St. Joseph Catholic Church - Rayne, LA - Roman Catholic Churches on Waymarking.com

Fine, beautiful church. Parish is home to the Rayne Catholic Elementary school. Parish also featured a very large cemetery, in which the graves are facing north to south, which is rare for a christian cemetery, where the graves are usually orientated east to west. Rayne is a wonderful place to visit and a stop at this church is recommended. Great history is found at the relavant website, listed below. More great history was found on a Louisiana State Historical Marker, located in front of church, which states:
?The site of St. Joseph's Catholic Church and Cemetery was determined after the new settlement of Rayne was established. Huge wooden wheels were made and the old church from the original Poupeville settlement was mounted on them and moved to this location in 1882. The cemetery, adjacent to the church, was the only known Christian cemetery for many years, where the graves were placed in a north - south position lengthwise. According to ancient Christian customs, graves are positioned east - west so the bodies of the dead lie facing the rising sun, the symbol of Christ's resurrection. Folklore about the cemetery's misalignment has been passed down over the years in stories, but no one knows for certain why this cemetery does not follow tradition.

Type of Church: Church Status of Building: Actively in use for worship Date of organization: 01/01/1872 Date of building construction: 01/01/1952 Archdiocese: New Orleans Diocese: Lafayette Address/Location: 401 South Adams Ave. Rayne, LA USA 70578 Relvant Web Site: [Web Link] Dominant Architectural Style: Not listed Associated Shrines, Art, etc.: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   08/24/2007 ggmorton visited it