Editing Funeral (section)

==Religious funerals==
===Bahá'í Faith===
Funerals in the [[Bahá'í Faith]] are characterized by not embalming, a prohibition against cremation, using a [[Chrysolith|chrysolite]] or hardwood casket, wrapping the body in silk or cotton, burial not farther than an hour (including flights) from the place of death, and placing a ring on the deceased's finger stating, "I came forth from God, and return unto Him, detached from all save Him, holding fast to His Name, the Merciful, the Compassionate." The Bahá'í funeral service also contains the only prayer that is permitted to be read as a group – congregational prayer, although most of the prayer is read by one person in the gathering. The Bahá'í decedent often controls some aspects of the Bahá'í funeral service, since leaving a will and testament is a requirement for Bahá'ís. Since there are no Bahá'í clergy, services are usually conducted under the guise, or with the assistance of, a Local [[Spiritual Assembly]].<ref>{{Cite book |title=Kitáb-i-Aqdas |publisher=Baháʼu'lláh}}</ref>

===Buddhist===
{{main|Funeral (Buddhism)}}
[[File:Vulture - Sky burial.jpg|thumb|Vultures feeding on a human corpse in a [[sky burial]]]]
A Buddhist funeral marks the transition from one life to the next for the deceased. It also reminds the living of their own mortality. [[Cremation]] is the preferred choice,<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.funeralpartners.co.uk/help-advice/arranging-a-funeral/types-of-funerals/buddhist-funerals/#:~:text=Buddhists%20and%20cremation,seen%20as%20a%20good%20deed|title=Buddhist funerals|publisher=Funeral Partners}}</ref> although [[burial]] is also allowed. Buddhists in [[Tibet]] perform [[sky burial]]s where the body is exposed to be eaten by [[vultures]]. The body is dissected with a blade on the mountain top before the exposure. Crying and wailing is discouraged and the {{transliteration|bo|rogyapas}} (body breakers who perform the ritual) laugh as if they are doing farm work. [[Tibetan Buddhist]]s believe that a lighthearted atmosphere during the funeral helps the soul of the dead to get a better afterlife. After the vultures consume all the flesh the {{transliteration|bo|rogpyas}} smash the bones into pieces and mix them with [[tsampa]] to feed to the vultures.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tibettravel.org/tibetan-local-customs/tibetan-funeral.html|title=Sky Burial in Tibet, Tibetan Funeral Customs|website=Tibet Travel and Tours - Tibet Vista}}</ref>

===Christian===
{{see also|Christian burial|Cremation in Christianity}}
[[File:Mar Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly Funeral.jpg|thumb|Funeral of [[India]]n [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Church|Syro-Malabar Catholic]], [[Venerable]] [[Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly]] on 6 October 1929]]

Congregations of varied [[Christian denomination|denominations]] perform different funeral ceremonies, but most involve offering prayers, scripture reading from the Bible, a sermon, homily, or eulogy, and music.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book|title = Accompany Them with Singing: The Christian Funeral|last = Long|first = Thomas G.|publisher = Westminster John Knox Press|year = 2009|isbn = 978-0664233198|location = Louisville, KY}}</ref> One issue of concern as the 21st century began was with the use of secular music at Christian funerals, a custom generally forbidden by the [[Catholic Church]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/bereavement-and-funerals/music-at-funerals.cfm|title=Bereavement and Funerals – Music at funerals|website=US Conference of Catholic Bishops|access-date = 7 September 2015}}</ref>

