 Funeral
Customs
A funeral is a ceremony marking a person's death. Funerary customs
comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture
to remember the dead, from the funeral itself, to various monuments,
prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honour. These customs vary
widely between cultures, and between religious affiliations within
cultures.
Traditional funerals
Within the United States and Canada, in most cultural groups and
regions, the funeral rituals can be divided into three parts: visitation,
funeral, and the burial service.
Visitation
At the visitation (also called a "viewing" or "wake")
the body of the deceased person (or decedent) is placed on display
in the casket (also called a coffin, however almost all body containers
are caskets). The viewing often takes place on one or two evenings
before the funeral. The body is traditionally dressed in the decedent's
best clothes. In recent times there has been more variation in what
the decedent is dressed in - some people choose to be dressed in
clothing more reflective of how they dressed in life. The body will
often be adorned with common jewelry, such as watches, necklaces,
brooches, etc.. The jewelry may be taken off and given to the family
of the deceased or remain in the casket after burial. Jewelry will
most likely be removed before cremation.The body may or may not
be embalmed, depending upon such factors as the amount of time since
the death has occurred, religious practices, or requirements of
the place of burial but in general embalming is preferable.
The most commonly prescribed aspects of this gathering are that
the attendees sign a book kept by the deceased's survivors to record
who attended. In addition, a family may choose to display photographs
taken of the deceased person during his/her life (often, formal
portraits with other family members and candid pictures to show
"happy times"), prized possessions and other items representing
his/her hobbies and/or accomplishments. A more recent trend is to
create a DVD with pictures and video of the deceased, accompanied
by music, and play this DVD continuously during the visitation.
The viewing is either "open casket", in which the embalmed
body of the deceased has been clothed and treated with cosmetics
for display; or "closed casket", in which the coffin is
closed. The coffin may be closed if the body was too badly damaged
because of an accident or fire or other trauma, deformed from illness
or if someone in the group is emotionally unable to cope with viewing
the corpse.
However, this step is foreign to Judaism; Jewish funerals are held
soon after death, and the corpse is never displayed. As well, Jewish
law forbids anyone to embalm the body of the deceased. Traditionally
flowers (and music) are not sent to a grieving Jewish family as
it is a reminder of the life that is now lost.
The decedent's closest friends and relatives who are unable to
attend frequently send flowers to the viewing, with the exception
of a Jewish Funeral, where flowers would not be appropriate (and
donations are given to a charity instead). The viewing typically
takes place at a funeral home, which is equipped with gathering
rooms where the viewing can be conducted, although the viewing may
also take place at a church. In earlier history, it was common practice
in some of the states in the southeastern United States that the
body was taken to the decedent’s home or that of a relative
for viewing. This practice continues in many areas of Ireland and
Scotland. The viewing may end with a prayer service; in the Catholic
funeral, this may include a rosary.
Traditional "crossed-ladders" for a fire department funeralA
visitation is often held the evening before the day of the funeral.
However, when the deceased person is elderly the visitation may
be held immediately preceding the funeral. This allows elderly friends
of the deceased a chance to view the body and attend the funeral
in one trip, since it may be difficult for them to arrange travel;
this step may also be taken if the deceased has few survivors or
the survivors want a funeral with only a small number of guests.
A traditional Fire Department funeral consists of two raised aerial
ladders.[citation needed] The firefighter(s) travel under the aerials
on their ide on the fire apparatus to the cemetery.
Funeral
A memorial service, often called a funeral, is often officiated
by clergy from the decedent's or bereaved's church or religion.
A funeral may take place at either a funeral home or church. A funeral
is held according to the family's choosing which may be a few days
after the time of death, allowing family members to attend the service.
The deceased is usually transported from the funeral home to a
church in a hearse, a specialized vehicle designed to carry casketed
remains. The deceased is often transported in a procession (also
called a funeral cortege), with the hearse, funeral service vehicles,
and private automobiles traveling in a procession to the church
or other location where the services will be held. In a number of
jurisdictions, special laws cover funeral processions - such as
requiring other vehicles to give right-of-way to a funeral procession.
