For centuries, Christian communities have had cemeteries connected to their church locations. These burial grounds have created beautiful spaces to remember loved ones, have simplified the logistics of burials, and have allowed congregations to honor the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before them.
For congregations in cities and suburbs, these kinds of traditional cemeteries haven’t been possible due to space limitations, but Columbaria—walls with niches designed to receive and store cremation urns—have become a popular alternative. Like traditional burial grounds, these structures allow families and friends to remember and honor loved ones in a setting that is directly connected to the life of the congregation.
In response to a strong interest among the members of St. Philip the Deacon, a Columbarium wall was built on the north side of the church, just off of our Chapel entrance.