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David13
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Posts: 7072
Location: Utah

Re: Who can dedicate a grave?

Post by David13 »

I don't know. But I'm sure someone here does.
This is an opportunity for me to take a tangent.
I saw the most beautiful funeral today.
I pulled up at a stop sign to take the highway out of town. A hearse was stopped in the road, passing in front of me. To the left law enforcement had lights blinking. To the right came the procession. A wagon, pulled by a horse, followed by two horses, law enforcement with lights blinking, and a long line of cars.
As they passed in front of me, I saw huge horse, with those large hoofs and long hair pulling the wagon. A lady in black and a black cowboy hat, and black gloves driving the wagon, a man in black suit and cowboy hat beside her.
Coffin in the back of the wagon, two young people kneeling on each side of the coffin, hands on the coffin, both with cowboy hats, in the back of the wagon.
Behind the wagon, a lady on a brown horse, she had long hair and a cowboy hat, leading a riderless black horse.
I came around behind the cemetery. About 100 people or more, all the men in black suits, the women in ankle length skirts or dresses, mostly black.
Most impressive sight for me.
Now for answers to your question.
dc

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kittycat51
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1791
Location: Looking for Zion

Re: Who can dedicate a grave?

Post by kittycat51 »

Any worthy Melchizedek priesthood holder can perform it. My husband has dedicated several of his family members graves.

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Yahtzee
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Posts: 710

Re: Who can dedicate a grave?

Post by Yahtzee »

For reference
https://www.lds.org/handbook/handbook-2 ... g&_r=1#209
"20.9 Dedicating Graves
A person who dedicates a grave should hold the Melchizedek Priesthood and be authorized by the priesthood officer who conducts the service. "

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inho
captain of 1,000
Posts: 3286
Location: in a galaxy far, far away

Re: Who can dedicate a grave?

Post by inho »

Yahtzee wrote: October 14th, 2017, 12:33 am For reference
https://www.lds.org/handbook/handbook-2 ... g&_r=1#209
"20.9 Dedicating Graves
A person who dedicates a grave should hold the Melchizedek Priesthood and be authorized by the priesthood officer who conducts the service. "
I think it is interesting that the Handbook still has the word should there. It is included because the dedication of graves did not begin as a priesthood ordinance. It was first just a formal prayer, but then was made into an ordinance. Jonathan Stapley has written about that in his BYU Studies article Last Rites and the Dynamics of Mormon Liturgy, or if you want a shorter version, check his blog post Dedicating Graves: a Brief History.

It seems that the same is happening to the home dedication. Earlier editions of Handbook made it very clear that the prayer can be given by any member (8-year-old girl could say it). The current edition presents the dedication by the power of priesthood clearly as a superior alternative.

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LukeAir2008
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Posts: 2985
Location: Highland

Re: Who can dedicate a grave?

Post by LukeAir2008 »

My mother in law was a Presbyterian so no Priesthood Officer was presiding at the funeral. The evening before the funeral I went to the cemetery and dedicated the grave as her final resting place.

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