Initial Renovation Project – Damaged Tombstones
We are pleased to announce that the initial goals for the restoration of monuments at the Novo-Diveevo cemetery have been achieved.
In 2022, the leadership of the Orthodox cemetery at the Novo-Diveevo Monastery in Nanuet, New York, together with a group of volunteers, coalesced around the goal of addressing the deterioration and gradual destruction (by time and through extreme weathering) of the historical tombstones of the largest Russian necropolis in America.
The leadership agreed to reach out to the community and ask people who value the history of our cemetery to donate to this noble cause, so that cemetery workers would be able to commence repair work on a series of grave crosses that had become dilapidated or destroyed by Hurricane Sandy.
To begin with, the project included five crosses of different textures: one wooden cross, one marble cross and three made of granite. The estimated cost of labor and materials was assessed at $5,000.
As our priest said then, if this undertaking is pleasing to God, then it will go ahead. And so, it was. Donors responded with enthusiasm. Funds were contributed by parishioners of the monastery and by relatives of Orthodox Christians buried in this cemetery.
Keith Taylor, director of the local funeral home Hannemann Funeral Home, generously provided a large donation. And the monument company Karassik Monument offered to provide assistance in transporting and repairing the monuments themselves.
The goal was achieved, and the amount necessary to begin work was collected.
Over the initial period of renovation, the following work has been carried out:
1. Wooden cross of Prince Grigory Nikolaevich Diassamidze.
Work completed:
- cutting bushes with roots
- uprooting the roots of neighboring trees
- leveling the granite bench on the adjacent burial ground
- restoration of neighboring graves
- adding and leveling soil above the grave
- pouring the foundation for the cross
- pouring a concrete frame
- construction of a cedar cross in the old Russian style with a roof
- installation of the cross and a concrete slab
- backfilling with white stones covered with agro-fibre and adding soil.
2. Marble cross of Princess Maria Musine-Pushkin.
The frame and cross on the grave were damaged due to the growth of roots of neighboring trees.
Work completed:
- dismantling the foundation and concrete frame
- adding and leveling soil above the grave
- pouring the foundation for the cross
- pouring a concrete frame
- construction of a cedar cross in the old Russian style with a roof
- installation of the cross and a concrete slab
- restoration and installation of a marble name plate.
3. Granite cross of senior lieutenant of the Imperial Navy Pavel Vasilyevich Shakhov.
Both massive and heavy crosspieces (cross bars of the cross) had broken off completely.
Work completed:
- dismantling the cross
- step-by-step repair and gluing of the cross in the workshop
- installation of iron reinforcement in the cross and its base
- installation of the cross on the foundation.
4. Granite cross of Alexander Nikiforovich Kuprin.
Torn down and broken by Hurricane Sandy.
Work completed:
- dismantling the cross
- step-by-step repair and gluing of broken parts in workshops
- installation of iron reinforcement in the cross and its base
- installation of the cross on the foundation.
5. Granite cross of the Cossack of the Kuban Army Dimitry Grigorievich Gritsukov.
The cross was broken by a passing car.
Work done:
- dismantling the cross
- stage-by-stage repair in the workshop
- gluing and fastening broken pieces of granite
- pouring a new concrete foundation for the monument
- pouring a new concrete frame
- installation of the base of the cross and the cross itself on the foundation
- filling white stones with agro-fibre into the newly installed frame.
6. Granite cross of Captain, Knight of the Order of St. George Nikolai Dimitrievich Borodii
The cross was found fallen, but not damaged due to the lack of proper fastening with fittings. It was restored during the process.
Work completed:
- Preparation of reinforcement on the main stone of the monument
- Raising the cross using technology
- The cross has been restored with appropriate fastenings.
By next year, a number of further graves will be selected for restoration. More than $7,000 has already been raised for new projects, and we are especially grateful to the Russian Nobility Association for its generous donation!
We sincerely thank everyone for their support!