Funeral service vehicles may be equipped with light bars and special
flashers to increase their visibility on the roads. They may also
all have their headlights on, to identify which vehicles are part
of the cortege, although the practice also has roots in ancient
Roman customs.[7] After the funeral service, if the deceased is
to be buried the funeral procession will proceed to a cemetery if
not already there. If the deceased is to be cremated the funeral
procession may then proceed to the crematory.
Funeral services commonly include prayers; readings from the Bible
or other sacred texts; hymns (sung either by the attendees or a
hired vocalist); and words of comfort by the clergy. Frequently,
a relative or close friend will be asked to give a eulogy, which
details happy memories and accomplishments; often commenting on
the deceased's flaws, especially at length, is considered impolite.
Sometimes the delivering of the eulogy is done by the clergy. Clergy
are often asked to deliver eulogies for people they have never met.
Church bells may also be tolled both before and after the service.
Tradition[citation needed] also allows the attendees of the memorial
service to have one last opportunity to view the decedent's body
and say good-bye; the immediate family (siblings (and their spouses);
followed by the decedent's spouse, parents and children) are always
the very last to view their loved one before the coffin is closed.
This opportunity can take place immediately before the service begins,
or at the very end of the service.
During the funeral and at the burial service, the casket may be
covered with a large arrangement of flowers, called a casket spray.
If the decedent served in a branch of the Armed forces, the casket
may be covered with a national flag; however, in the US, nothing
should cover the national flag according to Title 4, United States
Code, Chapter 1, Paragraph 8i.
Funeral customs vary from country to country. In the United States,
any type of noise other than quiet whispering or mourning is considered
disrespectful.
Note: In some religious denominations, for example, Roman Catholic
and Anglican, eulogies are prohibited or discouraged during this
service, in order to preserve respect for traditions. Also, for
these religions, the coffin is traditionally closed at the end of
the wake and is not re-opened for the funeral service.
Burial service
Sometimes, the burial service will immediately follow the funeral,
in which case a funeral procession travels from the site of the
memorial service to the burial site. Other times, the burial service
takes place at a later time, when the final resting place is ready.
If the decedent served in a branch of the Armed forces, military
rites are often accorded at the burial service.
In many religious traditions, pallbearers, usually males who are
close, but not immediate relatives (such as cousins, nephews or
grandchildren) or friends of the decedent, will carry the casket
from the chapel (of a funeral home or church) to the hearse, and
from the hearse to the site of the burial service. The pallbearers
often sit in a special reserved section during the memorial service.
According to most religions, coffins are kept closed during the
burial ceremony. In Eastern Orthodox funerals, the coffins are reopened
just before burial to allow loved ones to look at the deceased one
last time and give their final farewells. Greek funerals are an
exception as the coffin is open during the whole procedure unless
the state of the body does not allow it.
The morticians will typically ensure that all jewelry, including
wristwatch, that were displayed at the wake are in the casket before
it is buried or entombed. It would be unseemly to have the decedent's
heirs squabbling over a Rolex or an engagement ring. Custom requires
that everything goes into the ground; however this is not true for
Jewish services. Jewish tradition is that nothing of value is buried
with the deceased.
There is an exception, in the case of cremation. Such items tend
to melt or suffer damage, so they are usually removed before the
body goes into the furnace. Pacemakers are removed prior to cremation
- if they were left in they could possibly explode and damage the
crematorium.
Luncheon
In many traditions, a meal or other gathering often follows the
burial service, also called a repast. This gathering may be held
at the decedent's church or another off-site location. Some funeral
homes have large spaces set aside to provide funeral dinners.[citation
needed]
Private services
On occasion, the family of the deceased may wish to have only
a very small service, with just the deceased's closest family members
and friends attending. This type of ceremony means it is closed
to the public. One may only go to the funeral if one is invited.
In this case, a private funeral service is conducted. Reasons vary
but often include the following:
- The deceased was an infant (possibly, they may have been stillborn)
or very aged, and therefore has few surviving family members or
friends.
- The deceased may be a crime victim or a convicted criminal
who was serving a prison sentence or executed. In this case, the
service is made private either to avoid unwanted media coverage
(especially with a crime victim); or to avoid unwanted intrusion
(especially if the deceased was convicted of murder or sexual
assault).
