subject: Christian Funerals As Rituals Of Letting Go [print this page] In a Christian funeral service, how exactly is the ritual held? The Christian funeral is an interactive occasion, where those attending remember the life of the individual who died. Aside from celebrating the life of the individual who passed away, a Christian funeral's purpose is to assure the individuals who are left behind that their departed loved one is already with the Almighty.
Christians are firm believers in the coming again of God's son Jesus Christ. Further, Christians believe that at the time of their deaths, judgment will be passed on the deeds they have accomplished while they were still alive. They believe that it is by their deeds that they will be worthy of staying in paradise with God. Christians try to live by the examples of Jesus Christ in their daily lives.
For a devout Christian, a funeral ceremony is a celebration of the soul's journey into eternal life hereafter. This is the main reason why such services are alleviating as they are looked upon as a confirmation of the belief that the deceased has found a new home in the House of God.
Christians consider death as an exit from the world of grief and a passage into the world of permanent bliss. The severity of pain caused by the death of a near and dear one is lessened by the very thought that the dead person is enjoying the bliss of being in the Lord's home with the Lord Himself. The Christian funeral ceremonies are organized with the same spirit.
Generally, a priest is the prime official at a Christian funeral ceremony. The services are often conducted inside the very church that was visited by the deceased when he was alive. Generally the ceremonies do not have casket, but in case the service is being conducted inside a funeral home, caskets are very often present. Usually, Christian funeral service does not have the practice of displaying the body of the deceased person.
The funeral service is more of a memorial, in which the programmes begin with chanting of hymns, a vocalist, and readings from the Holy Scriptures. A brief message is delivered by the pastor, after which a mass prayer is held.
Then the family and relatives share their sorrows with the gathering, and the people express their feelings and respect for the dead person and share their thoughts on how the deceased affected their lives and left a lasting void. Some families also plan to organize a slideshow of photos of the dead person or play a recorded video from the life of the departed.
The last step in the service is that of a brief fellowship reception that is held in the church itself and some food is served. People do not choose a graveside service normally, but there are some exceptional cases.
