When the parish sold the property to a Coptic church for $1.8 million in 2016, it did so with the understanding that the cremated remains would be removed because cremation is not allowed in the Coptic faith. Eventually some 51 people were buried there. In 1967 the church opened a small cemetery area for parishioners who had been cremated. The Massachusetts case involves the Church of the Holy Spirit of Wayland, an Episcopal parish founded in 1961 and shuttered in 2015. close their doors, according to a study by the United Church of Christ. Of those that remain, half the congregations have 65 people or fewer and two-thirds have fewer than 100, the nondenominational group Faith Communities Today has reported. could prove persuasive nationally.Įvery week, another 75 to 150 religious congregations in the U.S. A ruling from the state with the oldest cemetery in the U.S. BOSTON (CN) - A Coptic church that bought a defunct Episcopal church can’t just dig up the bodies in the church’s cemetery and move them, the Massachusetts Appeals Court ruled Thursday.Īt a time of dwindling church attendance when more and more churches are closing each year, the question of what to do with burial grounds is taking on increased importance. For more specific information on how long you own a burial plot after it is used, we recommend that you contact a cemetery near you now to learn more. To reiterate, all this ultimately depends on the rules and regulations where you live, as well as the cemetery you choose. This is again why it's important to consider a pre-planning service such as. If the lease is not renewed, the plot will be reused. Think of it like a lease - the lease on the plot may run out in 20 years, in which case they may offer the opportunity to renew the lease. This is usually after several decades and depends on the cemetery. In addition to retaining the rights to reclaim an unused plot, some cemeteries may choose to reclaim plots that have been used. However, after burial plots are used, there are some instances in which they can be reused, with new headstone and new remains placed atop the existing remains. But as mentioned above, some cemeteries retain the right to reclaim the plot due to inactivity. Until it is used by the owner, th at person own s the burial plot in perpetuity, and it can even be passed down to your next of kin. This is usually not the case, and when you purchase a burial plot, it is usually always yours. People who are considering purchasing a burial plot often ask whether the plot has an expiration date before use. You can also learn more about buying a burial plot in advance here.Īlso keep in mind that the laws regarding burial plots may be different in other countries. Important to consider is that there are pre-purchasing and pre-planning options that handle all these details for you. The cemetery owners will explain the details regarding how long you will own the cemetery plot. What defines an "extended period of time" depends entirely on the cemetery, which is why it is so important to find a cemetery near you to get more information. For example, a cemetery may choose to reclaim a cemetery plot if it ha s not been used in four decades or if no provision was made for maintenance. However, some locations in the United States can potentially reclaim the space if there has been no activity with the space for an extended period of time. While the cemetery retains ownership of the land, you are purchasing the right to use the land for a burial. First, it's important to point out that when you purchase a burial plot, you are not purchasing the land itself. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. Generally speaking, when you purchase a cemetery plot, it does not expire, and it will always be yours.
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