Could a Catholic be mummified?

[QuizBowlNerd]

I’ve been reading a lot about mummies, and this question came to mind. Personally, I don’t think I’d opt for it, but in theory, could it legitimately be done as far as the Church is concerned?

 

[PaladinSword]

I don’t know for sure. Typically we go for burial. There used to be the catacombs.

Recently some kind of mask made of gospel pages wad found on some kind of mummy a few years ago.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there were wealthy catholic mummies somewhere.

I don’t think they would be like the Egyptians but anything is possible.

 

[Anicette]

Normally (according the cathechism) the usual form of caring of the remain body is a burial.

Since the 1960’s reform, it is also permits to have a cremation without an excommunication, if it is not done without a reject of the resurection of the body dogma.

I don’t think mummy can be acceptable, but embalming is practiced in some cases.

 

[therese1998]

People in Jesus’s time were wrapped in cloth and spices and left in a tomb. Mummification is a more detailed process, but I don’t think that it matters what your burial process is, to be honest.

 

[AndrewAxland]

Personally, I don’t think I’d opt for it, but in theory, could it legitimately be done as far as the Church is concerned?

Apparently, yes, as evidenced by the practice of Capuchin monks in Palermo, Sicily, whose catacombs hold over 8000 mummified bodies:

http://palermo.for91days.com/the-bone-chilling-catacombs-of-the-capuchin-monks/

The mummifying process started out as rather simple and primitive (removing the innards, stuffing the body cavity with straw, and drying the body over heated pipes), but eventually evolved into a highly sophisticated process involving a complex mixture of chemicals.

The superficially similar mummies of Guanajuato, Mexico, were naturally mummified by environmental conditions.

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

I’m not a theologian, so I’m open to correction here, but I’m pretty sure that there’s no teaching on the preparation of the body, but must be buried afterwards.

I mean, we can donate organs or allow our bodies to be used for dissection in medical schools, so I’m not sure mummification is “worse “

 

[Tis_Bearself]

As long as you are putting the body in a grave and not letting it mummify in your living room, mummification to me is just a primitive method of embalming as we typically do.

 

[otrrl]

A few years ago I I considered that I wanted to be mummified, so I could hang around for a while until I was buried. I saw a photo of the body of St Padre Pio which is supposedly incorrupt and kept on display under heavy glass. I think if you can afford it, you can do pretty much of anything. Pio was buried, so there must not be such a rule.

I’m not sure why mummification is not done much more. It would be the latest craze. That’s all we need though are new ways to take up space for the deceased. In the local Catholic cemeteries there are mausaleums for people who don’t want to be buried. That cinches it, there is no rule in the Church to be buried – not withstanding the Bible which says dust to dust.

I understand the Jewish custom is to be buried without embalming 24 hours after death. And they drill holes in the bottom of the casket to hasten the decomposition.

 

[Cruciferi]

Death is Only the Beginning