W H A T | Memorial Day Observance: Wreath Laying and Mass
W H E N | Monday May 25, 2026, 10:30 a.m. Veteran Speech & Wreath Laying – 11 a.m. Mass
W H E R E | Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 11000 Montgomery Rd. Cincinnati, OH
Release Date: May 20, 2026
Memorial Day Observance at Gate of Heaven Cemetery
The annual Gate of Heaven Cemetery Memorial Day Field Mass will be celebrated on Monday, May 25. The outdoor wreath laying ceremony and Mass have been celebrated at Gate of Heaven Cemetery for more than five decades, a tradition that gathers hundreds of families. This event has become a family tradition spanning several generations for many who gather each year. For the last several years, The Valor Group / Alta Fiber have donated and placed more than 7000 American flags throughout the cemetery on veteran gravesites. The Valor Group gathers on Friday, May 22, 2026 beginning at 8:00 a.m. for a kick-off program. More than 50 Valor Group volunteers will gather on Friday morning to place flags. Media are invited to attend.
At 10:30 a.m. on Memorial Day, U.S. Army Veteran, Alison Estes will begin the ceremony with a few words honoring the deceased military followed by a wreath laying ceremony. At 11 a.m. Archbishop Robert G. Casey will celebrate Mass outdoors on the cemetery grounds. In the event of rain, the Mass will be moved indoors to Good Shepherd Church, 8815 East Kemper Rd. The cemetery grounds will be open through the day.
For more information about Gate of Heaven Cemetery please visit www.gateofheaven.org.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati is the 45th largest Catholic diocese in the country, with more than 455,000 Catholics, and has the fifth largest Catholic school system in terms of enrollment with more than 42,000 students. The 19-county territory includes 189 canonical parishes organized into 57 Families of Parishes, and 111 Catholic primary and secondary schools.
Jennifer Schack
Director of Media Relations
Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Office | 513.263.6618
Cell | 859.512.5626
Gate of Heaven Contact:
Deacon Tim Schutte
Outreach / Evangelization Office
Office | 513.489.0300 ext. 238
Direct | 513.943-3479
