Funerals across the world are marked by a number of traditions and rituals. Funeral provides a chance to the relatives of the deceased person to pray for his soul and come to terms with their loss and sorrow.
Church rules govern funeral rites in Christian communities. However, there are more than 200 different Christian denominations and communities that have their own unique practices and customs relating to the funeral service.
The first and foremost custom in a Christian funeral that is organized before the actual service is held relates to assembling around the dead person for a night and chanting prayers for the dead. This important tradition is known as wake. According to present day traditions, this is the stage where friends and family see the deceased for the last time and pay their heartfelt respects. The body is preserved and kept either in a Church or at the home, and the time of visit is specified. In old times, the wake was followed by the ritual of absolution, which involved absolving the deceased of all the sins he or she committed in the present life, and laying a cross on the chest and performing the ritual of offertory where visitors put gifts in the casket.
Next stage is the actual service itself in which the dead person is put into a coach and taken to the Church, where the priests and others recite prayers and hymns from the Bible. Then, the priest calls upon a friend or family member to give a public eulogy in honour of the deceased. Some Christian communities have chiming of the bells as a part of the proceedings that marks the end of ceremony. After the funeral service, the casket is carried to the burial place where a burial service is held before the act of burial.
Lastly, the funeral’s completion is marked by a mourners’ lunch organised for the family members and those present at the funeral ceremony. The main aim of this custom is to partake in the sorrow of the family and help them deal and come to terms with the loss.
Find out more about the best company that provides high quality casket and best funeral services.
