Christian burial: Difference between revisions

[[Image:Ascension-Parish-Burial-Ground-Cambridge.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Ascension Parish burialBurial groundGround]], [[Cambridge]], [[UK]].]]

A '''Christian burial''' is the [[burial]] of a deceased person with specifically Christian rites; typically, in [[consecrated ground]]. Until recent times [[Christians]] generally objected to [[cremation]] because it interfered with the concept of the [[resurrection of the dead|resurrection of a corpse]], and practiced inhumation almost exclusively. Today this opposition has all but vanished among [[Protestants]] and [[Catholics]] alike, and this is rapidly becoming more common, although [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]es still mostly forbid cremation.

Among theThe Greeks and Romans, practiced both [[cremationburial]] and [[burialcremation]], werewith practiced.[[Roman funerary practices]] distinctly favoring cremation by the time Christianity arose during the [[Principate]]. However, the [[Judaism|Jews]] only ever buried their dead. Even [[God in Christianity|God]] himself is depicted in the [[Torah]] as performing burial: "And [God] buried him ([[Moses]]) in the depression in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor. No man knows the place that he was buried, even to this day." ([[Book of Deuteronomy|Deuteronomy]] 34:6). EarlySimilarly, early Christians used only burial, as can be demonstrated from the direct testimony of [[Tertullian]]<ref>Tertullian, ''De Corona'' (in [[Migne]], ''[[Patrologia Latina]]'' [P.L.], II, 92, 795); cf. Minucius Felix, ''Octavius'', xi (P.L., III, 266)</ref> and from the stress laid upon the analogy between the [[Universal resurrection|resurrection of the body]] and the [[Death and Resurrection of Jesus|Resurrection of Christ]] ({{bibleverse|1|Corinthians|15:42|NRSV}}).<ref>cf. [[Tertullian]], [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf03.iv.xi.lv.html ''De Animâ'', LV]; [[Augustine of Hippo|St. Augustine]], ''[[De civitate Dei]]'', I, 13</ref><ref name=Catholic>{{Catholic|title=Christian Burial|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03071a.htm|inline=1|last=Thurston|first=Herbert|year=1908|volume=III|access-date=2008-01-04}}</ref>

Little is known with regard to the burial of the dead in the early Christian centuries. Early Christians did practice the use of an [[Ossuaryossuary]] to store the skeletal remains of those saints at rest in Christ. This practice likely came from the use of the same among [[Second Temple Judaism|Second Temple Jews]]. Other early Christians likely followed the national customs of the people among whom they lived, as long as they were not directly [[Idolatry|idolatrous]]. [[Jerome|St. Jerome]], in his account of the death of [[Paul of Thebes|St. Paul the Hermit]], speaks of the singing of hymns and psalms while the body is carried to the grave as an observance belonging to ancient Christian tradition.<ref name=Catholic/>

Several historical writings indicate that in the fourth and fifth centuries, the offering of the [[Sacrifice#Sacrifice in Christianity|Eucharist]] was an essential feature in the last solemn rites. These writings include: [[Gregory of Nyssa|St. Gregory of Nyssa]]’s detailed description of the [[funeral]] of [[Saint Macrina the Younger|St. Macrina]], [[Augustine of Hippo|St. Augustine]]’s references to his mother [[Monica of Hippo|St. Monica]], the ''[[Apostolic Constitutions]]'' (Book VII), and the ''[[De Coelesti Hierarchia|Celestial Hierarchy]]'' of [[Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite|Dionysius the Areopagite]].<ref name=Catholic/>

