What are the burial customs in your country??

Ireland
March 5, 2007 7:45pm CST
Here in Ireland, when a person dies we often have what is known as a wake. It is more prominent in the country areas than in the cities. In the country areas the deceased is laid out in a coffin in his/her home or the home of a close relative, whereas in the cities it is becoming more common for the deceased to be taken to a funeral parlour. Close friends and relatives often visit the wake house late at night and sit with the body during the night. The atmosphere is respectful and you may hear both laughing and crying as people recall stories about the deceased. It is usual for all the curtains in the wake house to be drawn, but for one window to be left open in the room where the deceased is lying. Mirrors in the house, especially those in the room where the body is lying, are usually covered or turned to the wall. The clocks are stopped at the time when death took place. On the evening that the remains are being taken to the church, the men usually carry the coffin and the family walk behind holding hands. The remains stay in the church in the church until after the mass the following morning. Then again the men will carry the coffin to the graveyard for burial and the family, friends and relatives will walk in procession behind. After the burial it is usual to go back to the deceased person’s house for refreshments and later the neighbours and friends will meet again in the local pub to reminisce on the deceased persons life. What are the burial customs in your part of the world?
11 people like this
7 responses
• United States
6 Mar 07
I really am not trying to be disrespectful but I used to be engaged to a young Irishman when I lived in Scotland, his folks had come from Ireland when he was little and I still remember a story his Da told me about a wake. He said that as usual at wakes most people got pretty looped and at one he was at the men were pretty drunk and tied ropes around the coffin and then let it hang outside the window from an upstairs apartment. Apparantly the men thought it was a great joke but the women folk found nothing funny about it. He also said that most wakes were for the men a real booze up.
2 people like this
• United States
6 Mar 07
I guess he was remembering a memory from long ago. I'mm counting back from today and his story given his age then must be about 80 years old!! LOL
1 person likes this
• Ireland
6 Mar 07
Don't worry about it. I was telling my husband about the coffin dangling from the window and he fell around the place laughing. I have to admit it is rather funny and thanks for sharing the story with us. I will now be interrogating all the old fold in the village to find the guilty ones...lol.
1 person likes this
@shalix (14)
• Philippines
7 Mar 07
here in the Philippines ones a Filipino die superstitious arise. i just don't know where it originated but i always notice these beliefs during wake to burial. you cannot sweep during wake, not to make noise, you cannot take home food from the internment.... often i always find this things irrelevant.
1 person likes this
• Ireland
7 Mar 07
That's quite interesting shalix. I don't think we would sweep or make noise but I think we might share a few whispers. Thanks for sharing.
• United States
6 Mar 07
First off, I have you another + rating for a great posting. As far as the USA goes, it is a melting pot. We have so many people from around the world with all kinds of customs and religions. So, there isn't one thing we do. We do everything that all countries do.
1 person likes this
• Ireland
7 Mar 07
Thanks margie. It seems to be the same in most countries with the exception of a few.
@sunita64 (6469)
• India
7 Mar 07
Well in our religion first the body is bathed and made to wear new clothes and then takent to cremation grounds, there the son of the family does some rituals and later body is placed on a pyre and it is given fire by the son.
1 person likes this
• Ireland
7 Mar 07
Thank you for your response. I have learned quite a lot about the culture of other countries from this topic.
@TerryZ (22076)
• United States
6 Mar 07
There are many in the united states where I live. The one Im familiar with is similiar to what you explained. Except for the mirrors and the clock. And then everyone will go to bury the person and will be some prayers said for the deceased then either go back to family or restaurant for food.
• Ireland
6 Mar 07
I don't think they bother too much with the mirrors in the city but some of them still stop the clocks. Thanks for the response TerryZ.
• Ireland
6 Mar 07
I am from Ireland myself, basically what you said happens with some variations depending on families beliefs etc. I have never heard of someone hanging a coffin outside a window. Maybe they just had too much to drink and thought it would be fun but it wouldnt be a common thing.
1 person likes this
• Ireland
6 Mar 07
Well the dangling coffing might have been a figment of some young person's imagination or like you say, a few people who went on the drink too early in the day. Nice to meet you and thanks for responding.
@Impervious (1147)
• United States
6 Mar 07
Dig hole, Insert body, cover with dirt have dinner go home.