Is it possible to sprinkle weed salt on a grave?translated

Reader question:

Good afternoon. For several years I have been using salt to control weeds on the graves of relatives, since there are many graves and there is no time for weeding. A relative was indignant, saying that pouring salt on graves was blasphemy. Please clarify: from an Orthodox point of view, is it allowed to sprinkle salt on graves? If not, why not?

Tatiana

Priest's answer:

EFANOV Andrey, archpriest

God bless you!

Dear Tatyana, in Orthodoxy there are no sacred substances outside of their dedication to God. You can use salt for food or to fight weeds. You can use incense (not the kind sold in church shops, but in regular stores) to flavor a room or prepare dishes (coffee with incense is very tasty).

Salt used to be quite expensive, and therefore, perhaps, using it to control weeds was perceived as an unwise waste. Due to the high cost of salt, its unreasonable consumption was perceived as waste. Apparently, this is the basis for the superstition that you encountered.

There is nothing terrible either for the soul of the deceased or for you personally in removing weeds from graves with the help of salt. Your relative is just...