There are lot of customs and traditions that govern funerals throughout the world. It is at the funerals that the loved ones make peace with the fate and pay their respects to the departed’s soul.

Christian funerals adhere to the rules of the Church. However, considering the fact that there are over 200 denominations of Christian communities, the traditions can vary depending on the affiliation of the family.

The first most important ritual in a Christian funeral is the wake, which is held before the actual funeral ceremony and where the dead is watched the entire night and psalms are read to pray for the dead. As per the present day customs, this is when the family and acquaintances pay a last visit to the deceased and offer their final respects. The body is preserved and placed either at the house or in a Chapel with only a particular number of visiting hours. In earlier times, the wake was succeeded by absolution, which involved absolving the person of all the sins he or she committed in the present life, and laying a cross on the chest and performing offertory where people placed gifts in the casket.

Then comes the actual ceremony, which starts with the bringing of the deceased’s body to the Church in a hearse and is followed by recitation of hymns and prayers from the Bible. This is then succeeded by the clergy requesting one of the friends or family to read out a eulogy. In some cases funeral rituals include the ringing of bells to mark the end of the ceremony. After the funeral proceedings, the casket is carried to the burial site where before burying there is a burial service conducted.

Finally, the family members organize a lunch for the friends, relatives and acquaintances who are attending the funeral. The main aim of such rituals is to give support to the mourning family and help them overcome their grief and resign themselves to the fate.

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