St. Nicholas Orthodox Cemetery and Burial Guidelines

Revised and approved by the Board of Trustees April 6, 2025 

Overview  

1. The Cemetery is to be final resting place for members and non-Orthodox spouses of St Nicholas Orthodox Church in Cohoes, NY and other Orthodox Christians wishing burial in our cemetery. St. Nicholas Orthodox Church cemetery has been solemnly consecrated and will remain Orthodox in perpetuity.

2. The Cemetery is a non-profit unit functioning under these Guidelines established by St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Cohoes, NY.

3. St Nicholas Orthodox Church, Cohoes, New York reserves the right at any time with or without notice to the gravesite deed holder or to any monument dealer, to revise these rules and regulations or to amend, alter or supplement and/or repeal the whole or any part thereof. St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Cemetery Administration decisions in all matters pertaining to these rules are final.

4. The Cemetery is under the administration of the Parish Priest, Parish Council with the advice of Cemetery Coordinator. The Parish Council will resolve all matters concerning cemetery administration in accordance with the provisions of the laws relating to the maintenance, operation and preservation of religious cemeteries in the State of New York.

5. Nicholas Cemetery is open to all visitors from sunrise to sunset. Visitors are reminded the cemetery is sacred ground and they should conduct themselves accordingly. Any inappropriate or disruptive behavior is to be documented in detail, with date and time, and sent to the Parish Priest and Parish Council.

6. The cemetery road will not be maintained during the winter months. Visitors are at their own risk should they enter the grounds. However, the road will be plowed in the event of a burial. The Parish Council will give final approval of costs which will be the responsibility of the deceased family.

7. Only Parish Council approved vendors may do work at the cemetery. No outside vendors will be allowed to dig graves or place footers in the ground. Monument companies will coordinate with the Cemetery Coordinator the date and time the monument will be delivered at the cemetery so he/she will be present.

Burial Rights

8. Any baptized Orthodox person may purchase burial privileges in the cemetery. Ownership of the land and deeds to burial plots, however, will always be in the corporate name of the Parish. These plots are not transferable, and money paid for them will not be refunded.  Anyone wishing to turn over any unused portion of their family plot to the Parish may do so by sending a letter to the Cemetery Coordinator or Parish Priest or Parish Council.

9. Should any holder of the certificate of privilege of burial lose membership in the Parish, by reason of failure to adhere to the Orthodox faith, the holder will forfeit all burial privileges in the Parish Cemetery. If there are no known Orthodox descendants of a certificate holder, all remaining plots shall revert back to the Parish.

10. Parishioners who have maintained their financial obligations are only assessed the opening/closing costs and stipends at the time of burial.

11. Parishioners who have maintained their Orthodox faith, but who are not current with their financial obligations may be buried in St. Nicholas Cemetery:

1. if financial obligations are paid up within the past (7) seven years, in addition to grave opening costs and stipends.
2. if the arrears are more than 7 (seven) years, a one-time administrative fee of $6000 will be required before burial can proceed, in addition to grave opening costs and stipends. Only a check issued by the funeral home will be accepted.

12. Orthodox Christians who are not members of St. Nicholas Church at the time of death, and whose family wish they be buried in our cemetery, may be buried in the cemetery if they produce an Orthodox Baptismal certificate and the funeral home provides the church a onetime administrative fee of $6000 to St. Nicholas Church. This provision must occur before burial is permitted. Additionally, the family will be assessed grave opening/closing fee and stipends.

13. Nicholas Orthodox dues were $525 per person per year from 2017-2022. Dues increased to $676 per person per year in 2023. Dues in 2025 increased to $780 per year. non-Orthodox spouses must have their dues paid in full prior to burial in addition to opening/closing costs and stipends. Dues for a non-Orthodox spouse were $75 per person from 2017-2022 and $100 in 2023 and 2024. In 2025 dues for Non-Orthodox spouse increased to $200 per year. Should the non-Orthodox spouse pre-decease the Orthodox spouse, the dues of the Orthodox spouse must be current.

