinate to the state, it was "diverse and inclusive" and had "a humanistic spirit that emphasises the social, moral function of religion", and is closely related to politics. It refers to: According to Zhuo Xinping (2011), Chinese patriarchal religion and Confucianism complemented each other in ancient China, as

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