While many people in the UK don't attend church or a place of worship, on a regular basis, they often turn to religion in times of bereavement to provide a religious funeral service. Members of the clergy are regularly called upon to officiate at cremations and burials and to conduct services at the crematorium rather than in their church.
Below, we note a few procedures and customs associated with Orthodox funerals:
Coptic Orthodox Funerals
At the approach of death, a priest visits to hear the sick person's confession and to release them, administer Holy Communion and Extreme Unction, anointing the person with oil that has been blessed by a bishop. Burial is headed by prayers for the dead. A requiem is recited at the funeral, and the body in the coffin is sprayed with holy water and blessed with incense.
Christian Funerals
Catholic funerals are often pretty similar. They tend to be more precise, but this is not a strict rule. There can also be variations in the way people operate different elements of the service. The way the Holy Communion is viewed endures one of the biggest variations. Catholics believe it is part of Jesus' body, so the communion at the burial is even more important and special.
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