St. Vladimir’s Cemetery Desecrated

On Tuesday, 13 May, vandals desecrated St. Vladimir’s Russian Orthodox Cemetery in Jackson, NJ. Over 70 crosses and tombstones were toppled and broken in the Cossack section of the cemetery.

The cemetery chapel was also damaged. It was built in memory of the repatriated Cossacks in Lienz. The chapel windows, lampadas and vases were shattered with rocks. Bronze lanterns from Germany at the entrance were damaged as well. The door handle was smashed and found lying on the ground. Pascha eggs placed by the faithful on the graves of their relatives on Radonitsa were smashed against the wall of the chapel and eggshells covered the area. The loss was estimated at some $70,000.

The local police is conducting an investigation. A steady stream of relatives of the buried has begun, wishing to see if their graves were among the desecrated.

It is important to pray for the unfortunate souls who committed this horrible crime.

Peter Okopny
Jackson, New Jersey