08/18, 2010
Funeral Traditions And Rituals
There are several rituals and traditions that characterize funerals across the world. It is at the funerals that the loved ones finally accept the fate and pay their respects to the departed’s soul.
Christian funerals adhere to the rules of the Church. However, there are more than 200 different Christian denominations and communities that have their own unique customs and rituals relating to the funeral service.
The very first ritual in a Christian funeral that is organized before the actual service is held relates to gathering around the dead person for a night and chanting prayers for the departed soul. This significant tradition is called wake. According to present-day standards, this is the time when relatives and acquaintances can see and pay respects to the dear departed for the last time. The body is preserved and placed either at the home or inside a Chapel with only a particular number of visiting hours. In earlier times, the wake was followed by absolution, which involved purgation of the person of all the sins he or she committed in the present life, and laying a cross on the chest and performing offertory where people placed gifts in the casket.
Next stage is the actual service itself in which the deceased is put into a hearse and brought to the Church, where the clergy and others recite prayers and hymns from the Bible. This is then succeeded by the clergy requesting one of the close friends or family to read out a eulogy. Some communities have tolling of the bells as a part of the proceedings that signifies the end of service. When the funeral service is over, the casket with the deceased is carried to the burial site and burial service takes place before the body is laid to rest by burying.
Finally, the funeral’s completion is marked by a mourners’ lunch organised for the family members and those present at the funeral service. The main purpose of such rituals is to provide support to the grieving family and help them tide over their grief and accept the fate.
Entrust the delicate matter of funeral services needs in the hands of caring professional undertakers.