14. A non-Orthodox child of an Orthodox parishioner [under 18 (eighteen)] may be buried in the cemetery with permission of the Parish Priest.

15. Any case not covered by the prior stipulations will be decided by the Parish Priest in consultation with the Parish Council and Cemetery Coordinator.

Burials

16. The Parish Priest will be present for all committals in the cemetery. In the event he cannot be there, he may arrange for another Orthodox clergyman to represent him.

17. Only clergy of a canonical Orthodox Church may officiate at the religious service at the committal. There is no interfaith concelebration.

18. With the permission of the Parish Priest, any non-Orthodox spouse may have their clergyman present and say prayers at the conclusion of the Orthodox service.

19. Clergy from other Orthodox or non-Orthodox churches are welcome to visit graves and offer prayers at the request of relatives of the deceased buried in the cemetery during the year.

20. No grave openings will be made until all rules, regulations, and membership status of the deceased are satisfied. The Parish Priest in consultation with the Cemetery Coordinator and President of the Parish Council shall give the final approval.

21. Currently grave openings are set at $750. The grave digger receives $600 and the church receives $150 for a normal grave opening. The cost could vary depending on the winter season or other ground conditions.

22. Minimum stipends for the Parish Priest, Choir Director and Cemetery Coordinator have been established by the Parish Council with the recommendation of the Diocesan Bishop:

• Parish Priest $300
• Choir director/Cantor $200
• Cemetery coordinator $100

23. Grave lots are the following sizes:
    1. a) single grave – 4’ x 12’ (four by twelve)
    2. b) family plot – 16’ x 16’ (sixteen by sixteen)

24. Costs for grave lots are the following:
    1. a) single grave – $750 (Seven hundred fifty dollars) increasing from $500
    2. b) family plot - $6000 (Six thousand dollars increasing from $4,000)

25. Burials will not be permitted without a concrete, stainless steel, bronze or fiberglass vault upon which is the name of the deceased engraved on the top of the lid. Steel vaults are not allowed.

26. “Green” burials are not allowed. These burials are interred in the soil in a biodegradable container. .

27. Caskets will not be opened at the cemetery.

28. The cremation of the body is forbidden by the Orthodox Church. However, cremated remains may be buried in the cemetery only with the permission of the current Archbishop of New York and New Jersey. (Burial of cremated remains was granted by Metropolitan Herman, June 24, 2008. See letter as an addendum) 

29. Cremated remains are buried 3 (three) feet underground. Two cremated remains can be placed in one regular plot. 

30. Containers of cremated remains must be made of a sturdy, unbreakable substance such as steel or fiberglass, but not cardboard or plastic. Opening and closing of graves for cremated remains are 1/2 (one-half) the cost of regular burials.

31. The burial of small children's caskets and of approved cremated remains on top of a previously buried casket is permitted. 

32. The Parish Priest must seek approval of the Diocesan Authority for burial of a victim of suicide.

33. The separate burial of pets or animals will not be permitted.in the cemetery, nor any separate markers or reference to them engraved on the front of the stone.

34. No above ground (mausoleum) burials are allowed.

35. Trash/clippings receptacles are not provided. Trash, plant containers, grass cuttings and all other debris resulting from cleaning of graves must be removed from the cemetery by the plot owner or person responsible for creating the debris.

36. The Cemetery disclaims all responsibility for the theft, damage or disappearance of any items left at the grave site. 

Section III. Monuments, Grave landscaping

37. Parish members must ensure individual grave markers or family monuments will identify the location of the final resting place of the deceased and should be installed within a year of the committal. All monuments will be placed in line with the other monuments in that row. All pillow stones not in line with the monuments will be placed flush with the ground. 

38. All monuments that have an upright stone and base will have a 4 (four) foot deep footing placed in the ground prior to the delivery of the monument. The footer fee will be set at $200 per foot.

