Why do tombstones face east?

Karen is on the right track....the Bible states that when Christ returns he will come from the east. It also says when he returns that the dead will rise to greet him.

The burial tradition takes this very literally....so people are buried facing east so that when they rise they will rise facing Christ.

I think it's suppose to be that when Christ returns he will be coming from the East...I didn't know that until last year when my brother died.

The earliest settlers had their feet pointing toward the east and the head of the coffin toward the west, ready to rise up and face the "new day" (the sun) when "the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised" or when Christ would appear and they would be reborn.

The reason is because they are facing the direction that The Lord God will be coming back from to get his christian children. I you want to learn more just get your a Bible down and look. You will see that he will be returning in the eastern skies. We are suppose to be a christian nation and we Have e always faced our graves that way

The sun god pick them up on the way by. As the sun rasies.

that's what I was told by my grandmother when I was a kid..hmmm who knows

To face the rising sun. I seem to remember it being Egyptian...something about Ra the sun god carrying souls across the sky into night...Just searching the "brain fart" archives here...might not be right.

I never realized it until now. Wow...good observation. I don't know.

ER... good question

SteveC

So they don't collect moss.

no never noticed LOL