Send CathInfo's owner Matthew a gift from his Amazon wish list:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/25M2B8RERL1UO

« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2 3 4

Author Topic: Empty Casket Funeral for Benedict XVI???  (Read 1886 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline AMDGJMJ

Empty Casket Funeral for Benedict XVI???
« on: January 05, 2023, 08:47:21 PM »
Is an empty Casket Funeral for someone who is having a normal funeral in a different country a normal thing or a weird novus ordo ritual?

My novus ordo family shared this with me today:

"Mass for Pope Benedict XIV at Saint John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church- took the picture afterwards.  Priest and Deacon wore black."

Logged

Offline trento

Re: Empty Casket Funeral for Benedict XVI???
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2023, 08:52:38 PM »
It is entirely traditional. Go and find out the meaning of a catafalque. If a coffin-like box is not available, you can even replace it with just a black funeral pall.
Logged

Offline AMDGJMJ

Re: Empty Casket Funeral for Benedict XVI???
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2023, 09:03:37 PM »
Quote from: trento on January 05, 2023, 08:52:38 PM
It is entirely traditional. Go and find out the meaning of a catafalque. If a coffin-like box is not available, you can even replace it with just a black funeral pall.
I guess I have just never seen it...  I did look up the meaning of catafalque earlier but couldn't find any good sources.  😅

My sister says they had empty caskets at their Indult Requiems at her college for All Souls Day as well... 

But I don't ever remember us doing that at Saint Athanasius for All Souls Day.  The only time I remember there being a casket was when there was an actual body or at least it was someone's primary requiem Mass and the body was not able to be found (like if a body was burned in a fire or something like that).

Logged

Offline Yeti

  • Supporter
Re: Empty Casket Funeral for Benedict XVI???
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2023, 09:31:31 PM »
It is done sometimes if the body is not available, such as if it was buried in a Novus Ordo service by relatives or something like that.

The catafalque represents the body.
Logged

Offline SimpleMan

Re: Empty Casket Funeral for Benedict XVI???
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2023, 09:50:13 PM »
Quote from: AMDGJMJ on January 05, 2023, 09:03:37 PM
I guess I have just never seen it...  I did look up the meaning of catafalque earlier but couldn't find any good sources.  😅

My sister says they had empty caskets at their Indult Requiems at her college for All Souls Day as well... 

But I don't ever remember us doing that at Saint Athanasius for All Souls Day.  The only time I remember there being a casket was when there was an actual body or at least it was someone's primary requiem Mass and the body was not able to be found (like if a body was burned in a fire or something like that).

The latter is called the body being "morally present", where actual presence is impossible, for reasons such as you cite.

Here is a link that explains the concept (source might not be to everyone's liking here, but I present it solely for informational purposes):

https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2009/08/reader-question-constructing-catafalque.html#.Y7ebP3bMK01
Logged
Pages: [1] 2 3 4
« previous next »