A funeral is a family (or a State) service conducted in honour of a dead person. It is a series of related customs or rituals that are exclusive to one's religion or culture.
Generally at the Christian funerals, the rituals can be categorized under three main heads - visitation, funeral and lastly, the burial. The visitation and funeral ceremonies have a lot more significance as far as ritualistic aspects are concerned and they are discussed here.
Visitation is the ceremony that comes first, when the body of the deceased is put in a coffin for the friends and relatives to see. The body is dressed up in the finest attire and any jewels that belonged to the person who has died. Some communities follow the ritual of embalming the body, though not all communities should compulsorily do it.
At the visitation, a family may also exhibit pictures taken of the deceased during his or her lifetime, or some precious possessions that were very dear to the dead person. Some families even play a video recording or run a slideshow from the lifetime of the dead.
The visitation ceremony is followed by the second part of rituals, which is the memorial service, also known as funeral, and it is conducted in a church. The coffin with the dead body in it is brought to the church in a hearse, surrounded by a funeral cortege of mourners. Then the casket is brought with its floral arrangement and placed in the church.
Funeral services generally include prayers and readings from the Holy Scriptures and the Bible. The people assembled at the funeral also sing religious songs. Then the presiding pastor gives a speech, which is then followed by tributes given by the family and relatives of the departed elaborating upon the life, achievements and good qualities of the dead person. Sometimes, mourners are allowed to view the body for the last time before it is taken for burial. The service is sometimes also followed by ringing church bells.
Once the first two services are over, the body is taken into a vehicle for burial that forms the third part of the rituals.
Generally at the Christian funerals, the rituals can be categorized under three main heads - visitation, funeral and lastly, the burial. The visitation and funeral ceremonies have a lot more significance as far as ritualistic aspects are concerned and they are discussed here.
Visitation is the ceremony that comes first, when the body of the deceased is put in a coffin for the friends and relatives to see. The body is dressed up in the finest attire and any jewels that belonged to the person who has died. Some communities follow the ritual of embalming the body, though not all communities should compulsorily do it.
At the visitation, a family may also exhibit pictures taken of the deceased during his or her lifetime, or some precious possessions that were very dear to the dead person. Some families even play a video recording or run a slideshow from the lifetime of the dead.
The visitation ceremony is followed by the second part of rituals, which is the memorial service, also known as funeral, and it is conducted in a church. The coffin with the dead body in it is brought to the church in a hearse, surrounded by a funeral cortege of mourners. Then the casket is brought with its floral arrangement and placed in the church.
Funeral services generally include prayers and readings from the Holy Scriptures and the Bible. The people assembled at the funeral also sing religious songs. Then the presiding pastor gives a speech, which is then followed by tributes given by the family and relatives of the departed elaborating upon the life, achievements and good qualities of the dead person. Sometimes, mourners are allowed to view the body for the last time before it is taken for burial. The service is sometimes also followed by ringing church bells.
Once the first two services are over, the body is taken into a vehicle for burial that forms the third part of the rituals.
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