Most Holy Trinity: RIP

Just before I was about to leave Most Holy Trinity Cemetery on my recent visit, I became suddenly obsessed with the fact that "Rest in Peace" was on so many of the markers. Most Holy Trinity is the cemetery located in Bushwick, where most of the markers are made from metal or wood in the name of posthumous equality. I've often thought about how and why the phrase "Rest in Peace" or its abbreviation "R.I.P." has become so ubiquitous in the representation of tombstones, when I seem to see it so infrequently in actual cemeteries.

After doing some research, I think it's because most of the cemeteries I have visited have comprised religious denominations that don't frequently use the phrase. Rest in Peace is primarily a Christian (particularly Roman Catholic) phrase, and of course variations on the theme can be found in almost any culture, but that explains why it was so prevalent at Most Holy Trinity, a German-Catholic cemetery.

At Most Holy Trinity, I did see a few variations of the phrase, including other languages such as the German "Ruhet in Gott," which means "Rests in God" and "Ruhe Sanft," which means "Rest Gently." The phrase was mostly spelled out in metal letters adhered to the metal markers, some of which have fallen off over the years leaving ghosted outlines. I still only saw one abbreviated "R.I.P." as well as a marker for the RIPP family, with the phrase spelled out above their surname so there is no confusion.