Rock Creek Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Washington, DC. It was founded in 1719 as the burial ground of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
Today, the cemetery includes a designated Orthodox section (Section V), reserved for parishioners of St. John the Baptist Cathedral and St. Nicholas Cathedral.
The spiritual centerpiece of the Orthodox section is a chapel dedicated to the myrrh-streaming Iveron (Montreal) Icon of the Mother of God, known as the “Gatekeeper.”
The chapel was consecrated in September 2005 by Metropolitan Laurus, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (+2008).
The architectural design was created by parishioner Irina Zarechnyack. Construction was carried out by Deacon Herman Ricketts.
The frescoes and mosaics were completed by the renowned iconographer Alexander Sokolov (+2015).
Memorial Divine Liturgies for the departed are served in the chapel several times a year.
Section V of Rock Creek Cemetery contains approximately 1,000 graves. The first burial in this Orthodox section took place in 1961.
At present, nearly all plots in Section V are occupied. An additional 120 burial plots have been allocated to the parish in a new area located north of Section V.
Burial plots may be purchased directly through the cemetery administration. The current cost is approximately $7,500 per plot.
Contacts for Plot Purchase:
Cemetery Administration: Keena Terry – Phone: 202-726-2080
Orthodox Cemetery Warden: Alexander Zarechnyack – Phone: 540-729-63786, Email: alexanderzarechnak@gmail.com
Address:
Rock Creek Cemetery. Rock Creek Church Rd, NW and Webster St, NW Washington, DC 20011
Directions from St. John the Baptist Cathedral:
Drive north to Upshur Street, NW (0.1 miles, approximately two blocks). Turn right onto Upshur Street and continue for 1.4 miles toward the National Soldiers Home. At the traffic light, turn left onto Rock Creek Church Road, NW and proceed for 0.2 miles. Turn left into the entrance to Rock Creek Cemetery. Continue along the cemetery boundary to Section V (see map).
