Saint John Cemetery
Photo Source: findagrave.com
Saint John Cemetery, located on Johnson Street in the North End section of Middletown
Saint John Graveyard
A photo of some of the graves at St. John Graveyard. Photo Source: findagrave.com
Saint John Graveyard, located on St. John Square directly behind St. John Church building.
Saint John Parish maintains both a historic graveyard and an active parish cemetery.
The historic graveyard, located adjacent to the church, serves as the final resting place of many of the parish's founding members and early parishioners. The graveyard is currently at full capacity and, due to its historic nature, no new burials are permitted.
The parish cemetery, located on Johnson Street, is the site where current interments take place. In addition, Saint John Parish maintains a designated burial area on Spring Street where many of the parish's past pastors are laid to rest.
For information regarding the purchase of burial rights or cemetery arrangements, please contact Linda McCarty, Office Manager, at (860) 347-5626. The Parish Office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The historic graveyard, located adjacent to the church, serves as the final resting place of many of the parish's founding members and early parishioners. The graveyard is currently at full capacity and, due to its historic nature, no new burials are permitted.
The parish cemetery, located on Johnson Street, is the site where current interments take place. In addition, Saint John Parish maintains a designated burial area on Spring Street where many of the parish's past pastors are laid to rest.
For information regarding the purchase of burial rights or cemetery arrangements, please contact Linda McCarty, Office Manager, at (860) 347-5626. The Parish Office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
What is the difference between a Graveyard and a Cemetery?
At our parish, you may notice we use both the terms graveyard and cemetery, and while they are often used interchangeably today, there is a traditional distinction between the two.
A graveyard is a burial ground that is located on parish property, typically situated adjacent to or surrounding the church itself. Historically, graveyards developed in close connection with the church building, reflecting the longstanding Christian practice of burying the faithful in consecrated ground near the place where the Eucharist is celebrated. A graveyard often carries a deep sense of continuity between parish life, worship, and the resting place of those who have gone before us in faith.
A cemetery, on the other hand, is a burial ground that is set apart from the church building and may be located elsewhere within the parish or diocesan territory. Cemeteries became more common as communities grew and space around churches became limited. They are likewise sacred spaces, solemnly blessed by the Church, and dedicated to the respectful and prayerful burial of the faithful departed.
Both the graveyard and the cemetery are holy ground. Each serves the same sacred purpose: to provide a dignified resting place for the dead, to comfort the grieving, and to remind the living of the hope of the Resurrection. Whether resting beside the church or in a separate consecrated field, those buried in either place remain held in prayer by the Church and remembered in the life of the parish community.
A graveyard is a burial ground that is located on parish property, typically situated adjacent to or surrounding the church itself. Historically, graveyards developed in close connection with the church building, reflecting the longstanding Christian practice of burying the faithful in consecrated ground near the place where the Eucharist is celebrated. A graveyard often carries a deep sense of continuity between parish life, worship, and the resting place of those who have gone before us in faith.
A cemetery, on the other hand, is a burial ground that is set apart from the church building and may be located elsewhere within the parish or diocesan territory. Cemeteries became more common as communities grew and space around churches became limited. They are likewise sacred spaces, solemnly blessed by the Church, and dedicated to the respectful and prayerful burial of the faithful departed.
Both the graveyard and the cemetery are holy ground. Each serves the same sacred purpose: to provide a dignified resting place for the dead, to comfort the grieving, and to remind the living of the hope of the Resurrection. Whether resting beside the church or in a separate consecrated field, those buried in either place remain held in prayer by the Church and remembered in the life of the parish community.
