Why graves face the east
From the channel of Rick Watson.
1. In Christian tradition, burials are arranged so that the head is in the west, and the feet are to the east. This relates to the second coming of Christ, who will return from the east. Those buried in such a position will sit up, facing the returning Christ. See Rick Watson explain this in the above video.
2. A cemetery and a graveyard are the same thing. However, it is generally stated that a graveyard is a small burial area located near a church. This is not entirely accurate, as I have seen burial grounds next to churches that are called cemeteries (Merriam-Webster).
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| Caddo Mound in Northeast Texas, Author's Picture |
3. Some Native American burials involved interring the deceased beneath an earthen mound. I have seen many of these burials; some unknown to the public, and some well-known.
4. Not every grave marker is oriented in the west-east position. I have seen some facing the southeast. The Jane Chandler Gill burial near the Red River in Texas is oriented north-south. This, however, is because the lady's gravestone has been removed from its original location.
5. A cenotaph is a marker that honors someone who is not buried at the marker's location (Microsoft Copilot).
