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Funerals across the world are characterized by a number of rites and rituals. It is at the funerals that the near and dear ones make peace with the fate and pray for the deceased’s soul.
Christian funerals adhere to the rites of the Church. However, there are more than 200 different Christian denominations and communities that have their own unique practices and customs relating to the funeral ceremony.
The very first custom in a Christian funeral that is conducted before the actual service is held relates to gathering around the dead person for a night and reciting prayers for the dead. This important tradition is known as 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 housed either inside a Church or at the home, and the time is specified. In the past, the stage following the wake used to be that of absolution, where a cross was put on the dead person’s chest and offertory, which carried the gifts offered by visitors, and the deceased was absolved of the sins of this birth.
The following stage is the real ceremony itself in which the deceased is put into a hearse and brought to the Church, where the priests and others chant prayers and hymns from the Holy Bible. After this, the clergy asks a relative or a friend to offer a eulogy before the burial. In certain cases funeral rituals include the ringing of bells to signify the end of the ceremony. Once the funeral proceedings are over, the casket with the deceased is transported to the burial site and burial service takes place before the body is laid to rest by burying.
Lastly, funeral traditions require a lunch gathering to be held after the burial is done. The prime aim of this custom is to share the sorrow of the bereaved family and help them cope with the descended fate.
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Posted in Spirituality · November 10th, 2009 · Comments (0)
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