Does anyone know anything about the date, time, etc.?He just died two days ago. Unfortunately, most Christian societies are not known for burying their dead quickly (unlike say, Jews, Muslims and the Irish) so there won't be any definitive news for a while.
Here in Brazil we bury our dead very quicky. Usually the day after they die. I don't understand why it has to be so rushed. People don't have time to travel to the funeral, or to make arrangements properly.
What's the advantage in burying people so quickly after they die?
If the decedent is unembalmed, and you have no means of preservation (such as refrigeration), you pretty much have to get them under ground within a fairly short time, otherwise decomposition becomes so offensive that a wake and funeral present great challenges. The original reason for having flowers on top of a coffin was to mask the odor, and even in the modern American procedure of embalming, funeral homes often employ deodorizers in the areas where mourners will be visiting.
As far as I know, people in America and Europe will bury their dead several days after their passing. Does it mean that they are all embalmed?
Reply #2
Here in Brazil we bury our dead very quicky. Usually the day after they die. I don't understand why it has to be so rushed. People don't have time to travel to the funeral, or to make arrangements properly.
What's the advantage in burying people so quickly after they die?
Reply #3
If the decedent is unembalmed, and you have no means of preservation (such as refrigeration), you pretty much have to get them under ground within a fairly short time, otherwise decomposition becomes so offensive that a wake and funeral present great challenges. The original reason for having flowers on top of a coffin was to mask the odor, and even in the modern American procedure of embalming, funeral homes often employ deodorizers in the areas where mourners will be visiting.
Reply #4
As far as I know, people in America and Europe will bury their dead several days after their passing. Does it mean that they are all embalmed?
It was the same when I lived in Colombia while in the Peace Corps (1973-1976). My landlord died during the night and the funeral Mass was at 4 PM that afternoon. The father of a family I knew died at 5 PM and the funeral Mass was at noon the next day. Family and friends who are close by will gather at the funeral home or at the family home until time for the Mass. Prayers for the deceased are said, and it was common to view the deceased. A week or so after burial another Mass for the deceased was said, after family and friends from out of town had arrived. This second Mass was when the funeral lunch was usually held, in my understanding.
In my state of Washington in the U.S. a deceased must be refrigerated or embalmed within 24 hours of death. It may be different in each of the other 49 states as these regulations are written by each state, not the federal government. If there is going to be a public viewing the remains must be embalmed (by regulation) but a private family viewing of an hour or less is permitted without embalming. In the latter case the mortuary will bath and dress the remains, set features, and maybe apply light cosmetics.
Without embalming or refrigeration the remains deteriorate quickly, especially in warm climates, hence the practice of quick burial in these situations. If refrigerated shortly after death they will "keep" for awhile (in earlier pre embalming times dry ice or ice blocks would be used).
To answer Giovanni's question (reply 4), and based on regulations where I live, they likely are embalmed, just because that's simpler, and smaller funeral homes may not have a lot of space in their cooler. Sometimes a family may not want embalming (for a variety of reasons) but also may want to have the funeral service 5 -7 days after death. With a closed sealer metal casket that wouldn't be a problem.
Last summer a family member by marriage died in her 90's. The funeral was a month later to allow the large number of children, nieces and nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren to all get home. Though it had been a month since death there was an open casket visitation at the funeral home the night before the Mass. She looked very good and there was no odor at all. I do know that the owner of the funeral home is an exceptional embalmer.