Does the notion of a final resting place still have a meaning in today’s society? What role do cemeteries and other burial sites play in ensuring that everyone has access to dignity after death? How have they evolved to better serve their communities?
Interview with Patrice Chavegros, Vice-President of Athos Services Commémoratifs, former Executive Director of Urgel Bourgie / Athos and thanatologist with over 40 years’ experience.
The final resting place: still relevant today?
Traditionally associated with the tomb, the diversification of layout options leads us to broaden the definition of the final resting place to encompass any space dedicated to the rest of the deceased.
So, while the options for disposal may be evolving, the concept remains the same. Mausoleum or columbarium, cemetery or scattering site – these are all places designed to give rest to the deceased.
“The terms have evolved, but no matter how you say it, the concept remains the same. Nevertheless, in the expression ‘final resting place’, we feel that there is still a trace of life that lasts over time.”
According to Mr. Chavegros, the final resting place is as important today as it was yesterday and will be tomorrow. More than a mere convenience, resting places represent a final mark of respect and love offered to our loved ones. For this reason, they will always have relevance in our society.
Resting places: also for the living
Cemeteries are not only for those who rest there: they also belong to those who remain.
As human beings, our senses help us to understand our surroundings and assimilate what we experience. Grief is no exception. When going through this ordeal, sight and touch play an important role in the healing process.
For example, a monument acts as a physical representation of the departed person. It can be personalized to represent the loved one and bring their memory to life. This landmark, which can be seen and touched, is an important emotional pillar.
Designed to provide a place of contemplation and peace, the Urgel Bourgie / Athos memorial gardens enable us to rediscover ourselves, find our bearings and reconnect with our memory. Patrice Chavegros testifies:
“These are spaces that call for meditation, homage and perhaps, a stroll. They are spaces of zenitude where people can find themselves in a preserved environment dedicated to commemoration in all its forms.”
Giving commemoration its rightful place
In today’s fast-paced world, how can we find the time to honor those who have left us? According to Mr. Chavegros, it’s always necessary, even essential, to visit a place of rest, whether it’s a memorial garden, a columbarium or a scattering site.
Remembering does us good,” he asserts. We must have access to places where we are able to practice this duty of memory, that is, to remember the person who was dear to us and the moments we shared with them.”
“Commemoration isn’t just a way of honoring the past; it’s also a way of looking to the future. Going to visit that person in their final resting place is very important,” explains Mr. Chavegros. It lets us know where we’re going, because we know where we’ve come from and with whom we’ve traveled the path of our lives up to now.”
Mr. Chavegros also maintains that, in his opinion, we need these moments of break more and more. ‘We live in a society where everything goes faster and faster, he points out, and when we go too fast, we tend to forget what’s essential. Commemorating in a place of rest allows us to get back to those basics, like loving our loved ones.”
Dignity of the deceased and burial sites
In addition to the services offered by funeral professionals, resting places such as cemeteries and columbariums are also part of the equation in terms of access to dignity for the deceased.
The role of burial sites, says Mr. Chavegros, is to raise awareness of the fact that the human being is much more than an obsolete object that can be thrown away and end its life. Human beings need a place to belong. They need a place to be born, and then they need a place to live – a place of residence. And after death, the place of residence becomes the place of rest.”
Thanks to memorial gardens, dignity can endure into eternity, offering a unique place to come together.
Urgel Bourgie / Athos: spaces for remembrance and reunion
For Urgel Bourgie / Athos, its memorial gardens in Laval, Montreal and Saint-Hubert are not just places of rest: they are spaces for gathering, at the service of the community.
That’s why it’s so important to refocus our burial sites in the urban universe. To give everyone access to nature’s bounty in a place where they can reflect, celebrate or remember. A place where it’s good to live… and to rest.