Funerals are either family or State ceremonies held after the death of a person, to honor him. It is a series of related traditions or rituals that are unique to one\’s culture or religion.
Majority of Christian funerals have rituals that can be categorized into three types of events – the visitation, funeral, and finally, the burial. The first two parts, which are the most essential ones as far as ritualistic aspects are concerned, are explained below.
Visitation is the ceremony that comes first, when the body of the deceased is placed in a casket for the family and friends to see. The body is mostly adorned with the best clothes and jewels belonging to the dead person. Embalming of the body for this occasion is not a mandatory ritual in every culture.
Visitation usually includes a visual display of photos of the dead person by the family members or a display of articles that were valued by the deceased while he was alive. Some people also play a video recording or do a slideshow in memory of the dead.
This ceremony is then followed by the funeral ceremony, which is essentially a memorial service that is normally conducted at the church. The coffin containing the body is placed in a vehicle and carried to the church with a funeral cortege of mourners, who accompany the carriage. The casket with its floral arrangement is then placed in the church.
The service usually entails reciting lines from the Holy Scriptures or the Bible and praying for the departed. The people assembled at the funeral also sing religious songs. Then the presiding priest gives a speech, which is closely followed by tributes given by the family members and friends of the departed elaborating upon the life, accomplishments and good qualities of the dead person. Sometimes, the people assembled are permitted to see the dead body for one last time before it is taken for burial. The service might be preceded and followed by gonging of church bells.
The end of second part, which is the funeral, marks the commencement of the third stage of the ceremony, which is burial, and the body is taken through a funeral procession.
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