Search Results for: Funeral Customs (107 Found)

Funeral customs in Shakespearian times were quite different than they are today. It is interesting to compare and contrast the similarities. It is important to note that statistically death was quite different than it is now. Only about 10% of the population lived past the age of 60 during this era, and infant and child mortality was extremely high. It’s been said that if a child made it to age 12, he was just as likely to live to be 70.

For most people funerals are quiet and solemn affairs. They are a time to pay respects and lend comfort and support to the family members and friends of the deceased. They are a time to celebrate the life of the deceased and find closure and healing. However, for some people in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Vancouver, funerals have become a place for rival gangs to seek their revenge and perpetuate long-standing conflicts.

Sikh Beliefs

Messianic Judaism is a religion that . As a result, the funeral customs traditionally associated with this religious group are also a blend of funeral rituals and traditions that come from its roots in both religions. This blending of faiths does present some challenges in determining how best to carry out funeral rites.

Pentecostal funeral customs are similar to other Christian funeral traditions. The service traditionally takes place at the church, but it may also be conducted at a funeral home or at the site of the grave. In the past it has been the custom to wear black at Pentecostal funeral services. However, white is more frequently being used to symbolize the Pentecostal belief in the resurrection of the body.

Unitarian Universalist rituals are called memorial service, whether or not the deceased’s body is present. Most services take place at the church or a funeral home chapel within one week of the death, but may occur up to one month following death. The family determines the best time to schedule the memorial service.

Wiccan funeral customs and burial traditions encourage individuals to make their wishes for a funeral known well in advance of their death. In this way, they are able to specify the type of burial they want. Many times Wiccan customs may not be honored by other family members, so Wiccans are encouraged to have a fellow coven-mate or a lawyer listed as the executor of the will.

Members of the Salvation Army refer to death as a “promotion to glory” for fellow Christians. They believe that although the physical body dies, the spirit or soul of a Christian continues living in another dimension with God called heaven or “glory.” Because of these beliefs, Salvation Army funerals are characterized by sadness and grief but have underpinnings of hope and joy.