Novo-Diveevo Cemetery Restoration
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Cemetery Restoration Work at Novo-Diveevo Cemetery Enters its Third Year
The Novo-Diveevo Holy Dormition Convent in Nanuet, New York is home to the largest Orthodox cemetery in America, with over 9,000 individuals interred there. It is rightfully considered an open-air historical museum of the Russian emigration.
Time, together with bad weather including major storms, can and does cause damage to many of the graves and memorials, destroying the crosses and gradually erasing the names of the deceased. Several years ago, a group of volunteers — parishioners of the Monastery — and donors began restoration and renovation work to preserve this cemetery as an important historical site.
The donations were used to successfully carry out repairs for two seasons. The committee planned a reasonable volume of work for the upcoming season, and reported on the funds collected and material costs, providing photographs of the damaged graves before the work began and upon completion of the restoration.
To date, work had been carried out on the so-called “Military” section of the cemetery.
The current restoration project includes graves in the oldest section of the cemetery, where the founder of the Monastery and the cemetery itself, Archbishop Andrey (Rymarenko), rests.
Many crosses have a modest, laconic inscription, for example, “Servant of God’s Love” or “White Army Warrior Vladimir.” However, after 75 years, it is very challenging in some cases to establish the biographies of the deceased. There are many crosses that have fallen on their front side to the ground. And before the restoration work begins, it is challenging to find out whose grave this is.
This area was most severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy, and falling trees destroyed a number of crosses.
Ways You Can Help
News and Updates
December 17, 2025: Report on Novo Diveevo Cemetery Restoration Work for 2025 (or see below)
September 18, 2025: New restoration work has begun. Read about our previous work.
January 21, 2025: Report on Novo Diveevo Cemetery Restoration Work: 2024 Monument Repairs Have Been Completed.
June 26th, 2024: New restoration work has begun. Read about our previous work.
November 8th, 2023: Report on Restoration Work: The first goals for the restoration of monuments at the Novo-Diveevo cemetery have been achieved!
Adopt a grave
Sadly, many of the people buried here no longer have relatives who could take care of the graves. Recently, visitors to the cemetery have asked permission from the monastery to help ennoble and take care of abandoned graves. We are pleased to offer the start of this charitable project.
As a first step, five tombstones in serious need of repair were identified and designated for restoration. The estimated cost of this initial restoration work is approximately $5,000, and this project requires financial support for the repair of these tombstones. The grave monuments were selected from across the various types found in the cemetery, e.g., marble, granite and wooden monuments.
All those who are able to offer financial assistance for the restoration of monuments will be provided with a full report on the expenditure of funds for specific work, photos of the work process, as well as “before” and “after” photos will be published upon completion of the restoration.
Report on Novo Diveevo Cemetery Restoration Work for 2025
The third season of restoration work has been completed at the historical Orthodox cemetery of the Holy Dormition Convent in Novo-Diveevo. This past season, work focused on the repair and restoration of crosses and tombstones damaged by weather and the passage of time.
This project included burials located in the older section of the cemetery.
Seven named tombstones and three unidentified ones were included in the repair work.
- Doctor of Medicine Evgeny Nikolaevich Koshara
- Nikita Karpovich Ishchuk and Anna Alekseevna Ishchuk
- Elizaveta Matveyevna Veredenko
- Natalia Mikhailovna Molodovskaya
- Olga Nikolaevna Karpis-Galpern
- Konstantin Shunevich
- Lydia Be Bode
- Lyubov Afonkina
- Stepanida Lipko
- The Bagration-Mukhransky Family Crypt
- M.V. Burdey
If you would like to contribute to the project please donate here:
Doctor of Medicine Evgeny Nikolaevich Koshara
Plot of E.N. Koshara: A fallen granite cross, a tilted pedestal. Dismantling work was carried out, the foundation for the cross was leveled. The cross was installed and cemented with new fasteners.
Nikita Karpovich Ishchuk and Anna Alekseevna Ishchuk
Family plot of N.K. Ishchuk and A.A. Ishchuk: Two fallen granite crosses, foundations and granite beams of the tombstones shifted by tree roots. Dismantling work was carried out, a tree was cut down and the roots uprooted, the granite coping was leveled, and the crosses were installed on the pedestal using a crane
Elizaveta Matveyevna Veredenko
Family plot of E.M. Veredenko and V.V. Veredenko: During Hurricane Sandy, a granite cross fell and the pedestal under it broke. Dismantling work was carried out, the cross was glued together in a repair workshop, erected and secured on the pedestal. The foundation and pedestals were cleaned of black mold.
