THE PURPOSE OF A FUNERAL

Honoring the Deceased

Funerals allow family and friends to gather and pay their respects to the loved one and friend. It is an opportunity to celebrate their life, reflect on their accomplishments and qualities, and acknowledge their impact on the lives of others. 

Funerals often incorporate cultural or religious practices and traditions that hold significance for the deceased and their loved ones. These rituals can provide comfort, connect the living with their cultural or religious heritage, and offer a framework for expressing grief and spirituality.

• Ceremony: Ceremony gathers mourners together in shared experience. It allows physical expressions of feelings through elements like song and readings of literature or eulogies in a public setting dedicated to celebrating and honoring the life of a loved one.
• Procession: A procession provides a visual representation of the support of fellow mourners and pause to reflect, even for those who might not have known the deceased. Whether it is standing while family walks in at the start of the service or pulling over to the side of the road for vehicles on their way to a cemetery, a procession is a public display of our society’s respect for the dead. 
  

Supporting the Bereaved

The gathering of family and friends offers emotional support and a sense of community during a difficult time. People can offer condolences, express their sympathy, and provide comfort to those who are grieving.



• Visitation: Allowing a public time for mourners to gather establishes a support network for not only immediate family, but friends and members of the community as well. Each life has meaning and touches more people than we may realize. Times of remembrance and memories shared help us to develop new meaning and understanding for the life that is celebrated.
  

Facilitating the Grieving Process

Funerals create a structured environment for mourning. They provide a designated time and place for expressing grief and sadness, helping individuals cope with their emotions in a supportive atmosphere. Funeral traditions and customs can provide a sense of familiarity and guidance in navigating the mourning process. 

Funerals can help loved ones find closure. They offer a space for mourners to come together, express their emotions in a safe place, and share their memories of the deceased. Participating in the funeral rituals and saying goodbye can assist in accepting the reality of the loss and beginning the healing process. 



• Viewing the Deceased: Though we know in our minds that a death has occurred, viewing a loved one after death helps us accept reality and understand that it is okay to say good-bye to the vessel that no longer holds the beloved personality which made them who they were. This is especially important for children.
• Burial: Knowing a loved one has a final resting place that will be perpetually cared for and having the ability to return and visit the grave, if desired, offers closure for the physical aspect of loss and allows us peace of mind as we move through the emotional part of the grief journey. This need exists regardless of whether cremation or traditional burial was selected.