Rabbi Moshe Sofer says that, while Jewish law does not require all graves to face any particular direction, in anticipation of the ultimate redemption and the messianic era, when all will be resurrected, there was a custom that evolved in many communities. In many cemeteries, the bodies are buried with their feet facing the entrance to the cemetery to symbolize that they will leave the cemetery at the time of the resurrection of the dead.
At the time of the resurrection, everyone will head to the Land of Israel, and therefore some cemeteries are set up so that the feet of the dead face the direction that one would take to travel to Israel.
For instance, in cemeteries in Europe, the dead were buried with their feet to the east, and in others with their feet to the south. Because Israel is southeast of Eastern Europe, one would travel either east to Turkey and then south, or first south to the Mediterranean and then east. Based on the above, some cemeteries in Europe had entrances on both the south and east sides and buried their dead in either direction.
Source: Chabad. Vermont Old Cemetery Association. Traditionally, facing east was not exclusively for the dead, but for the living as well. Christian churches were built with their entrances facing west so that worshipers faced east during the services as they looked toward the altar. References of east and west occur throughout the Bible. Totten shows that in the Bible, people entered these places always from east, facing west. Conversely, when leaving they exited from the west, toward the east.
In biblical scripture, Jesus spoke to his disciples about his second coming in detail. Although Christians are traditionally buried facing east, clergy members are generally buried facing west. The belief behind this is that when the dead are risen, clergy will rise facing their congregations, ready to lead their people once again.
Some newer cemeteries have broken away from tradition for practical reasons, such as easier layout. Also note that it's not universal. We have a cemetery tied to a Church a few miles from here where the graves all point to the North, and several others I've visited have some facing one way, and others at right angles - those graves are laid out to maximize use of the land. Most churches are built with the altar at the east end, expecting the Second Coming of Christ to be from the East: New International Version of Matthew - "For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
In the Judeo-Christian tradition the East was the direction of prayer since the time of Abraham. Genesis mentions at least once, that he got up in the early morning facing East toward the rising sun to pray The Sun being an early symbol of God benevolence.
As others have noted this has also been the tradition when it comes to building sacred structures like churches, synagogues since the time of the Tabernacle in the Old Testament onward and in orientating their altars for Jews, Catholics, Orthodox Christians and a some High Church Protestants.
So it natural that this sort of thing would be carried over to cemeteries since those places are considered sacred spaces and facing east is an ancient liturgical custom for having reverence for God. At one time, it was true that Catholics must be buried facing the east. It is no longer true, and it was part of the same Church Law which said that the body of the faithful departed should face the altar in a Catholic Church thus facing the east.
During the Funeral Mass of a priest, the corpse is reversed as to be facing his congregation. There is no requirement in church law regarding the position of burial. The only thing that comes close is a reference in the Roman Ritual of no longer in effect that stated that at the funeral Mass the coffin was to be placed so that the feet of the deceased should point toward the main altar. Presuming the church had been constructed so that a priest celebrating Mass would face the east, the deceased at the funeral would face in that same direction.
Although there was no canonical requirement, it was in fact customary for people to be buried facing the east, reflecting the traditional Christian belief that, at the end time, Jesus would return from the east. An even earlier pagan tradition had the deceased buried facing the east because it was where the sun rose. There is no fixed rule nowadays and I know of some very traditional Catholic Benedictine cemeteries where the brethren are buried facing the south due to limited burial space.
Some people believe that God moves east to west. At the second coming of Christ at the end of the tribulation He will come in from the East moving to the west. The idea was too bury the bodies facing east so that when the rapture happens they will already be facing toward His coming. This is more tradition than it is biblical but they did it for that reason.
On the other hand as a Jew you always approached God as at the tabernacle moving east to west. This was important as the pagans always worshiped facing east so in a way you should bury them facing west as not to face the pagan rising sun.
How a Jew in the Old Testament or a Christian in the church age and how they are buried is not important.. Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top.
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