Christian burials have traditionally occurred on [[Consecration|consecrated]] ground such as in [[churchyard]]s. There are many funeral norms in Christianity.<ref>{{cite web |title=Funeral Norms |url=https://formationreimagined.org/funeral-norms/ |website=formationreimagined.org |access-date=23 March 2021}}</ref> Burial, rather than a destructive process such as cremation, was the traditional practice amongst Christians, because of the belief in the resurrection of the body. Cremations later came into widespread use, although some denominations forbid them. The [[US Conference of Catholic Bishops]] said "The Church earnestly recommends that the pious custom of burying the bodies of the deceased be observed; nevertheless, the Church does not prohibit cremation unless it was chosen for reasons contrary to Christian doctrine" (canon 1176.3).<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/bereavement-and-funerals/|title =Bereavement and Funerals|website=US Conference of Catholic Bishops|access-date = 7 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Funerals - Death and the afterlife - GCSE Religious Studies Revision - WJEC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zc4cng8/revision/4 |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=BBC Bitesize |language=en-GB}}</ref>

===Hindu===
{{main|Antyesti}}
[[File:Bagamati cremation.jpg|thumb|A Hindu cremation rite in [[Nepal]]. The samskara above shows the body wrapped in saffron red on a pyre.]]
[[Antyesti]], literally 'last rites' or 'last sacrifice', refers to the rite-of-passage rituals associated with a funeral in Hinduism.<ref>[http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?script=HK&beginning=0+&tinput=funeral+&trans=Translate&direction=AU Antayesti] Cologne Sanskrit Digital Lexicon, Germany</ref> It is sometimes referred to as {{transliteration|hi|Antima Samskaram, Antya-kriya, Anvarohanyya}}, or {{transliteration|hi|Vahni Sanskara}}.

A dead adult [[Hindus|Hindu]] is cremated, while a dead child is typically buried.<ref name=olsonant/><ref name=fowler>J Fowler (1996), Hinduism: Beliefs and Practices, Sussex Academic Press, {{ISBN|978-1898723608}}, pp. 59–60</ref> The rite of passage is said to be performed in harmony with the sacred premise that the microcosm of all living beings is a reflection of a macrocosm of the universe.<ref name="terje">Terje Oestigaard, in The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Death and Burial (Editors: [[Sarah Tarlow]], Liv Nilsson Stutz), Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|9780191650383}}, pp. 497–501</ref> The soul (Atman, Brahman) is believed to be the immortal essence that is released at the {{transliteration|hi|Antyeshti}} ritual, but both the body and the universe are vehicles and transitory in various schools of Hinduism. They consist of five elements: air, water, fire, earth and space.<ref name=terje/> The last rite of passage returns the body to the five elements and origins.<ref name=olsonant>Carl Olson (2007), The Many Colors of Hinduism: A Thematic-historical Introduction, Rutgers University Press, {{ISBN|978-0813540689}}, pp. 99–100</ref><ref name=terje/> The roots of this belief are found in the Vedas, for example in the hymns of [[Rigveda]] in section 10.16, as follows:

{{poemquote|
Burn him not up, nor quite consume him, Agni: let not his body or his skin be scattered,
O all possessing Fire, when thou hast matured him, then send him on his way unto the Fathers.
When thou hast made him ready, all possessing Fire, then do thou give him over to the Fathers,
When he attains unto the life that waits him, he shall become subject to the will of gods.
The Sun receive thine eye, the Wind thy ''Prana'' (life-principle, breathe); go, as thy merit is, to earth or heaven.
Go, if it be thy lot, unto the waters; go, make thine home in plants with all thy members.
|Rigveda 10.16<ref>Sanskrit:
*[http://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/ऋग्वेद:_सूक्तं_१०.१६ ऋग्वेद: सूक्तं १०.१६] Wikisource;
*[https://archive.org/stream/rigvedasanhitc06wils#page/38/mode/2up Sukta XVI – Rigveda], English Translation: HH Wilson (Translator), pages 39–40;
* Wendy Doniger (1981), The Rig Veda, Penguin Classics, {{ISBN|978-0140449891}}, see chapter on Death</ref>}}

