U.S. Funeral Traditions
Visitation
At the visitation (also called a "viewing" or "wake") the embalmed body of the
deceased person (or decedent) is placed on display in the coffin (also
called a casket). At the viewing, the friends
and relations greet the more distant
relatives and friends of the deceased in a
social gathering with little in the way of
ritual. The viewing often takes place on
one or two evenings before the funeral.
The only prescribed aspects of this
gathering are that frequently the
attendees sign a book kept by the
deceased's survivors to record who
attended and that the attendees are expected to view the deceased's body in the
coffin. In addition, a family may choose to display photographs taken of the
deceased person during his/her life (often, formal portraits with other family
members and candid pictures to show "happy times"), prized possessions and other
items representing his/her hobbies and/or accomplishments.
The viewing is either "open casket", in which the embalmed body of the deceased
has been clothed and treated with cosmetics for display; or "closed casket", in which
the coffin is closed. The coffin may be closed if the body was too badly damaged
because of an accident or fire, deformed from illness or if someone in the group is
emotionally unable to cope with viewing the corpse. However, this step is foreign to
Judaism; Jewish funerals are held soon after death, and the corpse is never displayed.
As well, Jewish law forbids anyone to embalm the body of the deceased.
(See: Judaism Customs)
The decedent's closest friends and relatives who are unable to attend frequently send
flowers to the viewing, with the exception of a Jewish Funeral, where flowers would
not be appropriate. The viewing typically takes place at a funeral home, which is
equipped with gathering rooms where the viewing can be conducted, although the
viewing may also take place at a church. The viewing may end with a prayer service;
in the Catholic funeral, this may include a rosary.
U.S. Funeral TraditionsVisitationAt the visitation (also called a "viewing" or "wake") the embalmed body of the deceased person (or decedent) is placed on display in the coffin (alsocalled a casket). At the viewing, the friendsand relations greet the more distantrelatives and friends of the deceased in asocial gathering with little in the way ofritual. The viewing often takes place onone or two evenings before the funeral.The only prescribed aspects of thisgathering are that frequently theattendees sign a book kept by thedeceased's survivors to record whoattended and that the attendees are expected to view the deceased's body in the coffin. In addition, a family may choose to display photographs taken of the deceased person during his/her life (often, formal portraits with other family members and candid pictures to show "happy times"), prized possessions and other items representing his/her hobbies and/or accomplishments.The viewing is either "open casket", in which the embalmed body of the deceased has been clothed and treated with cosmetics for display; or "closed casket", in which the coffin is closed. The coffin may be closed if the body was too badly damaged because of an accident or fire, deformed from illness or if someone in the group is emotionally unable to cope with viewing the corpse. However, this step is foreign to Judaism; Jewish funerals are held soon after death, and the corpse is never displayed. As well, Jewish law forbids anyone to embalm the body of the deceased.(See: Judaism Customs)The decedent's closest friends and relatives who are unable to attend frequently send flowers to the viewing, with the exception of a Jewish Funeral, where flowers would not be appropriate. The viewing typically takes place at a funeral home, which is equipped with gathering rooms where the viewing can be conducted, although the viewing may also take place at a church. The viewing may end with a prayer service; in the Catholic funeral, this may include a rosary.
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