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Various traditions and rituals characterize funeral ceremonies from around the world. Funerals give a chance to the bereaved to pay their last respects for a departed loved one and cope with their loss.
In Christian funerals, rules of the Church are followed. But, since there are more than 200 various Christian communities, funeral rites could differ, depending on the particular affiliation of the family.
The first and foremost custom in a Christian funeral that is organized before the actual service is held relates to assembling around the deceased for a night and reciting prayers for the departed. This important tradition is known as wake. As per the present day rituals, this is when the family and acquaintances pay a final visit to the dead person and offer their final respects. The body is preserved and kept either inside a Church or at the home, and the time of visit is specified. In old times, the wake was succeeded by absolution, which involved purgation of the deceased of all his or her sins in the present life, and laying a cross on the chest and performing the ritual of offertory where people put gifts in the casket.
Then comes the real service itself, where the deceased is first transported to the Church in a hearse and prayers from the Bible are said and prayers are sung in the church. Then, the clergy requests a friend or family member to give a eulogy or tribute to the departed's life. Some of the Christian communities follow this by a ritual of ringing of the bells, marking the end of the ceremony. After the funeral service, the casket is taken to the burial site where a burial service is held before the act of burial.
Finally, the family members organize a lunch gathering for the friends, relatives and acquaintances who are attending the funeral. The prime objective of this custom of lunch is to share the sorrow of the bereaved family and help them cope with the irreparable loss.
In Christian funerals, rules of the Church are followed. But, since there are more than 200 various Christian communities, funeral rites could differ, depending on the particular affiliation of the family.
The first and foremost custom in a Christian funeral that is organized before the actual service is held relates to assembling around the deceased for a night and reciting prayers for the departed. This important tradition is known as wake. As per the present day rituals, this is when the family and acquaintances pay a final visit to the dead person and offer their final respects. The body is preserved and kept either inside a Church or at the home, and the time of visit is specified. In old times, the wake was succeeded by absolution, which involved purgation of the deceased of all his or her sins in the present life, and laying a cross on the chest and performing the ritual of offertory where people put gifts in the casket.
Then comes the real service itself, where the deceased is first transported to the Church in a hearse and prayers from the Bible are said and prayers are sung in the church. Then, the clergy requests a friend or family member to give a eulogy or tribute to the departed's life. Some of the Christian communities follow this by a ritual of ringing of the bells, marking the end of the ceremony. After the funeral service, the casket is taken to the burial site where a burial service is held before the act of burial.
Finally, the family members organize a lunch gathering for the friends, relatives and acquaintances who are attending the funeral. The prime objective of this custom of lunch is to share the sorrow of the bereaved family and help them cope with the irreparable loss.
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