Religious Funeral Customs

When dealing with the loss of a loved one, sometimes it is unclear what appropriate behavior is for various religions.  Bridge Beyond provides a quick guide from various religions or customs.

	Christian At the time of the second coming of Jesus, the dead are called from their graves; they will be resurrected and judged.
	Catholic The church teaches that when a person dies, their body starts its process of decomposition. Meanwhile, the soul leaves the body and is immediately evaluated in a Particular Judgment.
	Jewish There are Jewish funeral organizations such as Chevra Kadisha Mortuaries who can make all the arrangements for burial.
	Buddhist Theravadins Buddhist follow the Indian custom of burning the body at death. The Buddha's body was cremated and this set the example for many Buddhists, even in the West. When someone is dying in a Burmese home, monks come to comfort them. They chant verses to them, such as:
	Hindu Because Hindus believe that the deceased will live other lives, they have a sense that the self will endure. A funeral is sacred, therefore, because it represents the completion of a stage in the life.
	Chinese The funeral ceremony, traditionally lasts over 49 days, the first seven days being the most important. Prayers are said every seven days for 49 days if the family can afford it.
	Japanese A Japanese funeral includes a wake, the cremation of the deceased, a burial in a family grave, and a periodic memorial service.
	Islam Allah said in the Qur'an, "But those who believe and do good deeds, We will admit them to gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow, lasting in them forever..." (Qur'an, 4:57)