Should Christians make a habit of visiting loved ones’ graves? And if we do visit, how can we honor Christ in the cemetery? Cemeteries are unique places. They’re somber and normally quiet acres quarantined from the bustle of the city. For many, these are awkwardly uncomfortable places. Others are drawn to make regular pilgrimages. And for those who do visit cemeteries, it raises the question over what we’re seeking to accomplish in a grave visit. The question is from Dave. “Dear Pastor John, thank you for this podcast,” he writes. “I appreciate your thoughtful answers to hard questions. I’m wondering what Christians should do and feel and think at a cemetery. I see some Christians decorating their loved ones’ graves with flowers. Some visit often, even weekly. Some remember fondly; some weep every time they visit over a period of many years. Is there bad theology behind some of these practices? At what point do we become overly maudlin? When does it become ancestor worship? When does it become a wasting of time? The Bible observes extended periods of mourning at death. Also, some graves were clearly marked and remembered for generations. And Solomon said that ‘it is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting’ ( Ecclesiastes 7:2 2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. ). What should Christians accomplish and take away from cemetery visits?” Read or listen to this interview at our website: https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/should-christians-visit-cemeteries Find other recent and popular Ask Pastor John episodes: https://www.desiringgod.org/ask-pastor-john