SS. Peter & Paul Cemetery Opens First Cremation-Only Building in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

New building ensures respect for the human body as called for in the catechism

Springfield, Penn. (October 14, 2025) – Cremation or traditional burial is often one of the most difficult questions facing people as they consider end-of-life decisions.  

While the Catholic Church has permitted cremation for over 60 years, Catholics in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s only options for cremation were columbaria and urn burials – until now. 

Everstory Partners, through its unique partnership with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, unveiled the first Archdiocesan cremation-only building open to all Catholics in Southeast Pennsylvania at Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery.  

As the Church requires cremated remains to be interred on consecrated grounds, this new building provides a sacred indoor space where families can preserve the ashes of their loved ones with reverence and honor the tenets of their faith. 

“This is important because the number of people who are seeking cremation for their loved ones continues to rise every year,” says Matt Sobon, senior vice president of operations, Everstory Partners. “Our first cremation-only indoor space follows our efforts to respectfully shape memorial services for modern families.” 

Currently, nearly 62 percent of individuals are cremated in the United States. That number is expected to exceed 80 percent by 2045, according to a recent report of the National Funeral Directors Association. 

Appointed as the Reflections Suite, this welcoming sanctuary is located at Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery in Springfield, Penn. It features more than 1,000 exterior granite and interior glass-front niches as alternatives to burial and accommodates the Vatican’s guidance on conserving ashes. 

The Most Rev. Keith Chylinski, auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia who presided over the October 11 blessing of the Reflections Suite reminded us of the heart behind this sacred space.  

“It’s important that we have sacred places to remember our loved ones, places where we can pray for them, feel the presence of God, and be reminded of our hope in Him and in eternal life,” he shared at the event. 

About The Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia   

The Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia proudly serves families in the Greater Philadelphia area with over 12 locations including Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery. Paul Sargent, Supervisor. Visit archdioceseofphiladelphia.org   to learn more and for a list of locations.     

About Everstory Partners 

Everstory Partners’ mission is to create supportive spaces where individuals and families can find solace, meaning, and hope in the midst of loss. Since 1999, the company has grown to include 463 cemetery, funeral, and crematory locations serving more than 65,000 families a year across the United States (including Puerto Rico) on both a pre-need and at-need basis. Everstory is the brand promise, created in April 2023, to destigmatize death care with a unique blend of long-standing traditions of caring for the deceased with a fresh perspective that death is a natural and beautiful part of the human experience that should be planned and celebrated. Visit  everstorypartners.com to learn more.