- The family does not feel able to endure a traditional service
(due to emotional shock) or simply wants a quiet, simple funeral
with only the most important people of the deceased's life in
attendance.
- The family and/or the deceased, as more frequently preplanned,
prefer simplicity and lower cost to that of traditional arrangements.
The choice of cremation as an option to casketed burial is increasing
and often includes disposition of the cremains at a time privately
convenient to the deceased's family members.
- The deceased is of a distinct celebrity status, and holding
public ceremony would result in too many guests who are not acquainted
with the deceased to participate. On the other hand, if a state
funeral is offered and accepted by the deceased's immediate family,
a public funeral would ensue.
In some cases (particularly the latter), the family may schedule
a public memorial service at a later time.
Memorial services
Order of exercises, local memorial service in Nashua, New Hampshire
for U.S. President William McKinley on September 19, 1901, shortly
after his assassination.The memorial service is a service given
for the deceased without the body present. This may take place after
an earth burial, donation of the body to an institution such as
a school, cremation (sometimes the cremains are present), entombment,
or burial at sea. Typically these services take place at the funeral
home and may include prayers, poems, or songs to remember the deceased.
Pictures of the deceased are usually placed at the altar where the
body would normally be.
After the sudden deaths of important public officials, public memorial
services have been held by communities, including those without
any other connection to the deceased. For instance, memorial services
were held after the James A. Garfield assassination and the William
McKinley assassination.
New Orleans Jazz Funeral
A unique funeral tradition in the United States occurs in New
Orleans, Louisiana. The unique tradition arises from African spiritual
practices, French martial musical traditions and uniquely African-American
cultural influences. A typical jazz funeral begins with a march
by the family, friends, and a jazz band from the home, funeral home
or church to the cemetery. Throughout the march, the band plays
very somber dirges. Once the final ceremony has taken place, the
march proceeds from the cemetery to a gathering place, and the solemn
music is replaced by loud, upbeat, raucous music and dancing where
onlookers join in to celebrate the life of the deceased. This is
the origin of the New Orleans dance known as the "second line"
where celebrants do a dance-march, frequently while raising the
hats and umbrellas brought along as protection from intense New
Orleans weather and waving handkerchiefs above the head that are
no longer being used to wipe away tears.
“Green” Funeral
Those with concerns about the effects on the environment of traditional
burial or cremation may choose to be buried in a fashion more suited
to their beliefs. They may choose to be buried in an all natural
bio-degradable green burial shroud, sometimes a simple coffin made
of cardboard or other easily-biodegradable material. Further, they
may choose their final resting place to be in a park or woodland,
known as an eco-cemetery, and may have a tree planted over their
grave as a contribution to the environment and a remembrance.
Funeral procession in Beijing, 1900In most East Asian, South Asian
and many Southeast Asian cultures, the wearing of white is symbolic
of death. In these societies, white or off-white robes are traditionally
worn to symbolize that someone has died and can be seen worn among
relatives of the deceased during a funeral ceremony. In Chinese
culture, red is strictly forbidden as it is a traditionally symbolic
color of happiness. Contemporary Western influence however has meant
that dark-colored or black attire is now often also acceptable for
mourners to wear (particularly for those outside the family). In
such cases, mourners wearing dark colors at times may also wear
a white or off-white armband or white robe.
A traditional Chinese gift to the attendees upon entering is a
white envelope, usually enclosing a small sum of money (in odd numbers,
usually one dollar), a sweet and a handkerchief, each with symbolic
meaning. Chinese custom also dictates that the said sum of money
should not be brought home. The sweet should be consumed the day
of and anything given during the funeral must not be brought home.
The repetition of 3 is common where people at the funeral may brush
their hair three times or spit three times before leaving the funeral
to ward off bad luck. This custom is also found in other East Asian
and Southeast Asian cultures.[citation needed]
Most Japanese funerals are conducted with Buddhist rites. Many
feature a ritual that bestows a new name on the deceased; funerary
names typically use obsolete or archaic kanji and words, to avoid
the likelihood of the name being used in ordinary speech or writing.
