The Symbolic Value of Cemetery Statues

There is something peaceful, symbolic and historical about venturing into a cemetery and discovering the holy angels and beautiful Christian statues which line its grounds. From the Virgin Mary to Jesus statues and then to the myriad ways angels can be seen to express themselves, thanks to the skills of seasoned sculptors, one just can’t ignore the many ways people, usually beloved family members, use statues to express the loss of their deceased loved ones.

For centuries, people have used cemetery statuary to express their love and bring comfort for the one they have lost. It is simply unthinkable to deal with the grief of losing someone you love, and the task of placing that loved one to his or her final resting place is no small task. It involves plenty of emotions and a good deal of planning to find the right way to express your grief and to that, mankind has leaned on finding the best cemetery statues to mark the final resting place of their beloved family member or friend. With such devotion given towards finding the right cemetery statuary to mark the loss of your loved ones, you find extraordinary comfort and peace with using unique cemetery statues like the Angel of Grief also known as the weeping angel, to memorialize and bring forth the peace and tranquility for the passing one and the comfort to the living knowing that the last rites have been met with much love and planning that would complete the journey of the soul of the passing one to his or her rightful place in Heaven.

Provides an Insight into the Life of the Departed

Cemetery statues provide an insight into the culture and beliefs of the individuals they represent. When you walk into a cemetery, the aura of the majestic angel statues rising with the cross or holding flowers in their hands and the allure of the mystical Jesus sculptures, simply tell you a story about the person that passed on and the manner he or she was regarded by the ones left behind. Then there are some graves which highlight animals as a way of celebrating the life that was. One common theme is exemplified through the use of the lion and lamb statue where the lion represents strength and courage, while the lamb which is usually a significant meaning in Christian literature, symbolizes innocence and purity. In the Bible, the lion and the lamb are used together in a reference to the cross. Christ was slain and was the Lamb but rose as the Lion most often associated as the Lion of Judah, and in that manner of symbolism, Christ conquered and was resurrected. Then there are the use of trees denoted in cemetery art with tree stones used in the 1800s and 1900s to denote a life cut short while the oak tree implies strength and the tree of life suggests immortality and growth. The use of trees in cemeteries such as the willow tree to depict sorrow and mourning, reflects the idea of the cemetery as a retreat for the living, therein tying together nature and symbolism.

Types of Cemetery Statues

Hence, it is very clear that cemetery statues hold a deep meaning to the living and are not just mere adornments. Planning the use of the right cemetery statue to mark the grave of the deceased ensures that you have given credence and love towards preparing the loved one his or her final resting place where he or she will be remembered well by those who visit the grave to pay respects. In short, cemetery statues represent the lives of those who have passed. When you look at these statues guarding the grave, you associate the symbolic meaning these statues represent and connect with the loved one through prayer at the grave. For those who take joy visiting the cemetery, you will notice that angel statues are widely used to mark a grave because angels are believed to connect us to the divine. They are divine messengers used by God to protect the living. It is believed that while the person lived, he or she was guarded by an angel and upon his/her passing, the family would use an angel statue to guide his/her soul to Heaven since the angel is seen as the divine messenger between heaven and earth. Some families add an angel with trumpet to symbolize the call to resurrection meaning the deceased will be raised on Judgment Day where the trumpet is seen as the instrument heralding the Resurrection. The angel associated with this belief is Saint Gabriel. Others add angels holding a sword or cross to represent spiritual warfare where the Archangel Michael is called upon to protect the deceased in the afterlife. Another kind of cemetery statue that deserves mention here is the “Mourning Victory”,  which is a statue or memorial that depicts triumph but with bittersweet victory. Often, the figure in such statues would hold a laurel wreath to mark the victory of the deceased but bear a sorrowful or grieving expression, often representing a situation where the deceased may have achieved success at a great personal cost like losing his or her life. Such instances would happen in a war situation where the deceased may have earned victory at the expense of losing his life. As such, the mourning victory statue will encapsulate that victory in a bittersweet way while expressing grief. Such statues are found in abundance in the cemetery and can be expressed in very personal ways to describe the life of the deceased and how his or her closest relatives and friends would choose to remember them.

Cemetery Statues Tell Us About the Past

As we delve deeper into exploring these cemetery statues, we see the importance in the lives and beliefs of those who lived before us with some cemeteries bearing graves of people who lived sometimes two to three hundred years ago. Such cemeteries bearing graves of this order are of historical importance because they tell the social history of the people who died in the area and the biography of its community. Most importantly, the symbolic value of such cemetery statues reveal valuable information about the person buried and their legacy.

Conclusion

Cemetery statues will always hold an important aspect in the way cemeteries are run in the community. We cannot dispense the meaning of cemetery statues as they are not only an elegant and artistic expression used to honor the deceased, but they have great significant historical value. These days you can find cemetery statues in marble, granite, stone and bronze, and as described, these statues can encompass many meanings and emotions. You can feel hope, grief, love, honor and holiness just seeing these cemetery statues and the way they commemorate the deceased. Many of these

cemetery statues have attracted people to visit them, one of which is the Angel of Grief or the Weeping Angel, an 1894 sculpture by William Wetmore Story for the grave of his wife Emelyn Story located at the Protestant Cemetery in Rome. This iconic statue has caused many people from around the world to seek the same kind of weeping statue to remember their loved one and now, you can find such statues in many cemeteries in the United States. TimelessBronze.com is proud to create some of these finest weeping statues that shows the angel weeping with her face shown or hidden. Please explore our version of the Angel of Grief at this link.

A note that is worthy to state is you should explore the symbolic meaning of cemetery statues when you visit cemeteries. Take the time to observe and contemplate the many kinds of cemetery statues you see and the manner they are used to represent the life of the deceased. Oftentimes, the collection of cemetery statuary you see serves an important task of giving us a glimpse into the past and the culture of the lives of people who lived before us. We learn history while paying tribute to those who came before us.

As you explore the many cemetery statues at TimelessBronze.com, you will discover the rich collection of cemetery angel statues we have that are available in marble or granite. These statues together with our collection of Jesus and Mary statues, make our cemetery statues beautiful and holy additions to the grave of your loved ones. We take pride in creating and delivering these fine art collections to you and hope you will consider us when planning your mausoleum or cemetery or tombstone statues to mark the grave of your loved ones. You can always email us at Tion_art@yahoo.com for help on our many cemetery statues.