Gate of Heaven Cemetery 114 Sackville Dr., Lower Sackville.
Located in Lower Sackville, the Gate of 
Heaven Cemetery opened in 1938 and comprises 31 rolling acres of land for traditional and cremation burials.
There is a new Columbarium at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Lower Sackville. This project was developed by the Catholic Cemeteries of Halifax for the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth, to meet the needs of Catholic families today and into the future.
Gate of Heaven Cemetery provides grave lots for traditional burial in the ground and cremation burial in the ground or in a Columbarium.
Gate of Heaven Cemetery opened in 1938 and covers 31 acres. It is the resting place of many notable persons, including Nova Scotia Premier Angus L. MacDonald. Archbishop Gerald Berry and Archbishop Austin Burke, and many of the priests of the Archdiocese of Halifax, are buried at Gate of Heaven.
To view map Gate of Heaven Cemetery - click here (pdf)
Tonight, Tuesday, September 9 at 7:00pm, Archbishop Dunn will bless a new columbarium that was erected in Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Lr. Sackville. All are welcome to join in this special event. Light refreshments to follow.
Please join us on Tuesday, September 9, 7:00 pm for the blessing of the new columbarium unit at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Lower Sackville.
Our annual outdoor Masses for the Faithful Departed in our Catholic cemeteries are coming up!
- Mount Olivet Cemetery, Mumford Rd, Halifax on Saturday, August 9 at 10:00am
In the event of rain, the Mass will be celebrated at Saint Thomas Aquinas Church, 1725 Oxford St
- Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Beaverbank Rd, Lr. Sackville, Wednesday, August 13 at 7:00pm
In the event of rain, the Mass will be celebrated at Saint John Vianney Church, 4 Beaverbank Rd
Our annual outdoor Masses for the Faithful Departed in our Catholic cemeteries are coming up!
- Mount Olivet Cemetery, Mumford Rd, Halifax on Saturday, August 9 at 10:00am
In the event of rain, the Mass will be celebrated at Saint Thomas Aquinas Church, 1725 Oxford St
- Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Beaverbank Rd, Lr. Sackville, Wednesday, August 13 at 7:00pm
In the event of rain, the Mass will be celebrated at Saint John Vianney Church, 4 Beaverbank Rd
Each summer the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth host Masses at our Catholic cemeteries to offer people the opportunity to remember their loved ones buried there. This year’s Masses for the Faithful Departed are scheduled for:
One of the most important things that you can do is to plan your estate, funeral and final burial arrangements within the guidelines of your faith.
Our approach is pressure-free, because our staff do not work on commission and have no vested interest in your decisions.
You can pre-arrange, and pay for, your ground lot or cremation niche.
Our Cemeteries
The Catholic cemetery is a sacred place; it is holy ground where our faithful departed await the resurrection to eternal life. This is why the grounds of the cemetery are cared for and made as attractive as possible, maintained in this way as a sign of respect for the dead who rest in peace. The special respect we accord to the faithful departed and the places where they rest remind us of our hope of joyfully greeting them again, when we will be with them and the Lord forever.
Catholic Cemeteries of Halifax Policies & Procedures
- Cremation Interment Policy (pdf)
- Gate of Heaven Section 3 Policy (pdf)
- Memorial and Foundation Standards (pdf)
- Memorial Application Form (pdf)
- Decoration Guidelines (pdf)
- Archdiocesan Catholic Cemetery Complaint Form (fillable pdf)
Catholic Funerals
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.
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)
