Discover the options cremation has to offer.

• All ashes must be buried in a cemetery or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium. Keeping them in private residences or funeral homes is not permitted.
• Separation of ashes, including scattering, jewelry-making, or distribution among family members, is not permitted.
• Delaying the burial of ashes for the interment with another individual is not allowed.
• Mixing the ashes of different individuals is not permitted.

• If a body of water is chosen as the final resting place, the remains much be contained within a durable and secure vessel to prevent damage or accidental dispersion into the water.

As long as Catholics uphold these rules, there is no reason not to be cremated for those who prefer it.

To be cremated as a member of the Catholic faith, an urn holding the ashes must be buried or entombed. While the type of urn used for this purpose can be selected by the family, Philadelphia Catholic Cemeteries do require the purchase of a concrete vault if a non-marble urn is selected.

Custom Urns
Custom urns usually reflect the individual’s personality, interests, or beliefs, and serve as a focal point for remembrance and a tangible connection to the person’s life and legacy.

Columbariums

These structures are designed to house the ashes of loved ones in a community space or a reserved private family estate, providing a personal and intimate setting for remembrance. Glass-front or granite niches are the individual spaces within a columbarium or mausoleum designed to hold an urn.

Mausoleums
A community mausoleum, or public mausoleum, at a Philadelphia-area Catholic cemetery, is an above-ground structure offering a secure enclosure for multiple individuals. The mausoleums at our Catholic cemeteries remain clean and dry for visitors, with caskets and crypts never coming into contact with the earth. You can find more information below on the components of this type of burial preference.

Private family mausoleums
Allow family members to be buried together in a private, secure structure. Of all the burial options available from the Catholic cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, these beautiful stone enclosures provide the greatest amount of privacy, personalization, and prestige. With the ability to add stone columns, stained glass ceilings, and other decorative touches, you can turn a personal mausoleum at one of our Catholic cemeteries into your own family mausoleum, where loved ones can come to pray for and honor those who have departed.

Similar to traditional burial, urns can be buried in cemeteries. This option ensures that families that select both traditional and cremation burials can share a final resting place.

• Casket (unless cremation occurs directly after death/there is no viewing)
• Grave site or mausoleum (private or public structure)
• Opening-and-closing service: Opening a grave site for burial, backfilling the plot, and landscaping to restore the grave site’s appearance. Opening-and-closing is also required for interment in a mausoleum.
• Urn: The vessel to house the ashes.
• Vault (for burial): A concrete enclosure that serves to protect the urn and provide safe footing for visitors.