The Order of Christian Funerals, the ritual book in use in the dioceses of the United States since 1989, arranges the Church's prayer around three principal moments. The Vigil for the Deceased is celebrated in the days between death and the funeral, often at the funeral home or in the church, and consists of a liturgy of the word with prayer and, by custom, remembrances and the Rosary. The Funeral Liturgy — ordinarily the Funeral Mass — is the central celebration. The Rite of Committal is celebrated at the grave or place of interment and concludes the rites. The book also provides related prayers: prayers after death, gathering in the presence of the body, and the transfer of the body to the church. The Funeral Mass is shaped throughout by baptism. The body is received at the door of the church, sprinkled with holy water, and covered with the white pall, both signs of the baptismal garment; the Paschal candle, lit at the Easter Vigil, is placed near the coffin. Only Christian symbols may rest on the coffin — a Book of the Gospels, a Bible, or a cross. The homily is preached on the Christian mystery of death and resurrection and is never a eulogy; where a member of the family or a friend wishes to speak in remembrance, the ritual places that briefly before the Final Commendation. That rite concludes the Mass with the song of farewell, the sprinkling with holy water, and the incensation of the body, a last honoring of a temple of the Holy Spirit. White, violet, or black vestments may be worn; white has become common in the United States as the color of the resurrection. The readings are chosen from a wide selection in the Lectionary that speak of consolation, judgment, and the promise of eternal life. The Church offers the Mass for the deceased because she believes prayer avails for those who have died and are still being purified, and this conviction, not sentiment, is what makes the funeral liturgy an act of charity. The Church permits cremation and prefers that, where possible, the funeral rites be celebrated with the body present and cremation follow. When the cremated remains are present, they are treated with the same reverence as the body: they are to be buried in a cemetery or entombed in a sacred place, and they may not be scattered, divided among family members, or kept in a private home. Pastoral care of the bereaved does not end at the cemetery; the ministry of consolation, which the ritual describes as belonging to the whole community, continues in the weeks and months that follow.

Funeral rite

n/a

n/a

funeral_rite