Two New Columbaria Opened at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in

Two New Columbaria Opened at
Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Cincinnati
— by Douglas Tinsman
Unique, elegant, exciting, timeless. These are just some of
the adjectives that describe the two new columbaria projects that have recently been blessed and opened for use,
giving Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Archdiocese of
Cincinnati, an additional capacity of 1000+ niche spaces.
With the ever-increasing trend in cremation, Gate of
Heaven Cemetery has positioned itself well to accommodate this need.
The first columbaria project that was blessed was in the
Cemetery’s Bell Tower section. This is an area within the
Cemetery that was in need of some updating and restoration. The Bell Tower is a major, well-known landmark that
is surrounded by a beautiful fountain. Updates and
restoration of this area included completing the flower
pattern of which the Bell Tower is in the middle, as well as
the addition of memorial benches and landscaping.
While updating, Deb Crane, director of Cemeteries, decided to expand the choice of products available within this
section and added four columbaria. The columbaria, manufactured by Coldspring, are constructed of gray, roughhewn granite with polished black granite niche fronts.
Memorialization is by engraving and complimented with a
brushed pewter vase on each niche front. Each of the four
columbaria has space for both single and companion
niches that are enriched with an engraving depicting a
specific moment within Christ’s life. The engravings of the
columbaria include All Saints, Ascension, Holy Family
and Holy Cross.
The blessing of these columbaria was celebrated on All
Souls Day 2013 by Bishop Joseph Binzer, preceded by a
Mass in the Cemetery chapel. Following the blessing,
Bishop Binzer performed the Rite of Committal for several families who inurned loved ones on what was a beautiful crisp, Fall day.
Spring 2014, Memorial Day, saw the blessing of our second columbaria project, Garden of Gethsemane. This
complex was inspired by Deb Crane’s visit to the Holy
Land a few years ago. “I felt such peace and closeness in
the actual Garden and wanted to bring this comforting
place to Gate of Heaven Cemetery,” she said.
Immediately following the annual Memorial Day Field
Mass, Archbishop Dennis Schnurr blessed the new columbaria. Approximately 100+ visitors were in attendance for
the blessing as nine families inurned loved ones on this
particular day.
Entrance to the Bell Tower section at Gate of Heaven Cemetery,
shown above. New Bell Tower columbaria along with memorial
benches, shown below.
Garden of Gethsemane Columbaria at Gate of Heaven
Cemetery includes a natural stone staircase leading to the buildings. Photo on page 50 shows special waterfall feature.
continued on page 50
Catholic Cemetery, September 2014
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Gate of Heaven - New Columbaria, continued
The Garden of Gethsemane is unique in that the structures
are not as “architectural” as those located in the Bell
Tower. The Garden of Gethsemane columbaria are more
“natural” in form and are built into the existing landscape.
Each building is set up for companion niches and is named
after one of the four Gospels.
The crowning jewel of the project is a beautiful, trickling
waterfall that brings a sense of serenity and peace to this
special space. All of the buildings are under a natural
canopy of existing towering oak trees. Each building also
has a set of memorial benches made of rough – hewn limestone that complement the limestone and green granite
niche fronts of each building. Memorialization within the
Garden of Gethsemane is on bronze plaques in a glacier
blue hue, all of which have a Latin cross in the same loca-
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Catholic Cemetery, September 2014
tion and are complimented with a bronze bud vase. The
placement of the cross on each plaque was intentional as it
lends to a sense of order and continuity in an otherwise
organic setting.
This coming Fall, the addition of a mosaic, commissioned
with Alexander Studios, currently being produced, will
grace the largest building, named Luke, within the Garden
of Gethsemane section. The mosaic will portray Christ’s
agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and will feature actual stone from Jerusalem. The other unique part of the
mosaic feature is that there is space behind the mosaic that
can accommodate three family sections, designed to
accommodate six niches each. Families who purchase
these very limited and special niches will be memorialized
on small columns that will be adjacent to Luke with a
bronze plaque. The idea is to memorialize these families in
a special way and identify them as patrons of the mosaic.
Gate of Heaven Cemetery is very proud of these two
unique cremation offerings. Reaction from the public has
been outstanding. From the very beginning we were selling
many of the niches from the architectural renderings and
drawings before the columbaria were even completed.
Gate of Heaven looks forward to the future as we do our
best in fulfilling our mission, and that is, to serve.
Douglas Tinsman is the Sales and Marketing Manager at Gate
of Heaven Cemetery in Cincinnati. He may be reached at
513.489.0300 or [email protected].