In times of grief, many people find comfort in the specific traditions and rituals of their faiths. This is the first in a series of explorations of why and how turning to your faith may help you.
Catholicism is based on a faith that believes "Christ has died, Christ is risen, [and] Christ will come again." Traditionally, the core aspects of Catholic mourning rituals have remained the same and are centered on this belief, and with three important rituals nothing has changed. The Three Stations of Christian Burial, as they are properly called, are The Vigil, or wake, The Celebration of the Eucharist, which is also the Mass, and finally The Committal, which is the burial and mourning. Because it is the foundation of the religion that “Christ has died, Christ is risen, [and] Christ will come again,” the deceased will also have the same fate.
The wake, or Vigil is usually held the night prior to the funeral, but several viewings are offered in today’s modern time. Due to busy schedules and distance, wakes sometimes occur four times before an actual funeral. Evening hours, morning hours and an official vigil before the funeral are held, so that all who attend can pay their respects to the deceased and say their goodbyes; in this lifetime. The Mass, or Eucharist always takes place. Just as Sunday mass is a staple in the Catholic community, the mass is imperative for the deceased. Because Catholics are baptized when they are born and have ceremonies throughout every stage of ones life, death also has a mass that must be performed. The deceased is blessed and the church almost always allows the family to include anything they would like. Any requests the family has asked the church are fulfilled, and traditional mass takes place.
During the mass, Catholics actually are celebrating due to the belief of eternal life. The family and friends in attendance of the funeral offer prayers for the deceased while the priest blesses the body and forgives the decease for all their sins, preparing them for the afterlife. Catholics bodies are normally buried or entombed in a Catholic cemetery. Finally, the priest provides a final blessing at the resting place. What has changed today? The Catholic Church allows for cremation under certain circumstances, so in many instances the last stage of being entombed or buried doesn’t happen. Although the church allows for cremation, it is usually after the mass that the cremation takes place, and is considered unusual for the cremation to take place first, although today this does happen.
Catholic mourners usually wear black or violet in traditional ceremonies for the deceased. Priest themselves wore black at one time, but now wear white. This is another change that has occurred because today many mourners often wear white, beige, or black, which are deemed acceptable and signify the next stage of life as opposed to the historical black attire. There are many ways to eulogize a loved one that has passed n the Catholic religion, but traditionally this is never done at the Mass. Today, however, this rule is not written in stone and it is common for a member of the family to speak about the deceased if it is a family’s wish. The church remains open to the family’s requests and in times of death, the traditional rules of the Catholic Church may bend to appease a mourning family.
Families and friends will gather together for a meal after the wake and burial ceremonies; this is one thing that has not changed. For comfort, and as an offering of support people gather together to speak about the deceased, remember them, and comfort one another.