Natalia Mikhailovna Molodovskaya
Plot of N.M. Molodovskaya: A marble cross fell and broke, and the marble beams of the tombstone shifted. The cross was transported to the workshop and glued together. It was reinstalled and secured on the pedestal. The marble beams of the coping were assembled and secured. The marble was cleaned of mold, the coping was filled with white pebbles to match the marble.
Olga Nikolaevna Karpis-Galpern
Plot of O.N. Karpis-Galpern: As a result of a hurricane, the granite cross fell and broke. The granite beams of the burial site had shifted. The cross was transported to the workshop, glued together there, and installed and cemented onto the pedestal. The granite beams were leveled and secured.
Konstantin Shunevich
Plot of Konstantin Shunevich: Before the work began, it was unknown whose burial site it was, as the cross had fallen face down on the ground but had not broken. As a result of the dismantling, the name of the deceased was revealed. A new foundation was poured, and the cross was successfully restored.
Lydia Be Bode
Plot of Lydia Be Bode: The marble cross had fallen and broken into small fragments. It was not possible to glue it back together. Therefore, it was decided to install an oak cross. The white marble tombstone was left in place, although a small crack remains.
Lyubov Afonkina
Plot of “Servant of God Lyubov”: The black granite cross had fallen, the left crossbar was broken off. The granite beams of the coping had shifted. The cross was glued together in the workshop, cleaned and the cross’s decor was restored, and it was reinstalled on the pedestal. The coping was assembled filled with decorative stone.
Stepanida Lipko
Plot of S.D. Lipko: Before the work began, it was not known whose plot it was, as the cross had fallen face down on the ground and broken. As a result of the dismantling, the name of the deceased was discovered. The cross was glued together and cemented onto the pedestal. The coping was cleaned and filled with pebbles.
The Bagration-Mukhransky Family Crypt
Family crypt of the Bagration-Mukhransky princes: A large area around the crypt and burial chapel was fenced with granite beams, which over time had shifted and moved apart in different directions. During the work, the beams were reassembled, fastened, and cemented.
M.V. Burdey
Plot of M.V. Burdey: The marble pedestal and cross had fallen and broken. The cross had crumbled, making it impossible to glue it back together. It was decided to replace it with a cedar cross. New coping was installed and filled with white pebbles.
The Restoration Committee expresses its gratitude to all donors and volunteers for their financial support and physical assistance, and, especially, to Karassik Monuments and to the cemetery workers for their selfless work in preserving the historical memory and cultural heritage, which this largest Orthodox cemetery in America represents.
Plant a Birch Tree in Memory of Your Loved Ones
Novo-Diveevo Cemetery is now offering an opportunity to plant birch trees in specific locations at the cemetery. While trees are no longer permitted at individual grave sites, we would like to offer this opportunity for family members to pay respects to their loved ones by planting a birch tree and at the same time to participate in the beautification of our cemetery.
Volunteer Your Time at the Cemetery
For those who would like to make friends for the glory of God and personally help in the improvement of the cemetery, you can visit during our working hours (Monday to Friday from 7am-4pm) or on Saturday and help the workers of the monastery in restoring wooden crosses, cleaning the cemetery territory and generally to support other needs of the cemetery. Please contact us via email at [email protected] or call the monastery office at 845-356-0425.
Donate for Repair Materials
Another way to support the monastery’s efforts is to help with the procurement of materials needed for restoration of the monuments, for example, paint, special bonding cement, and the like. For more information, please contact us via email at [email protected] or call the monastery office at 845-356-0425.
Other Ways to Help
- General volunteer Saturdays
Occasionally we will have opportunities for all those people willing to help to gather on a set date and work for the glory of God together. Such days will be announced 1-2 weeks in advance. You can subscribe to our newsletter, check online or call the office to find out more. - Donate equipment
Please call the cemetery office 845-356-0425 if you have any equipment you can donate for any of the aforementioned projects. - Help us cover Grass cutting costs at the cemetery
It costs over 30K a year for landscaping costs and maintenance. The high price is due to the fact that the cemetery allows frames and grave covers, which make it more difficult to cut the grass around graves on a monthly basis. Any and all financial support is appreciated and we thank you in advance.