The [[Antyesti|final rites]] of a burial, in case of untimely death of a child, is rooted in Rigveda's section 10.18, where the hymns mourn the death of the child, praying to deity Mrityu to "neither harm our girls nor our boys", and pleads the earth to cover, protect the deceased child as a soft wool.<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/rigvedasanhitc06wils#page/46/mode/2up Sukta XVIII – Rigveda], English Translation: HH Wilson (Translator), pages 46-49 with footnotes;</ref><ref>Wendy Doniger (1981), The Rig Veda, Penguin Classics, {{ISBN|978-0140449891}}, see chapter on Death</ref>

Among Hindus, the dead body is usually cremated within a day of death. In Hindu tradition, the body is usually kept at home with the family until it’s time for cremation. A typical Hindu funeral includes three main stages: a gathering or wake in the home, the cremation itself—referred to as mukhagni—and a follow-up ritual called the shraddha ceremony.<ref>Hindu Funeral & Death Rituals: A Complete Guide | Memorial Planning. (2025, January 6). Memorial Planning |. https://www.memorialplanning.com/resources/religious-funerals-guide/hindu-funerals-guide/</ref> The body is washed, wrapped in white cloth for a man or a widow, red for a married woman,<ref name=fowler/> the two toes tied together with a string, a {{transliteration|hi|Tilak}} (red mark) placed on the forehead.<ref name=olsonant/> The dead adult's body is carried to the cremation ground near a river or water, by family and friends, and placed on a pyre with feet facing south.<ref name=fowler/> The eldest son, or a male mourner, or a priest then bathes before leading the cremation ceremonial function.<ref name=olsonant/><ref name=carrie>Carrie Mercier (1998), Hinduism for Today, Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|978-0199172542}}, p. 58</ref> He circumambulates the dry wood pyre with the body, says a eulogy or recites a [[hymn]] in some cases, places sesame seed in the dead person's mouth, sprinkles the body and the pyre with [[ghee]] (clarified butter), then draws three lines signifying {{transliteration|hi|Yama}} (deity of the dead), {{transliteration|hi|Kala}} (time, deity of cremation) and the dead.<ref name=olsonant/> The pyre is then set ablaze, while the mourners mourn. The ash from the cremation is consecrated to the nearest river or sea.<ref name=carrie/> After the cremation, a period of mourning is observed for 10 to 12 days after which the immediate male relatives or the sons of the deceased shave their head, trim their nails, recites prayers with the help of priest or Brahmin and invite all relatives, kins, friends and neighbours to eat a simple meal together in remembrance of the deceased.
During the mourning period, sleeping arrangements in the home change too. Mattresses are taken off the beds and placed on the floor, and for twelve days, everyone in the household sleeps on the floor as part of the funeral customs.<ref>Laungani, P. (2001). Hindu deaths in India—Part 1. International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, 39(3), 88–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/14635240.2001.10806179</ref> This day, in some communities, also marks a day when the poor and needy are offered food in memory of the dead.<ref>Colin Parkes et al. (2015), Death and Bereavement Across Cultures, Routledge, {{ISBN|978-0415522366}}, pp. 66–67</ref> In most Hindu communities the last day of the mourning is called as Terahveen (the thirteenth day), and on this day items of basic needs along with some favourite items of the deceased are donated to the priests. Also on the same day the eldest son of the family is ceremonially crowned (called ''Pagdi Rasm'') for he is now the head of the family. A feast is also organised for [[Brahmin]]s, family members, and friends.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Significance of the 13-Day Mourning Period: What Friends Need to Know |url=https://www.asianindianfuneralservice.com/blog/blog/the-significance-of-the-13-day-mourning-period-what-friends-need-to-know |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=www.asianindianfuneralservice.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Zoroastrianism===
[[File:Parsee Tower of Silence, Bombay.jpg|thumb|[[Parsi]] Tower of Silence, [[Bombay]]]]
The belief that bodies are infested by [[Nasu (Zoroastrianism)|Nasu]] upon death greatly influenced Zoroastrian burial ceremonies and funeral rites. Burial and cremation of corpses was prohibited, as such acts would defile the sacred creations of earth and fire respectively.<ref>Vd. 7:25</ref> Burial of corpses was so looked down upon that the exhumation of "buried corpses was regarded as meritorious." For these reasons, "[[Towers of Silence]]" were developed—[[wikt:open air|open air]], [[amphitheater]] like structures in which [[corpses]] were placed so carrion-eating birds could feed on them.

