Funeral Traditions And Rituals
Funerals around the world are characterized by a many traditions and rituals. Funeral provides an opportunity to the family of the deceased to pray for his soul and learn to cope with their loss and sorrow.
Church rules regulate the rites of funerals in Christian communities. However, there are more than 200 different factions of Christianity that have their own different customs and rituals relating to the funeral service.
The first most important ritual in a Christian funeral is known as the wake, which is conducted before the actual funeral service and where the deceased is watched the entire night and psalms are recited to pray for the dead. According to present-day standards, this is the moment when relatives and close friends can pay their last respects to the deceased person. The body is preserved and placed either at the house or in a Church with only a specified number of visiting hours. In olden days, the deceased used to be absolved of his sins of his earthly existence by carrying out the process of absolution after wake. This involved placing a cross on the deceased’s chest and offertory in the casket, where gifts offered were kept.
Then comes the actual service itself, where the dead is first carried to the Church in a vehicle and prayers from the Bible are recited and hymns are sung in the church. Then, the priest requests a dear friend or family member to give a eulogy or tribute to the departed’s life. Some communities have chiming of the bells as an integral part of the tradition that marks the end of 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 funeral’s end is marked by a lunch organised for the family members and those present at the funeral ceremony. The primary objective of such customs is to provide support to the mourning family and assist them to overcome their grief and accept the fate.
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Suggestions For Preparation Of A Personal Funeral Service
Death is one of the harsh realities of our existence that we are least prepared for. Honouring the dead is a very old practice that has been continuously changing to suit the present times. Traditionally, a funeral service was conducted in church and the departed was paid last respects with hymns as well as a eulogy. But, this trend is changing these days, with more and more people wanting to organise a more personal funeral service for their near and dear one.
Organizing a funeral could be a very painful and tough job, especially right after the death of a relative or someone close. The fundamental misconceptions about funeral services include that this is a legal necessity, which it definitely isn’t. Secondly, many people think that a service has to be organized in a church, which is again untrue. It is crucial to realize that traditionally, such services were held in church but these days, with significance being given to a personal touch, funeral services are being increasingly held in homes. Thirdly, such a personalized service does not mandate presence of a casket or presence of a pastor or clergy to conduct the rituals.
However, for any such personal funeral service, you have to keep the deceased person in mind while making the preparations. The choice of music should be from among the personal options of the deceased, though it is advisable to have soothing music. You can either hire a live music band or choose to play music records.
Personal items can be displayed in the form of a collage, thereby showing the world the real character of the deceased. Another important aspect in any funeral service is an address, in the form of a recital, a song or even a speech describing the deceased.
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Role Of An Undertaker In A Funeral Service
Undertakers are also referred to as funeral directors and next in line to the family of the deceased and the clergy, they are the most significant persons in charge of the funeral service. These professionals manage the arrangements of the funeral, right from the beginning till the end. Undertakers have to stay prepared for job at any time of the day and any day of the year without fail, as they have an emergency job.
Death brings with it numerous decisions, which the grieving family members are not able to take immediately in the wake of their great loss. Herein lies the importance and utility of the undertaker. He assists you in deciding the time, place and type of the funeral rituals and services for the dead. Moreover, the undertaker helps you in coming to terms with your loss, as he is by your side and plans the whole funeral, enabling you to show your immense love and respect for the deceased person.
Planning a funeral service begins with deciding upon its time, venue and date and then communicating the same to relatives and friends. After making this decision, the undertaker helps to move the body to its resting place, which may be the funeral home or any other place. In case of a burial service, the appropriate casket in which the body is to be rested is often selected by the undertaker.
The undertaker handles every aspect of the funeral service, including decoration with flowers, transport, luncheon, priests, choir singers, ashes and headstone, and any other detail that needs to be worked upon. The wish of the family is always considered in all these things so that the deceased gets a funeral service in a manner he or she would have desired.
Lastly, some undertakers also help in proper embalming and transportation of the body if needed, and in planning and arranging for the funeral service in another country if the person has died abroad.
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