The new names are typically chosen by a Buddhist priest, after consulting
the family of the deceased. Most Japanese are cremated.
West African Funerals
The custom of burying the dead in the floor of dwelling-houses
has been to some degree prevalent on the Gold Coast of Africa. The
ceremony is purely animist, and apparently without any set ritual.
The main exception is that the females of the family of the deceased
and their friends may undergo mournful lamentations. In some instances
they work their feelings up to an ostentatious, frenzy-like degree
of sorrow. The revelry may be heightened by the use of alcohol,
of which drummers, flute-players, bards, and singing men may partake.
The funeral may last for as much as a week. Another custom, a kind
of memorial, frequently takes place seven years after the person's
death. These funerals and especially the memorials may be extremely
expensive for the family in question. Cattle, sheep, goats, and
poultry, may be offered in remembrance and then consumed.
The Ashanti and Akan ethnic groups in Ghana typically wear red
and black during funerals. For special family members, there is
typically a funeral celebration with singing and dancing to honor
the life of the deceased. Afterwards, the Akan hold a somber funeral
procession and burial with intense displays of sorrow. Other funerals
in Ghana are held with the deceased put in elaborate "fantasy
coffins" colored and shaped after a certain object, such as
a fish, crab, boat, and even an airplane.[8]
East African Funerals
In Western Kenya in an area including the Districts of Bungoma,
Mt Elgon, Trans Nzoia, Lugari, Teso, Kakamega, Mumias, Busia, Siaya
and Vihiga. It has therefore been very difficult to dissuade the
majority of people from keeping the deceased at home, where untreated
bodies are left to decay for up to 5 days.
Funeral culture, from some viewpoints, may appear retrogressive
both socially and economically. For example, the bereaved will take
days off work to travel and to mourn. In addition to this much time
is spent preparing large amounts of food that will be consumed during
the period and expenditure is high. Similarly, as families are big,
funerals may add to their financial burdens. Between 55-70% of the
population earn less than $1 per day. Losing a loved one also means
losing an income. Both the bereaved and the mourners are poor, but
the endless stream of those paying their last respects, and expecting
to be fed, make a bad financial situation even worse as mourners
do not make any contribution.
However, contrary to this, in another community in Central Province,
the situation is reversed whereby those attending a funeral take
food with them and the mourners have to pay to eat. This is seen
as a contribution rather than a financial transaction of buying
and selling of goods.
Funerals in Scotland
An old funeral rite from the Scottish Highlands is to bury the
deceased with a wooden plate resting on his chest. In the plate
were placed a small amount of earth and salt, to represent the future
of the deceased. The earth hinted that the body would decay and
become one with the earth, while the salt represented the soul,
which does not decay. This rite was known as "earth laid upon
a corpse". This practice was also carried out in Ireland, as
well as in parts of England, particularly in Leicestershire, although
in England the salt was intended to prevent air from distending
the corpse.
Funerals in Greece
The word funeral- in Greek- emanates from the verb "??d?µa?"
that means I attend, I take care of someone. Derivative words are
also guardian- ??deµ??- and guardianship- ??deµ???a.
From the Cycladic civilisation in 3000BC until the Hypo-Mycenaean
era in 1200-1100 BC the main practice of burial is the inhumation.
The combustion of deads that appears around the 11th century BC
constitutes a new practice of burial and is probably an influence
from the East. Until the christian era when the inhumation becomes
again the only burial practice both combustion and inhumation had
been practiced depending on the area.
The ancient Greeks' funeral since the Homeric era included the
«p???es?», the «e?f???», the burial and
the "pe??de?p??". In most cases, this process is followed
faithfully in Greece until today. ???es? is the deposition of the
body of the decedent in the funereal bed and the threnody of his
familiar. Today the body is placed in the casket, that is always
open in the Greek funerals. This part takes place in the house the
deceased had lived. Important piece of the Greek tradition is the
epicedium, the dreary songs that sing the familiar of the decedent
along with professional mourners who have extincted in the modern
era. The deceased was looked after by beloved the entire night before
the burial, ceremony obligatory in the popular thought, which is
maintained still.