39. Monuments must have a cross engraved on the front of the stone. The cross must be the prominent feature on the face of the stone. Family names, dates, portraits and other engravings must not overshadow the cross. Masonic emblems and other non-Christian symbols in conflict with Orthodox teachings cannot be engraved on the headstone. Non-religious themes related to the life of the individual may be carved on the back of the stone. These engravings cannot bear teachings or images contrary to Orthodox Christian teachings. A non-Orthodox spouse may use other Christian symbols on the front of the stone. 

40. Sketches, drawings of the proposed monument from the monument company must be presented to the Parish Council, Cemetery Coordinator and Priest for approval before it is manufactured. The Parish Priest, Parish Council and Cemetery Coordinator reserve the right to reject any prospective drawing that is not befitting for an Orthodox Cemetery. The donor of a monument will be contacted and given suggestions for another submission and approval.
41. Grave monuments may not exceed four (4) feet in height.

42. Grave monuments may not exceed the following lengths:
    1. a) single grave – three (3) feet
    2. b) double grave – six (6) feet
    3. c) triple grave – ten (10) feet, etc.

43. No trees may be planted on any plots and no shrubs shall exceed the height of the headstone on the plot. Shrubs must be planted on either side of the monument, not blocking the mowing of the grass. Shrubs cannot interfere with another plot. The Cemetery Coordinator will notify the family of the plot if any shrubs, etc., violate the Cemetery Guidelines. If the matter is not resolved in a timely manner, 3 (three) months, the Cemetery Coordinator reserves the right to cut or remove shrubs, trees, etc.

44. Decorations are to be placed on the top of the stone, sides or in front of the stone. Decorations cannot extend 12 inches in front of the monument and not to exceed the width of the base to interfere with a neighboring plot. Breakable decorations are discouraged. The Cemetery is not responsible for any breakage or missing decoration. Artificial flowers are discouraged in favor of live plantings. Artificial decorations will be discarded annually if not removed by April 15^th of the following year.

45. Nicholas Cemetery has no provision for perpetual care. Any monument or marker is the property of the individual owner. As such, it should be added to the homeowner’s insurance to protect against theft, vandalism, storm damage, etc. The cemetery will exercise due care as it goes about its daily business and will attempt to notify the owner or his/her descendants of any concerns it may have concerning the monument or marker. Owner and descendants should keep contact information current by contacting St. Nicholas Orthodox Church. 

Section IV. Disinterment

46. No disinterment shall be allowed except for good reason and only with the permission of the Cemetery Coordinator, Parish Council and Parish Priest. A written application for the disinterment must be completed and submitted to the Cemetery Coordinator by  the responsible Funeral Director prior to the scheduling of the disinterment.  The Cemetery Coordinator shall exercise due care in preparing for a disinterment, but shall assume no liability for the damage to any casket or vault or their contents incurred prior to, during, or following the disinterment. St. Nicholas Church is not responsible for any costs for the disinterment. A fee will be assessed for disinterment for re-landscaping as determined by the Parish Council. If no Orthodox immediate family remains, the plot reverts back to St. Nicholas Cemetery with no refunds. 

Section V. Memorial Services 

47. The traditional time for the annual cemetery blessing is the weekend of Orthodox Pentecost. On Memorial Saturday a Divine Liturgy is celebrated in memory of all the deceased members of St. Nicholas parish. Individual grave blessings may be scheduled if Sunday is inconvenient for the family. On Pentecost Sunday, after the Divine Liturgy, a full Panikhida will be served at the cemetery for everyone buried in the cemetery. Individual grave blessings will be available after the Panikhida for those people who request having their graves blessed. 

Adoption of the Cemetery Guidelines of St. Nicholas Orthodox Cemetery

THESE GUIDELINES were approved and adopted at the PARISH COUNCIL MEETING on  April 6, 2025  and filed accordingly in the church files and available through the church website.

________________________________ Parish Priest               _______________ Date

      Fr. Terenti Wasielewski  

________________________________ Parish President         _______________ Date

      Ms. Barbara Gerzonich