The Columbarium

Cremation is a completely appropriate and acceptable means for the disposition of remains. For many reasons, a growing number of Christians today are selecting cremation for aesthetic and practical, as well as religious, reasons. It is interesting to note that since the early part of this century, all burials in Westminster Abbey have been of cremated remains.

Christians from the earliest times have buried their dead in consecrated areas in close proximity to their place of worship. When First Century Christians fled to the catacombs, they set aside special areas called columbariums for burial. The word "columbarium" comes from the Latin name for the dwelling place of a dove (columba), and may have been used because of the resemblance between the burial niches and a dovecote. In addition, the dove is the symbol of the Holy Spirit, whose presence is especially associated with the resting place of the departed.
 
History of the Columbarium

European cathedrals contain crypts within the worship areas as well as church graveyards and memorial chapels adjacent to the churches. The churchyard cemetery is a familiar sight associated with colonial churches and rural areas across the United States.
A modem columbarium is a structure lined with recesses for urns containing cremated remains. Thus, landlocked city churches are able to offer a final resting place for the faithful departed. Cremation is a practical way of providing interment within the church building itself, as was common historically.