The ceremony of transport of mortal remains of the deceased from
his residence to the church, nowadays, and afterwards to the place
of his burial. The procession in the ancient times, according to
the law, should have passed silently from the streets of city. Usually
certain beloved objects of the decedent are placed in the coffin
in order to "take them with him." In certain regions coins
to pay Charon who ferries the dead person in the underworld are
also placed inside the casket. A last kiss is given to the beloved
dead by familiar before the coffin is closed.
Cicero describes the habit to plant flowers around the tomb in
an effort to guarantee the rest of the deceased and the purification
of ground, a custom that is maintained until today. After the ceremony
the mourners return in the house of the deceased for the «pe??de?p??»,
the dinner after the burial. According to the archaeological residues-
traces from ash, bones of animals, shells of vessels, dishes and
basins- the dinner during the classical era was also organised in
the point of burial. Taking into consideration however the written
sources the dinner was also served in the houses.
Two days after the burial a ceremony that was named “the
thirds” was taking place while eight days after the burial
the relatives and the friends of the deceased were assembled in
the point of burial, where “the ninths” was taking place,
a custom that is maintained until today. In addition to this, in
modern era, memorials take place 40 days, 3 months, 6 months, 9
months, 1 year after the death and since then every year in the
death date. The relatives of the decedent for vague interval of
time that depends on them, are found in bereavement, during which
women wear black clothes and men black armband.
Funerals for Heroes
Viking chieftains were placed in ships after their death, together
with tools and weapons.[citation needed] The ships were then set
on a course out to sea and set ablaze. This is still re-enacted
as part of festivals in the north of Europe, particularly at Up
Helly-Aa and the Delamont Viking Festival.
State Funeral
Military heroes such as Nelson, Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill
had their coffins paraded through the city of London, placed on
gun carriages. The guns were originally pulled by horses, but are
now pulled by sailors.
Final Disposition of the Dead
Some cultures place the dead in tombs of various sorts, either
individually, or in specially designated tracts of land that house
tombs. Burial in a graveyard is one common form of tomb. In some
places, burials are impractical because the ground water is too
high; therefore tombs are placed above ground, as was the case in
New Orleans, Louisiana. Elsewhere, a separate building for a tomb
is usually reserved for the socially prominent and wealthy. Especially
grand above-ground tombs are called mausoleums. Other buildings
used as tombs include the crypts in churches; burial in these places
is again usually a privilege given to the socially prominent dead.
In more recent times, however, this has often been forbidden by
hygiene laws.
Burial was not always permanent. In some areas, burial grounds
needed to be re-used because of limited space. In these areas, once
the dead have decomposed to skeletons, the bones are removed; after
their removal they can be placed in an ossuary.
"Burial at sea" means the deliberate disposal of a corpse
into the ocean, wrapped and tied with weights to make sure it sinks.
It is a common practice in navies and seafaring nations; in the
Church of England, special forms of funeral service were added to
the Book of Common Prayer to cover it. Science fiction writers have
frequently analogized with "burial in space."
Cremation, also, is an old custom; it was the usual mode of disposing
of a corpse in ancient Rome (along with graves covered with heaped
mounds, also found in Greece, particularly at the Karameikos graveyard
in Monastiraki). Vikings were occasionally cremated in their longships,
and afterwards the location of the site was marked with standing
stones. In recent years, despite the objections of some religious
groups, cremation has become more and more widely used. Orthodox
Judaism and the Eastern Orthodox Church forbid cremation, as do
most Muslims. Orthodox Judaism forbids cremation according to Jewish
law (Halakha) believing that the soul of a cremated person cannot
find its final repose. The Roman Catholic Church forbade it for
many years, but since 1963 the church has allowed it so long as
it is not done to express disbelief in bodily resurrection. The
church specifies that cremated remains are either buried or entombed.
They do not allow cremated remains to be scattered or kept at home.
Many Catholic cemeteries now have columbarium niches for cremated
remains, or specific sections for those remains. Some denominations
of Protestantism allow cremation, the more conservative denominations
generally do not.
