GENESEO – The curators of St. Mary’s Cemetery are proud to announce their candlelight celebration for the lives of lost loved ones on All Saints Day.
Rebecca Lawrence, Manager of the Cemetery, has dubbed the day “Reflections: An Evening of Lights and Remembrance.” On Sunday, November 2, when the sun sets at the cemetery at Crosset road, dozens of candles will light up the dusk from graves, stones, and the centrally located prayer garden.
“I just love being there for people in their time of need,” said Lawrence. “Whether that is an immediate need, or a long-term grieving process, or more pre-planning, I get a lot out of it.”
A tour of the cemetery will begin when the candles are placed at 4 p.m. Stirring music and touching “Words of Remembrance” are to follow at 5 p.m., with cider, hot chocolate, and donuts to be served at 5:15 p.m.
For Lawrence, managing the cemetery is more than a job that helps so many families grieve and remember loved ones. Their real joy comes from the face-to-face interactions that light up families lives.
Candles can be purchased on site for $5, or, if you cannot attend but would like to have a candle placed at a grave, for $10 and placed at a grave by a curator.
“I had a 90 year old woman come in for two extra graves,” added Lawrence. “By the end of our conversation she was saying ‘Thank you so much dear.’ It was just great to make that a rewarding experience for her.”
PHOTO CAPTION: Image by Conrad Baker.