Tag Archives: Funeral Practices

Laying a Pet to Rest: A Short History of Pet Cemeteries

How pet cemeteries can help us grieve for our smallest family members

The loss of a pet can be as tragic and heart-rending as the loss of a human family member. Pets can be our faithful companions, our children, or even our coworkers. Because their love is so fiercely unconditional and their … Continue reading

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Italian Funeral Traditions

A look into Italian cultural beliefs about death and funeral traditions

As a culture, Italians are often inclined towards heavily theatrical rituals when it comes to major life events. Death and funerals, however, are exceptions: these focus more on the seriousness and the finality of death. Informed by the teachings of Catholicism, the … Continue reading

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Is Space Burial the Funeral Practice of the 21st Century?

Celestial service companies launch a symbolic portion of your loved one into outer space

The last seconds till take-off feel faster. It’s as if they’re accelerating, pounding, relentless—no, that’s your heartbeat pushing against time, trying to speed it towards the moment that you have imagined for months, maybe years. It’s a dream come true. … Continue reading

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Funeral Practices in Sweden

Concerning death and funerals, the Swedish government caters to the needs of both its dominant Christian population, as well as those of every other religion

Though it’s filled with almost every kind of prominent world religion, Sweden also has a strong identity as a secularized country. This duality has thus influenced the way the Swedish government approaches the numerous funeral and burial practices in their … Continue reading

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The Jamaican Tradition of Nine Nights

A glimpse at this interesting funeral rite

Similar to the concept of a wake, in Jamaica (and other parts of the Caribbean), there is a funerary tradition known as the “Nine Nights,” or “Nine-Night,” in which the family and friends of a person who has died gather … Continue reading

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