A little-known custom also exists that both before the altar and in the grave, the feet of all Christians should be pointed to the East. This custom is alluded to by [[Hildebert|Bishop Hildebert]] at the beginning of the twelfth century,<ref>Hildebert of Tours, ''Sermones'' (P.L., CLXXI, 896)</ref> and its symbolism is discussed by [[Guillaume Durand]]. "A man ought so to be buried", he says, "that while his head lies to the West his feet are turned to the East…"<ref>Guillaume Durand, ''Rationale divinorum officiorum'', VII, 35</ref> For clergy, however, the idea seems to be that the bishop (or priest) in death should occupy the same position in the church as during life, facing his people who he taught and blessed in Christ's name.<ref name=Catholic/> In practice, facing the east is scarcely ever observed today, but appears to have been a common custom in the early middle ages. Post-conversion cemeteries can be distinguished in England from their pre-conversion counterparts from the orientation and direction of inhumation burials. Such an example can be seen in the Chamberlain's Barn cemetery near [[Leighton Buzzard]] - around 650 CE, graves were increasingly organised into rows, facing west, and grave furnishings (commonly associated with pagan burial practices) decreased.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Welch |first=Martin |title=The Oxford Handbok of Anglo-Saxon Archaeology |year=2011 |pages=280–81}}</ref>

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Today, giving candles to the congregation is hardly ever done. {{cncitation needed|date=November 2019}}

In principle, there was no fee for Christian burial. According to [[Canon Law]], any faithful could be buried by the priest for free; and this has been confirmed by several [[Ecumenical council]] during the Middle Ages, such as the Third (1179) and the Fourth (1215) Council of the Lateran. Charging money to conduct burials, bless a marriage or to celebrate any of the sacraments was considered as a crime of [[Simony]]. Nevertheless, since the beginning of the [[Western Christianity]], but especially after the 11th century, a considerable part of the doctrine, as well as the Canon Law itself, accepted a rightful compensation for the work of the minister. This compensation had to be based on local "laudable customs" or on a voluntary payment,<ref>Cf. Alfred Nothum, ''La rémunération du travail inhérent aux fonctions spirituelles et la simonie de droit divin'', Roma, Libreria Editrice dell'Università Gregoriana, 1969</ref> but many parishes turned these fees into a standard scale of charges. This attitude resulted above all from the desire to strengthen parish incomes, often very small especially in rural areas. Although many critics attacked these exactions, in all Christian countries burial fees were regularly perceived by the clergy. Moreover, in contexts where parishes hosted a vestry (such as in England and France), the parishioners had to pay a certain amount to the wardens for the use of the churchyard or the church itself, when the burial took place inside it. This contribution was often called the right "for breaking the ground".<ref>Thomas W. Laqueur, ''The Work of the Dead. A cultural history of mortal remains'', Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2015, p. 153</ref> After the Reformation, in both catholicCatholic and reformed areas, burial payments were standardized in tables of fees that had to be displayed at the entrance of the church or inside the sacristy. These tables registered also payments due for marriages, christenings, and, in some countries such as England, for the [[churching of women]]. The promulgation of tables of fees continues today in most of the Christian countries where there is an organized church.