[[Sagdid|Sagdīd]], meaning 'seen by a dog,' is a ritual that must be performed as promptly after death as possible. The dog is able to calculate the degree of evil within the corpse, and entraps the contamination so it may not spread further, expelling Nasu from the body.<ref>''[[Denkard]]''. 31</ref> Nasu remains within the corpse until it has been seen by a dog, or until it has been consumed by a dog or a carrion-eating bird.<ref>Vd. 7:3</ref> According to chapter 31 of the Denkard, the reasoning for the required consumption of corpses is that the evil influences of Nasu are contained within the corpse until, upon being digested, the body is changed from the form of nasa into nourishment for animals. The corpse is thereby delivered over to the animals, changing from the state of corrupted nasa to that of hixr, which is "dry dead matter," considered to be less polluting.

A path through which a funeral procession has traveled must not be passed again, as Nasu haunts the area thereafter, until the proper rites of banishment are performed.<ref>Vd. 8:15</ref> Nasu is expelled from the area only after "a yellow dog with four eyes, or a white dog with yellow ears" is walked through the path three times.<ref>Vd. 8:16</ref> If the dog goes unwillingly down the path, it must be walked back and forth up to nine times to ensure that Nasu has been driven off.<ref>Vd. 8:17-18</ref>

Zoroastrian [[ritual]] exposure of the dead is first known of from the writings of the mid-5th century BCE [[Herodotus]], who observed the custom amongst [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]] expatriates in [[Asia Minor]]. In Herodotus' account ([[Histories (Herodotus)|Histories]] i.140), the rites are said to have been "secret", but were first performed after the body had been dragged around by a bird or dog. The corpse was then embalmed with wax and laid in a trench.

While the discovery of [[Ossuary|ossuaries]] in both eastern and western Iran dating to the 5th and 4th centuries BCE indicates that bones were isolated, that this separation occurred through ritual exposure cannot be assumed: burial mounds,<ref>{{citation|last=Falk|first=Harry|title=Soma I and II|journal=Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies|volume=52|issue=1|year=1989|pages=77–90|doi=10.1017/s0041977x00023077|s2cid=146512196}}</ref> where the bodies were wrapped in wax, have also been discovered. The tombs of the [[Achaemenid empire|Achaemenid emperors]] at [[Naqsh-e Rustam]] and [[Pasargadae]] likewise suggest non-exposure, at least until the bones could be collected. According to legend (incorporated by [[Ferdowsi]] into his [[Shahnameh]]), [[Zoroaster]] is himself interred in a tomb at [[Balkh]] (in present-day [[Afghanistan]]).

Writing on the culture of the [[Persians]], [[Herodotus]] reports on the Persian burial customs performed by the [[Magi]], which are kept secret. However, he writes that he knows they expose the body of male dead to dogs and birds of prey, then they cover the corpse in wax, and then it is buried.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/herodotus-iii|title=Herodotus iii. Defining the Persians|website=Iranicaonline.org – Encyclopaedia Iranica|access-date=24 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129214830/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/herodotus-iii|archive-date=29 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The Achaemenid custom is recorded for the dead in the regions of [[Bactria]], [[Sogdia]], and [[Hyrcania]], but not in [[Western Iran]].

The Byzantine historian [[Agathias]] has described the burial of the Sasanian general [[Mihr-Mihroe]]: "the attendants of Mermeroes took up his body and removed it to a place outside the city and laid it there as it was, alone and uncovered according to their traditional custom, as refuse for dogs and horrible carrion".

