Over the summer two students worked in cemeteries providing assistance to families searching for relatives as well as tours of the cemeteries with a focus on the victims of the Halifax Explosion. Each yellow stake in both cemeteries indicates the resting place of an explosion victim.
To provide more information to visitors to the cemeteries five new interpretive signs have been placed in Mount Olivet and Holy Cross. These signs were made possible thanks to a grant provided by the Halifax Regional Municipality.
Four of the interpretive signs are found in Mount Olivet and can be found in the following places:
- near the entry to cemetery indicating the history of the Explosion and the purpose of the yellow stakes
- near the grave of one of the firemen killed in the Explosion which tells the stories of the five firemen buried in Mount Olivet
- in Section Two near the grave of Vincent Coleman and many others that perished in the Explosion
- in Section Three which mentions the unidentified dead, members of the military, and others buried in the section
The fifth sign is located in Holy Cross near the Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel. It highlights three firemen who were killed in the Explosion.
Catholic Cemeteries of Halifax Contact
Christine Spears
Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth
(902) 429-9800 Ext. 308
Daniel MacDonald
Cemetery Services Coordinator
Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth
(902) 429-9800 Ext. 319
Bradley VanDam
Manager, Catholic Cemeteries
Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth
(902) 429-9800 Ext. 311
Archdiocesan Funeral Guidelines
Archbishop Mancini in collaboration with the clergy, religious and lay faithful of our Church of 
Halifax-Yarmouth prepared the document on Catholic funerals in the Archdiocese of Halifax Yarmouth. The document is titled "Catholic Funerals: Theological and Pastoral Considerations".
The document touches on the frequent experience in our faith communities that funerals draw people with diverse connections to the Catholic faith or faith in general. Liturgical options, specifically the separation of the Funeral Rite (Order of Christian Funerals) and the celebration of the Eucharist, can facilitate a fuller involvement of mourners at Catholic funerals. As well new opportunities are presented to evangelize and catechized a Christian understanding of life, death and resurrection. For the faithful the opportunity to celebrate Eucharist at a memorial Mass within a short time of the funeral liturgy can be much more meaningful experience of communion.
This guidelines addresses issues like eulogies, use of Christian symbols at funerals, cremation, and the celebration of the funeral rite at funeral parlors as well as other points to assist parish personnel in the ministry to those who are grieving.
download: English (pdf) French (pdf)
Gate of Heaven Cemetery
Located in Lower Sackville opening in 1938, the cemetery is 31 rolling acres of land for traditional and cremation burials for our beloved departed.
Holy Cross Cemetery
Located in Halifax opening in 1843, houses the chapel built in one day and is the resting place of many historical and Irish families.
Mount Olivet Cemetery
Located in Halifax opening in 1896. Those buried in the cemetery include people from the Titanic, the Halifax Explosion, and both the World Wars.
