The traditional Christian method of positioning the coffin or shroud covered body in the grave was to have the body with the head to the west, feet to the east. The body was placed face up. When it was not practical to use the west-east position for the grave, a north-south positioning was the next best option..
In this regard, which way does a headstone face?
In most Christian burials the headstone will be placed at the head of the individual interred. The grave will be situated with the head of the individual to the west and their feet will be to the east. If they were to be stood up while in the grave, they would be looking and facing east.
Likewise, why are people buried facing east? well in traditional Christian burial, the graves face east, because it is a reminder of the second coming of Christ, since he's supposed to appear in Jerusalem, which is eastward from the countries ( if you're talking of Europe, or America's that is) and when Christ comes, his People will rise, and most Christians
Keeping this in consideration, why do graves face the same direction?
Today in North America the convention is for the graves to face East with the Head west and the feet East. The stone then also faces East. This was attributed to the custom of not wanting to stand on the body while reading the stone inscription (but you would likely be standing on someone else).
Why do some graves face north and south?
The above-ground crypts at this Catholic cemetery face north-south instead of the usual east-west. Positioning graves this way actually started as a pagan ritual, so the dead would face the rising sun, but it continued through years based on the biblical claim that the second coming of Christ would be from the east.
Related Question Answers
Why are people buried 6 feet under?
To Prevent the Spread of Disease As mentioned earlier, London officials and medical practitioners in 1665 mistakenly thought that deceased plague victims spread the disease (among many other erroneous explanations), and that burying these bodies "6 feet under" would help slow/stop the spread of the disease.Which side of the husband is the wife buried on?
Most cemeteries bury husbands on the south side of a burial plot, with their wives on the north.Why are headstones at the feet?
As the name implies, it's called this because it is placed at the foot. Normally people are buried with a stone at the head only, but sometimes they are buried with both a headstone and footstone to mark the length of the grave. Footstones usually only have the initials of the person and the year of death.Why do graves sink?
Why do Graves Sink? When soil is replaced into a grave, it will inevitably contain more air pockets than the compacted soil before excavation. Over time, a backfilled grave will 'sink' as the air pockets escape and the soil settles; this is absolutely natural and practically unavoidable, especially in wet weather.Why do coffins explode?
When the weather turns warm, in some cases, that sealed casket becomes a pressure cooker and bursts from accumulated gases and fluids of the decomposing body. The next time relatives visit grandma, they could find her rotting remains oozing from her tomb in the form of a nauseating thick fluid.Are graves always facing East?
The traditional Christian method of positioning the coffin or shroud covered body in the grave was to have the body with the head to the west, feet to the east. There the body would then be laid on its side, head to the north and facing east. Not all burials followed the tradition nor did all cemeteries.Is it disrespectful to film in a graveyard?
In general, yes it is perfectly legal to film in a cemetery. I think I've filmed a dozen times in cemeteries. One needs to be respectful and considerate of both the long term occupants i.e., the graves, and the visitors to the cemetery. But many cemeteries in Los Angeles can use the financial boost from filming.Which side of the headstone is the body buried?
east
What does the Bible say about being buried facing east?
Then there is Matthew 24:27 (NKJ): “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be ” thus for the Christian believer in the resurrection of the dead, placing the body facing east will allow the dead to see the Second Coming of Jesus.How long before a body decomposes in a casket?
eight to twelve years
Why bishops are buried sitting?
The body of a deceased priest or bishop is prepared by the clergy, and is anointed with oil. In ancient times, and still in some places, the bishop is not placed in a coffin, but remains seated in a chair, and is even buried in a sitting position. This custom was taken from the burial customs of the Byzantine Emperors.Why are priests buried facing west?
"A man ought so to be buried", he says, "that while his head lies to the West his feet are turned to the East…" For clergy, however, the idea seems to be that the bishop (or priest) in death should occupy the same position in the church as during life, facing his people who he taught and blessed in Christ's name.What happens to your body after your buried?
They release toxic gases that cause your body to bloat up and smell. Most of your tissues will probably liquify. But thin skin, like on your eyelids, could dry out and mummify, while fatty areas of your body can turn into a soap-like substance called grave wax.Do cemeteries run out of space?
A 2013 survey indicated nearly half of England's cemeteries could run out of space within the next 20 years. One solution is to recycle plots by removing remains from older graves, burying them deeper in the same grave and then reusing the space on top for a new body.Why do gravestones turn black?
Black crusts can be deposited on sandstone gravestones. These result from the deposition of particulate matter such as soot, but can also form by the reaction of sulfur dioxide and calcium carbonate that may be present.How long do you have to wait before you can put a headstone on a grave?
six months
Do you wear shoes in a casket?
No, you don't have to, but some people do. People bring slippers, boots or shoes. When we dress a person in a casket, it can be whatever the family wants them to wear. We are traditionally used to seeing men in suits or women in dresses.Is cremation Biblical?
It was seen as the most sacrilegious act towards Christians and God, not simply blaspheming but physically declaring a disbelief in the resurrection of the body. In 1963, the Pope lifted the ban on cremation and in 1966 allowed Catholic priests to officiate at cremation ceremonies.Why do churches face north?
The earliest Christian churches in Rome were all built with the entrance to the east, like the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. He stated that the altar can also be at the west end, where "in accordance with the rite of the Church it is customary for Mass to be celebrated at the main altar by a priest facing the people". 