TheMethodist denominations, such as the [[Methodist Protestant Church]], [[United Methodist Church]] and the [[Methodist Church of Great Britain]], have funeral liturgies based on the [[Sarum Rite]] that emphasize "the paschal character of Christian death and connected the last rite with baptism".<ref name="Bradshaw2013">{{cite book|last=Bradshaw|first=Paul F.|title=New SCM Dictionary of Liturgy and Worship|date= 2013|publisher=Hymns Ancient and Modern Ltd.|language=en|isbn=978-0334049326|page=224}}</ref> To this end, the [[Methodist Protestant Church]], in its Book of Discipline, specifies "Standing before the coffin, if the service is held in the residence, or preceding it from the entrance if the service is held in the Church", the minister recites {{Bibleverse|John|11:25|KJV}} and {{Bibleverse|Revelation|14:13|KJV}}.<ref name="MPC2021">{{cite book |title=Methodist Protestant Discipine |date=2020 |publisher=Board of Publication, The Methodist Protestant Church |page=109-115}}</ref>The Order for the Burial of the Dead in the Methodist ''[[Book of Worship for Church and Home (1965)|Book of Worship for Church and Home]]'' (1965) specifies that "Funeral Services of church members should be held in the [[sanctuary]]. The casket should be placed before the [[altar]]".<ref name="BOW1964">{{cite book|title=The Book of Worship for Church and Home: With Orders of Worship, Services for the Administration of the Sacraments and Other Aids to Worship According to the Usages of the Methodist Church|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ckw6vgAACAAJ|access-date=25 March 2017|year=1964|publisher=Methodist Publishing House|language=en |pages=32}}</ref> The casket or coffin is traditionally covered with a white [[Pall (funeral)|pall]] symbolizing the [[resurrection of Christ]]. The official name for the liturgy in the United Methodist Church is "A Service of Death and Resurrection"; it includes the elements found in a standard liturgy celebrated on the [[Lord's Day]],<ref name="Bradshaw2013"/> such as the Entrance, Opening Prayer, [[Lection|Old Testament Reading]], Psalm, New Testament Reading, Alleluia, [[Gospel (liturgy)|Gospel Reading]], Sermon, Recitation of one of the [[ecumenical creeds]], [[General Intercessions|prayers of the faithful]], [[offertory]], and celebration of the Eucharist, as well as the Commendation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/a-service-of-death-and-resurrection|title=A Service of Death and Resurrection|publisher=[[Discipleship Ministries]]|language=en|access-date=27 March 2017}}</ref> The Commendation contains [[prayer for the dead]], including a variation of the [[Eternal Rest]] prayer.<ref name="Gould2016">{{cite book|last=Gould|first=James B.|title=Understanding Prayer for the Dead: Its Foundation in History and Logic|date= 2016|publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers|language=en|isbn=978-1532606014|pages=51|quote=Specific prayers, including commendations ("we entrust him/her to your boundless love and eternal care"), are a part of ministry following death. The funeral "Service of Death and Resurrection" includes remembrance of the deceased in the Eucharistic prayer—ending with the words "to all these, grant your peace. Let perpetual light shine upon them." The commendation asks God to "receive N. into the arms of your mercy. Raise N. up with all your people." The committal requests that God "grant N. entrance into your light and joy" or to "receive...your servant N., and grant that [he/she] increase in knowledge and love of you." One prayer suggests a gradual process of purification and growth after death—"fulfill in N. your purpose that reaches beyond time and death. Lead N. from strength to strength, and fit N. .for love and service in your Kingdom."}}</ref> Following this, "A Service of Committal" takes place in the graveyard or cemetery.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/a-service-of-committal|title=A Service of Committal|publisher=[[Discipleship Ministries]]|language=en|access-date=27 March 2017}}</ref>

==Eastern Orthodox and EasternByzantine Catholic burial ritual==<!-- A link from [[Psalm 119]] redirects here-->

Immediately after death, a unique memorial service, called the "First [[Pannikhida]]" is celebrated. After this, the [[Ablution in Christianity#Ablutions for the Deaddead|body is washed]] and clothed for burial. Traditionally, this act of love is performed by the family and friends of the deceased ({{bibleverse||Acts|9:37|KJV}}).

During the procession, the bells are tolled. In the Russian tradition, the funeral toll is called ''Perebor''. Each individual bell is struck once, from the smallest to the largest, in a slow, steady peal. After that, all of the bells are struck together at the same time. Striking the bells from the smallest to the largest symbolizes the stages of a person’sperson's life from birth to death; the final striking of all the bells together symbolizes the end of this earthly life.

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If it is not possible to bury an Orthodox Christian in a consecrated cemetery, the individual grave may be consecrated, using the rite called the "Blessing of a Grave".<ref>{{Cite web |title=НЭБ - Национальная электронная библиотека |url=https://rusneb.ru/ |access-date=2022-12-10 |website=rusneb.ru - Национальная электронная библиотека |language=en}}</ref>