How do Christians pay respects to their dead? A Christian funeral, unlike in some other religious belief systems, is not a somber occasion; instead, the those attending the funeral commemorate the life of the deceased. Moreover, a Christian funeral service wishes to impart a message of assurance to those left behind that the deceased is finally in paradise with their Creator.
Christians are staunch believers in the second coming of God's son Jesus Christ. Moreover, Christians think that at the time of their demise, judgment will be passed on the acts they have done while they were still alive. They believe that it is by their deeds that they will be worthy of sitting next to the throne God. The commandments of Jesus Christ are the guiding tenets that Christians try to live by in their day to day existence.
Christian funeral service for any god-fearing Christian means a celebration of the soul's eternal journey to the life after death. Funeral services and rituals are uplifting, because of the positive belief that the deceased has finally found a permanent home in God's place.
According to the Christians, death is an entry into the world of eternal bliss and permanent exit from this cycle of pain and suffering. That the soul is enjoying the bliss of heaven and is residing with God Himself is a comforting thought that absorbs the extremity of the shock that death brings to the family members. The Christian funeral ceremonies are conducted with these beliefs and feelings.
Generally, a pastor is the prime official at a Christian funeral service. They are usually conducted at the church which the deceased used to visit when he or she was alive. Generally there is no casket in the service, but sometimes there are exceptions to this, particularly when the service takes place inside a funeral home. A conventional Christian funeral ceremony does not involve viewing of the dead body at the time of service.
The funeral service is more of a memorial, in which the programmes start with singing of hymns, a vocalist, and religious readings from the Holy Scriptures. Then the priest gives a message and the people join in with a mass prayer.
Then the family members and close friends share their sorrows with the group, and the people express their sentiments and respect for the dead person and share their ruminations on how the dead person touched their lives and left an everlasting void. Some families also plan to organize a slideshow of photographs of the deceased or play a video recording from the life of the departed.
The service finally ends with a short fellowship reception at the church, where food is served. A service at grave is generally not included, though some Christian communities opt for that too.
Christians are staunch believers in the second coming of God's son Jesus Christ. Moreover, Christians think that at the time of their demise, judgment will be passed on the acts they have done while they were still alive. They believe that it is by their deeds that they will be worthy of sitting next to the throne God. The commandments of Jesus Christ are the guiding tenets that Christians try to live by in their day to day existence.
Christian funeral service for any god-fearing Christian means a celebration of the soul's eternal journey to the life after death. Funeral services and rituals are uplifting, because of the positive belief that the deceased has finally found a permanent home in God's place.
According to the Christians, death is an entry into the world of eternal bliss and permanent exit from this cycle of pain and suffering. That the soul is enjoying the bliss of heaven and is residing with God Himself is a comforting thought that absorbs the extremity of the shock that death brings to the family members. The Christian funeral ceremonies are conducted with these beliefs and feelings.
Generally, a pastor is the prime official at a Christian funeral service. They are usually conducted at the church which the deceased used to visit when he or she was alive. Generally there is no casket in the service, but sometimes there are exceptions to this, particularly when the service takes place inside a funeral home. A conventional Christian funeral ceremony does not involve viewing of the dead body at the time of service.
The funeral service is more of a memorial, in which the programmes start with singing of hymns, a vocalist, and religious readings from the Holy Scriptures. Then the priest gives a message and the people join in with a mass prayer.
Then the family members and close friends share their sorrows with the group, and the people express their sentiments and respect for the dead person and share their ruminations on how the dead person touched their lives and left an everlasting void. Some families also plan to organize a slideshow of photographs of the deceased or play a video recording from the life of the departed.
The service finally ends with a short fellowship reception at the church, where food is served. A service at grave is generally not included, though some Christian communities opt for that too.
