Calvary History

The Catholic community of Dayton established the Ohio Not-For-Profit Corporation, known as the Calvary Cemetery Association, in 1872. A volunteer board of trustees representing the Catholic parishes in the Dayton area oversees the organization. A fantastic read.

Catholic families from Cincinnati began to go up the Miami River to Dayton when it was formed in 1796. Three parishes speaking German, Gaelic, and English by 1833 were sufficient to build a piece of holy land in the center of the expanding town. St. Henry's was the name of the first Catholic cemetery.

Dayton Becomes a Crowded City

In the 1840s, as waves of German, Irish, Polish, Hungarian, Italian, and Lithuanian immigrants poured into the Miami Valley, Dayton's Catholic population expanded into the nearby neighborhoods, resulting in the need for additional cemeteries and the emergence of new churches. The remaining room at St. Henry was filled by the epidemics that followed the 1850s and the terrible deaths of so many Civil War soldiers in the 1860s. St. Henry's could no longer flourish because of the metropolis that had built up around it. As the population increased, Calvary Cemetery was ultimately created in 1872 on 100 acres of rural southern land and expanded by an additional 100 acres. Calvary Cemetery was well situated at the city's highest point and close to the canal, which served as Dayton's major roadway at the time. (Today, South Dixie Boulevard was formerly the canal.)

Henry's & Calvary Come Together

The Trustees of St. Henry's understood the benefit of combining their grounds with Calvary as the twentieth century came closer. The St. Henry's burial plots were painstakingly transported to different locations inside Calvary over twenty years. Some of the oldest graves could no longer be recognized by their markers during this procedure, and family and church documents were nowhere to be discovered. A unique location for re-interment was made for this group of faithfully deceased people. St. Henry's Chapel was consecrated here on All Souls Day in 1902.

Calvary Cemetery Today

Since 1872, a lot has changed, but Calvary Cemetery's primary goal has remained the practice of Catholic burial on consecrated ground. Calvary has embraced these developments as the Church has developed to permit cremations and the internment of non-Catholics in the cemetery. To reflect them, new portions of the grounds are created. There are more than 80,000 burials here. The 200 acres of usable area is just half filled. The Trustees of the Calvary Cemetery Association's everlasting upkeep of the feet is given great importance, who continue to direct the organization's guiding principles.

Products & Services

Garden of Peace
The Garden of Peace Columbarium provides families with a unique method of memorialization and is tucked away in a natural Ohio prairie landscape. This columbarium, which has glass-front niches, will be Calvary's first choice for an indoor resting place. The family may see your urn, portrait, and unique family relics in these niches. The Garden of Peace opens in the autumn of 2022 and may be pre-ordered.

Cremation Options
Customers who decide on cremation have various possibilities at Calvary Cemetery. There are natural burial alternatives, private cremation estate lots, ancestral graves, free-standing columbariums tucked into the scenery, and traditional burials scattered across the cemetery grounds.

Mausoleums
They are pleased to provide a variety of unusual mausoleum choices. Every mausoleum client has alternatives, from their two communal mausoleums, "Stations of the Cross Mausoleum" and "St. Mark Mausoleum," to independent private mausoleum estate sites.


Monument and Marker Graves
Since ancient times, upright monuments and flush markers have commemorated loved ones who have passed away. The memorials at Calvary Cemetery have been around for many years and are still a popular choice for families. There are several locations at Calvary Cemetery where upright monuments and flush markers may be erected to honor a loved one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Non-Catholics Allowed to be Interred at Calvary Cemetery?
Yes, according to Canon Law since Vatican II, every human life is a child of God and deserves to be respectfully buried with other community members at a memorial service. The ultimate goal of this progression of thinking is to put God's command to love Their neighbor as ourselves into effect by including all individuals.

Can non-Catholic relatives be laid to rest at the Calvary Cemetery?
Of course! To preserve family unity even in death, non-Catholic family members—including spouses, kids, and parents—may be buried in their cemetery.

Can non-practicing Catholics and former Catholics be laid to rest at Calvary Cemetery?
Even in death, the Church holds forth hope for reconciliation. A former, dormant, or non-practicing Catholic may rest in peace in the Calvary cemetery.

Is cremation a choice that the Catholic Church supports?
Yes! For additional information, see the Catholic Church and Cremation. Calvary now provides an expanding range of alternatives for individuals who want cremation. There are numerous misunderstandings and uncertainties regarding the Catholic Church's stance on cremation. Many Catholics incorrectly believe cremation is still frowned upon by the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church has permitted cremation since the early 1960s and has been changing its stance on the practice. The Code of Canon Law first incorporated instructions for cremation in 1983. A task committee was established in 1989 to investigate the rising popularity of cremation and look for methods to maintain traditional funeral customs while complying with the new regulation. The Holy See finally permitted American bishops to hold funeral services with cremated remains in 1997.

The Church prefers and encourages the deceased's corpse to be present throughout the funeral ceremonies and, if feasible, suggests that the cremation occurs after the funeral service. The bishops emphasize the reverence owed to the body, which is a temple of the spirit. Cremains must be maintained whole and placed in a suitable container before being respectfully interred or inurned in a lot, columbarium, or niche of a dedicated mausoleum. The Calvary Cemetery offers a variety of inhumation options.

Is it required by law or regulation to utilize a burial vault or other exterior container?
Not in Ohio, but in most situations, you'll find that individual cemeteries need to do this to stabilize the ground due to equipment traffic like tractors, trucks, mowers, etc. Calvary Cemetery requires a concrete or steel vault to hold a coffin. There is a variety of burial vaults available at Calvary.

They appreciate the community's fantastic foresight and thoughtful planning that their ancestors left behind. Future generations of families from the Dayton region will be able to meet their requirements thanks to the lovely and serene backdrop provided by Calvary's rolling hills. Visit their website or contact them at (937)-293-1221 for additional details.