Towers are a much later invention and are first documented in the early 9th century CE. The ritual customs surrounding that practice appear to date to the [[Sassanid]] era (3rd–7th century CE). They are known in detail from the supplement to the ''[[Shāyest nē Shāyest]]'', the two ''[[Revayat]]s'' collections, and the two Saddars.

===Islamic===
{{main|Islamic funeral}}
[[File:Algeria 1779 Antique Hand Col Print. Algerine Funeral.jpg|thumb|1779 [[Algeria]]n [[Salat al-Janazah|funerals]]]]
[[File:Equipment for washing and preparing bodies at Afaq khoja Mosque, Kashgar. 2010.jpg|thumb|Equipment for washing and preparing bodies at Afaq khoja Mosque, [[Kashgar]]]]

Funerals in [[Islam]] (called {{transliteration|ar|Janazah}} in Arabic) follow fairly specific [[Ritual purity in Islam|rites]]. In all cases, however, [[sharia]] (Islamic [[religious law]]) calls for burial of the body, preceded by a simple ritual involving bathing and shrouding the body, followed by {{transliteration|ar|[[salat]]}} (prayer).

Burial rituals should normally take place as soon as possible and include:
* Bathing the dead body with water, [[camphor]] and leaves of [[ziziphus lotus]],<ref>[[Sahih al-Bukhari]] 1254</ref> except in extraordinary circumstances as in battle.<ref>Sahih al-Bukhari 1346</ref>
* [[Shroud|Enshrouding]] the dead body in a white cotton or linen cloth except extraordinary cases such as battle. In such cases apparel of corpse is not changed.<ref>[[Sahih Muslim]] 943</ref>
* Reciting the [[Salat al-Janazah|funeral prayer]] in all cases for a Muslim.
* Burial of the dead body in a grave in all cases for a Muslim.
* Positioning the deceased so that when the face or body is turned to the right side it faces [[Mecca]].

The mourning period is 40 days long.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2018/04/food-in-a-time-of-mourning-can-celebrate-life-and-death.html|title=How Do People Decide Which Snacks Belong at a Funeral?|last=Price|first=Dawnthea|work=Slate Magazine|access-date=2018-04-26|language=en}}</ref>

===Jewish===
{{main|Bereavement in Judaism}}
In [[Judaism]], funerals follow fairly specific rites, though they are subject to variation in custom. [[Halakha]] calls for preparatory rituals involving bathing and shrouding the body accompanied by prayers and readings from the [[Hebrew Bible]], and then a funeral service marked by eulogies and brief prayers, and then the lowering of the body into the grave and the filling of the grave. Traditional law and practice forbid cremation of the body; the [[Reform Judaism|Reform]] Jewish movement generally discourages cremation but does not outright forbid it.<ref name=Jewish>{{cite web|title=Jewish Funeral Traditions|url=https://www.everplans.com/tools-and-resources/jewish-funeral-traditions|publisher=Everplans|access-date=17 June 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://reformjudaism.org/practice/ask-rabbi/what-reform-judaisms-position-cremation|title=What is Reform Judaism's position on cremation?|date=2013-07-16|work=ReformJudaism.org|access-date=2018-02-28|language=en}}</ref>

Burial rites should normally take place as soon as possible and include:
* Bathing the dead body.
* Enshrouding the dead body. Men are shrouded with a {{transliteration|he|[[kittel]]}} and then (outside the [[Land of Israel]]) with a {{transliteration|he|[[tallit]]}} (shawl), while women are shrouded in a plain white cloth.
* Keeping watch over the dead body.
* Funeral service, including eulogies and brief prayers.
* Burial of the dead body in a grave.<ref name=Jewish />
* Filling of the grave, traditionally done by family members and other participants at the funeral.
* In many communities, the deceased is positioned so that the feet face the [[Temple Mount]] in [[Jerusalem]] (in anticipation that the deceased will be facing the reconstructed [[Third Temple]] when the [[messiah]] arrives and [[resurrection of the dead|resurrects the dead]]).<ref name=davidson>{{cite web|title=Are Bodies Buried in a Specific Direction?|url=http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1672031/jewish/Are-Bodies-Buried-in-a-Specific-Direction.htm|access-date=November 9, 2014 }}</ref>