Hindus consider the funeral as the final "samskar" or
ritual of life.[citation needed] Cremation is generally mandatory
for all Hindus, except for saints and children under the age of
5 years.[citation needed] Cremation is seen as the only way in which
all the five elements of fire, water, earth, air and space would
be satisfied by returning the body to these elements as after cremation
the ashes are poured into the sacred river Ganges or into the sea.
After death the body of the deceased is placed on the ground with
the head of the deceased pointing towards south which is considered
the direction of the dead. The body is anointed with sacred items
such as sandalwood paste and holy ashes, tulsi (basil) leaves and
water from the river Ganges. The eldest son would whisper "Om
namah shivay" or "Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya" near
the ear of the deceased.[citation needed] An oil lamp is lit besides
the deceased and chapters from the holy Bhagavad Gita or Garud Purana
are recited. Traditionally the body has to be cremated within 24
hours after death, as keeping the body longer is considered to lead
to impurity and hinder the passage of the dead to afterlife. Hence
before cremation as the body lies in state, minimal physical contact
with the body is observed.
A Hindu priest is called in to lead the formal religious rituals,
after which the body is taken to the cremation ground, where the
eldest son normally lights the funeral pyre, this act is considered
to be the most important duty of a son as it is believed that he
leads his parents from this world into moksha. Immediately after
the cremation, the family members of the deceased all have to take
a purifying bath and observe a 12-day mourning period. This mourning
period ends on the morning of the thirteenth day on which a Shraddh
ceremony is conducted in which offerings are given to ancestors
and other gods in order to grant liberation or moksha to the deceased.
Sikh Funerals
In Sikhism death is considered a natural process. An event that
has absolute certainty and only happens as a direct result of God's
Will or Hukam. To a Sikh, birth and death are closely associated,
because they are both part of the cycle of human life of "coming
and going" which is seen as transient stage towards Liberation,
complete unity with God. Sikhs thus believe in reincarnation.
However, by contrast, the soul itself is not subject to the cycle
of birth and death.[citation needed] Death is only the progression
of the soul on its journey from God, through the created universe
and back to God again. In life, a Sikh always tries to constantly
remember death so that he or she may be sufficiently prayerful,
detached and righteous to break the cycle of birth and death and
return to God.
The public display of grief at the funeral or Antam Sanskar as
it is called in the Sikh culture, such as wailing or crying out
loud is discouraged and should be kept to a minimum. Cremation is
the preferred method of disposal, although if this is not possible
any other methods such as burial or submergence at sea are acceptable.
Worship of the dead with gravestones, etc. is discouraged, because
the body is considered to be only the shell and the person's soul
is their real essence.
On the day of the cremation, the body is taken to the Gurdwara
or home where hymns (Shabads) from the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh
Scriptures are recited by the congregation, which induce feeling
of consolation and courage. Kirtan may also be performed by Ragis
while the relatives of the deceased recite "Waheguru"
sitting near the coffin. This service normally takes from 30 to
60 minutes. At the conclusion of the service, an Ardas is said before
the coffin is taken to the cremation site.
At the point of cremation, a few more Shabads may be sung and final
speeches are made about the deceased person. Then the Kirtan Sohila,
night time prayer is recited and finally Ardas called the "Antim
Ardas" ("Final Prayer") is offered. The eldest son
or a close relative generally starts the cremation process –
light the fire or press the button for the burning to begin. This
service usually lasts about 30 to 60 minutes.
The ashes are later collected and disposed by immersing them in
the nearest river. Sikhs do not erect monuments over the remains
of the dead.
After the cremation ceremony, there may be another service at the
Gurdwara, the Sikh place of worship, call the Sahaj Paath Bhog Ceremony
but this is optional.
Funerals in Japan
Japan has a mixture of Shinto and Buddhist beliefs, funerals are
almost always Buddhist ceremonies, and 90% of the funerals are Buddhist
style. A Japanese funeral includes a wake, the cremation of the
deceased, a burial in a family grave, and a periodic memorial service.
99.82% of all deceased Japanese are cremated, according to 2005
statistics. Most of these are then buried in a family grave, but
scattering of the ashes has become more popular in recent years.
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