All religions have their own way of disposing of the dead. Most often, this is done through a ritual of burial. Even people who are not a member of any religion will have some form of humanist burial. However, the ways that people do burial ceremonies vary from one religion to another. The mourning rites for the Christian society will vary depending on the religious denomination a person belongs to. These denominations include the Protestant, the Catholic, and the Jewish societies. Mourning rites also vary according to the country where you live in. 
 


Let us look at the different Christian mourning rites done in different countries:

In India for example, the mourning rites of Indian Christians consists of a funeral service held in their church or at home. This service will often be followed by a burial in a cemetery of their choice. In this country, the deceased is typically laid with flowers and garlands. A vigil is performed upon the time of death until the deceased is transferred to a church for the final blessings. After the church service, a procession takes place in which the body is transferred from the church to its final resting place. Typically, Christians in India prefer to bury their dead in line with their dead ancestors. 

For Protestant Christians, their mourning rites consist of rituals and services which are associated and based on the denomination and the sub-community which the deceased belongs to. Protestant rituals often contain a section from the bible and basic verses are read from it which gives reference to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Hymns and prayers are sung along with the sermon being given by a priest. After the sermon, a burial process is done at a cemetery. 

Roman Catholics have a more formal and a more traditional way of conducting their mourning rituals. These rituals even occur before a person dies. For example, a person who is fatally ill and is at his/her death bed would most often request the presence of a priest so that he/she can confess his/her sins. The priest in turn will bless the soul of the person who is facing death. After the person dies, the body is embalmed before it is given back to the family for the traditional wake or vigil. 

A wake will then be held. The body is placed in a coffin and is allowed to be visited by relatives and friends. The duration of the wake will depend on the family’s preference or on the availability of the remaining family members to be able to show their final respects. A family with members who are geographically far apart may allot more time so that these members can schedule a final visit. Wakes of Roman Catholics may last from 3 days to 7 days. 

Viewing of the deceased is often considered a common practice with any Christian community. However, differences in practices and traditions may occur in different societies. In the Philippines for example, different traditions and customs are being associated with the Christian mourning rituals and these customs and traditions are passed on from generation to generation. An example of this is that during the wake, people should not be sad but instead, guests and visitors should be entertained. 

Catholic mourning will also involve the body being transferred from the home to the church so that it can receive the final blessing from the priest. During the time that the body is in the church a mass is held celebrating the life of the deceased. Most often than not, relatives and close friends of the deceased are asked to say a few words about the deceased through a eulogy. 

One thing which is common in Christian mourning rituals is that from the time of death until the body is finally disposed of through burial or cremation, the body is never left alone. There will always be somebody next to the body alongside the casket. Lights and candles will always be lit. Family members will take turns in keeping the body company twenty four hours of the day. 

Preneed funeral arrangements Guatemala knows the different Christian mourning traditions and have services which will suit every Christian family’s needs. 

Article by Dunbar Winston of FuneralesReforma, who is a specialist in hispanic estate planning. For more information on funerarias Guatemala and funerarias Guatemala, visit his site today.