Affordable Compassionate Funerals For All Traditions And Backgrounds

Planning a funeral of a loved one is one of the toughest decisions to make. Find out why we are caring and compassionate for all traditions and backgrounds

The difficulty of losing a loved one cannot be explained or underestimated. 

For all traditions and backgrounds, it is important to use the funeral service to respect and pay tribute to the deceased.

For friends and family, it is important to organize compassionate and affordable funerals that reflect the beliefs of the deceased. This will help to find some peace of mind during this difficult process. 

Funerals of Compassion can help create funeral services that honor specific religious beliefs.

Catholic Funerals

Catholic funerals respect and honor the beliefs of the Christian denomination.  Catholics believe that the soul lives on after death and will go to heaven, hell or purgatory. Funerals focus on prayers for the deceased’s soul, asking God to have mercy on the deceased person’s soul.

Before the Funeral

It is common to hold a wake – or Vigil – before the funeral service. It usually takes place in the afternoon or evening. It is an opportunity for the family to see the coffin, and for mourners to pray the rosary.

The Funeral

The service usually includes a funeral Mass which symbolizes the resurrection of Christ. Hymns and music are also used throughout the ceremony.

As the service ends, special prayers are said while the priest incenses the coffin and sprinkles it with holy water. 

Catholicism teaches that, at the end of time, bodies will rise from the grave to enter the kingdom of Heaven. That’s why Catholics tend to be buried whilst the priest says special prayers. Cremation has recently been permitted in the Catholic religion, with the ashes placed in a crematorium urn and either buried or placed in a mausoleum. 

Italian Funerals

Italian funerals typically follow the protocols of the Catholic Church.  It is believed that the deceased person’s soul does not want to leave the earth. Therefore, mourners at the funeral perform rituals to help the person’s soul leave.

Before the Funeral

In the days before the funeral, it is customary for people to offer support and respect to the family of the deceased. This tends to be shown by sending flowers or bringing food to the family.   

The Funeral

The funeral focuses on mourning the deceased. Rituals performed at the funeral service reflect Catholic traditions, including the last rites and Catholic Mass. It is common to have an open casket. Mourners are expected to kiss the cheek or forehead of the deceased as a sign of respect.

Mourners then gather at the graveside to see the body buried. The deceased is usually buried with their favorite possessions to encourage them not to return to the earth.

Greek Funerals

Greek funerals abide by the customs and traditions of the Orthodox Church. The service focuses on seeking peace for the deceased’s soul. 

Before the Funeral

A wake or viewing usually takes place the night before the funeral. People look at the deceased person, and eulogies are given by family and friends.

The Funeral

The funeral service – known as the Trisgion Service – emphasizes the new life of the deceased. The soul is separated from the body, and prayers are given for the soul’s forgiveness and peace.

The service is typically held in a church two to three days after death, led by a Priest. The casket is open, and a procession takes place so that people can pay their last respects to the deceased person.

Cremation is frowned upon; the deceased are usually buried. There is a prayer at the graveside before the Priest puts soil onto the casket in the shape of a cross.

Hindu Funerals

Hindu culture is observed and respected at Hindu funerals. The physical body may die, but the soul is eternal. It could pass into another body through reincarnation or – if the soul has realized the true nature of reality – it may join with the ‘One’.

Before the Funeral

The deceased’s body usually remains in the home until cremated. This usually happens within 24 hours of death.

The body is washed and dress. It is then usual for a garland of flowers to be put around the neck, a tilak to be applied to the forehead, and a tulsi leaf to be placed in the mouth.

The Funeral

The casket is usually open during the ceremony, which is led by a priest or leader of the family. Hymns and mantras are recited, and offerings are made to ancestors and gods.

The deceased is usually cremated in traditional clothes. It is common for their ashes to be scattered near a sacred body of water, or at another place of significance for the deceased.

Affordable Funerals for All Traditions and Backgrounds

All people deserve a funeral service that respects and honors their beliefs and culture. Friends and family deserve help and support through this difficult time, helping them to arrange affordable funerals that fulfill all of their needs.Contact Funerals of Compassion for help with what can be one of the most difficult life experiences.

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