===Sikh===
In Sikhism death is not considered a natural process, an event that has absolute certainty and only happens as a direct result of God's Will or [[Hukam]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sikh Funerals |url=https://www.funeralpartners.co.uk/help-advice/arranging-a-funeral/types-of-funerals/sikh-funerals/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Funeral Partners |language=en-US}}</ref> In Sikhism, birth and death are closely associated, as they are part of the cycle of human life of "coming and going" ({{langx|pa|ਆਵਣੁ ਜਾਣਾ|Aana Jaana}}) which is seen as a transient stage towards Liberation ({{langx|pa|ਮੋਖੁ ਦੁਆਰੁ|Mokh Du-aar|label=none}}), understood as completely in unity with God. Sikhs believe in reincarnation.

Death is only the progression of the soul on its journey from God, through the created universe and back to God again. In life a Sikh is expected to constantly remember death so that they may be sufficiently prayerful, detached and righteous to break the cycle of birth and death and return to God.

The public display of grief by wailing or crying out loud at the funeral (called {{transliteration|pa|[[Antam Sanskar]]}}) is discouraged and should be kept to a minimum. Cremation is the preferred method of disposal, burial and burial at sea are also allowed if by necessity or by the will of the person. Markers such as gravestones, monuments, etc. are not allowed, because the body is considered to be just the shell and the person's soul is their real self.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sikh Funerals |url=https://www.funeralpartners.co.uk/help-advice/arranging-a-funeral/types-of-funerals/sikh-funerals/ |website=Funeral Partners}}</ref>

On the day of the cremation, the body is washed and dressed and then taken to the Gurdwara or home where hymns (Shabadads) from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the Sikh Scriptures are recited by the congregation. Kirtan may also be performed by Ragis while the relatives of the deceased recite "[[Waheguru]]" sitting near the coffin. This service normally takes from 30 to 60 minutes. At the conclusion of the service, an Ardas is said before the coffin is taken to the cremation site.

At the point of cremation, a few more Shabadads may be sung and final speeches are made about the deceased person. The eldest son or a close relative generally lights the fire. This service usually lasts about 30 to 60 minutes. The ashes are later collected and disposed of by immersing them in a river, preferably one of the five rivers in the state of [[Punjab, India]].

The ceremony in which the Sidharan Paath is begun after the cremation ceremony, may be held when convenient, wherever the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is present.

Hymns are sung from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji; the first five and final verses of "Anand Sahib," the "Song of Bliss," are recited or sung. The first five verses of Sikhism's morning prayer, "Japji Sahib", are read aloud to begin the Sidharan paath. A hukam, or random verse, is then read from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Ardas, a prayer, is offered, and Prashad, a sacred sweet, is distributed. Langar, a meal, is then served to guests.

While the Sidharan paath is being read, the family may also sing hymns daily. Reading may take as long as needed to complete the paath.

This ceremony is followed by Sahaj Paath Bhog, Kirtan Sohila, night time prayer is recited for one week, and finally Ardas called the "Antim Ardas" ("Final Prayer") is offered the last week.<ref>{{Cite web |last=International |first=Sikh Dharma |date=2021-12-03 |title=Sikh Death Ceremonies and Protocols |url=https://www.sikhdharma.org/sikh-death-ceremonies-and-protocols/ |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=Sikh Dharma International}}</ref>

===Celtic===
It was custom for an officiant to walk in front of the coffin with a horse's skull; this tradition was still observed by [[Welsh people|Welsh peasants]] up until the 19th century.<ref>Merthyr Telegraph, and General Advertiser for the Iron Districts of South Wales, 1 May 1874: "In the funerals of Welsh peasants it is common even now to carry a horse's skull in front of the coffin."</ref>