Scripture Readings for an Unveiling
Unveiling scripture does a different job from funeral scripture. The funeral leans on comfort in the rawest week; the unveiling, a year on, leans on remembrance, gratitude and permanence — the name set in stone, the family still standing. Most ceremonies use one or two readings, not more: one before the word, and often one at the graveside as the cloth is lifted. This page suggests passages families reach for and how to place them, and every reading in our library can be added to your programme with one tap.
Passages families lean on
These are the readings we see most at unveilings — chosen for remembrance rather than farewell. Your leader's choice always comes first; these are for the family asked to "bring a reading" who wants somewhere to start.
- Ecclesiastes 3 — "To every thing there is a season" — the year turning, the time to mourn and the time it becomes something else.
- Psalm 23 — the reading many elders will expect to hear at the graveside.
- Psalm 121 — "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills" — often chosen for graveside ceremonies in the open air.
- Joshua 4 — the twelve stones of remembrance — the closest scripture comes to the unveiling act itself: stones set so that "when your children ask, What mean these stones?" the story is told.
- 2 Timothy 4:7 — "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course" — for a life of faith completed.
- Revelation 21:4 — "And God shall wipe away all tears" — where the family wants the note of hope to close the day.
Where the readings sit
A clean order places one reading in the opening service, before the short word, and one at the graveside — read as the family gathers at the stone, or immediately after the cloth is lifted and the inscription is read aloud. If children are part of the ceremony, the graveside reading is a good moment to give them.
Printing the words at the back
If the family wants a reading printed in full, use the words-at-the-back pages rather than crowding the order. Public-domain texts print in full from our readings library; the order page then lists just the reference and the reader's name.
More on the unveiling: The unveiling kit Invitation wording The Order of Proceedings at a Tombstone UnveilingWhat to Write in an Unveiling ProgrammeWords of Dedication at the StoneAnnouncing the Unveiling on WhatsApp
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Common questions
How many readings does an unveiling need?+
One or two. The ceremony is shorter than a funeral, and singing usually carries more of it than reading.
Who should read?+
Anyone the family chooses — commonly a grandchild, a sibling, or a church member. Print the name beside the reading in the order of proceedings.
Is there a scripture specifically about unveiling a stone?+
Joshua 4 — the stones of remembrance — is the passage leaders most often connect to the act. Genesis 35:20, where Jacob sets a pillar on Rachel's grave, is also read.
Can we use a poem instead of scripture?+
Many families do, especially at non-religious unveilings — a remembrance poem before the unveiling act works naturally. The order line simply becomes "Poem" with the reader's name.
Can the reading be in our language?+
Read scripture in the language the family prays in. The programme's headings will match your chosen language; the reference line can be written however you like.