Funerals are coordinated to pay regard to someone who passed away. A funeral is a officially organized ceremony connected to the end of the deceased person’s life, for the attendant and other observances. This period of mourning and grief in the household is known as the memorial or funeral period.
Funerals are organised in different states, with varying observances and traditions, from country to country. Some fundamental aspects of most funerals are that the body is not present, so the family pays tribute by having a ceremony and by carrying the remains to the cemetery. The body is present at the funeral at a unique casket or hearse called a funeral wreath. Sometimes the body is cremated, but other times remains are buried.
Today people hold many different perspectives about funerals; a few people believe it is a time to grieve while some think it is also a time for celebration. Funerals are also distinct in that people commonly attend various funerals depending upon the social class of their family members, or based on the social protocol of the community where they live. Some households also have a different funeral ritual for different members of the household at various times. Other aspects of funerals vary based on the civilization of the nation and faith of the man who has passed away.
Some general aspects of most funerals are that there is a call for candles during the funeral, readings are read by the clergy or a pastor or minister, a graveside prayer is recited by a member of the family members or by another trusted friend, and the body isn’t present in the funeral. Simple cremation can be generally used as a last service. Some families also choose to have both a memorial service and a funeral ceremony.
I think that funerals differ from religions in the body is not seen as being a soul and nobody is actually laid to rest in a religious burial. I also believe that funerals are not always a public event together with attending and participating, instead they are personal affairs between the household members involved. That is exactly why some families choose to have the funeral held privately with just close friends and acquaintances.
Overall, funerals are just special events to try to remember a loved one. They can also be quite different depending upon the culture and faith of where the deceased lived. All in all, funerals differ from religion and I think that it is important to always keep this in mind when thinking of planning a funeral.
