The Burial of the Dead

Profecto etiam provisus sepeliendis corporibus apud memorias sanctorum locus, bonae affectionis humanae est erga funera suorum: quoniam si nonnulla religio est ut sepeliantur, non potest nulla esse quando ubi sepeliantur attenditur. Sed cum talia vivorum solatia requiruntur, quibus eorum pius in suos animus appareat, non video quae sunt adiumenta mortuorum, nisi ad hoc ut dum recolunt ubi sint posita eorum quos diligunt corpora, eisdem sanctis illos tamquam patronis susceptos apud Dominum adiuvandos orando commendent. Quod quidem facere possent, etiamsi talibus locis eos humare non possent. Sed non ob aliud vel Memoriae vel Monumenta dicuntur ea quae insignita fiunt sepulcra mortuorum, nisi quia eos qui viventium oculis morte subtracti sunt, ne oblivione etiam cordibus subtrahantur, in memoriam revocant, et admonendo faciunt cogitari: nam et Memoriae nomen id apertissime ostendit, et Monumentum eo quod moneat mentem, id est, admoneat, nuncupatur. Propter quod et Graeci vocant, quod nos Memoriam seu Monumentum appellamus; quoniam lingua eorum memoria ipsa qua meminimus dicitur. Cum itaque recolit animus ubi sepultum sit carissimi corpus, et occurrit locus nomine martyris venerabilis, eidem martyri animam dilectam commendat recordantis et precantis affectus. Qui cum defunctis a fidelibus carissimis exhibetur, eum prodesse non dubium est iis qui cum in corpore viverent, talia sibi post hanc vitam prodesse meruerunt. Verum et si aliqua necessitas vel humari corpora, vel in talibus locis humari nulla data facultate permittat, non sunt praetermittendae supplicationes pro spiritibus mortuorum: quas faciendas pro omnibus in christiana et catholica societate defunctis etiam tacitis nominibus eorum sub generali commemoratione suscepit Ecclesia; ut quibus ad ista desunt parentes, aut filii, aut quicumque cognati vel amici, ab una eis exhibeantur pia matre communi. Si autem deessent istae supplicationes, quae fiunt recta fide ac pietate pro mortuis, puto quod nihil prodesset spiritibus eorum quamlibet in locis sanctis exanima corpora ponerentur.   Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensis, De Cura Pro Mortuis Gerenda

Without question the provision for the burial of bodies at a place among the Memorials of the Saints is a mark of a good human affection towards those who have died, since if there be religion in the thought that they should be buried, it cannot but also accompany the thought of where the burying should be. But while such things are comforts to the living, by which their pious intent is apparent, I do not see what help they be to the dead unless that, on recalling the place in which are placed the bodies of those whom they love, they should by prayer commend them to those same saints who have as patrons taken them into their care to help them before the Lord. Which indeed they would be still able to do, even though they were not able to be buried in such places. But the sepulchres of the dead are called Memorials or Monuments only when they are specially distinguished, that is, when they call to memory those who by death are withdrawn from the eyes of the living, that they may not by forgetfulness be withdrawn from the hearts of the living, and it reminds us to think of them. For both the word Memorial evidently shows this, and Monument is so named from 'monere', that is, to instruct the mind. So it is that the Greeks call that μνημεῖον which we name a Memorial or Monument because in their tongue the memory itself, by which we remember, is so called. When, therefore, the mind remembers where the body of one dear is buried, and there occurs to the mind a place rendered venerable by the name of a martyr, to that same martyr the affection commends the dear soul in memory and prayer. And when this is exhibited to the dearly departed by the faithful, without doubt it profits those who while living in the body merited that such things should profit them after this life. And yet if some necessity does not allow the burial of bodies, or it is by lack of ability that they cannot be placed in such places, yet there should there no absence of supplications for the souls of the dead, supplications which should be made for all the departed in the Christian and Catholic community, even without mention of their names, under a general commemoration, that which the Church has taken upon herself, so that those who lack parents or children, or relations or friends, may have the same offered to them by the one pious and common mother. Indeed if there were lack of these prayers made with right faith and piety for the dead, I think that it should not profit at all their souls even though their lifeless bodies should be placed in holy places. Saint Augustine of Hippo, On Care for the Dead