Proper Christian Burial

[JesuXPIPassio]

What properly constitutes a Christian Burial?

I do have follow-up questions on this, but I’m just trying to get a basic understanding of it before I get any deeper.

I did ask this before on another CAF forum, but I got no answers, which was a bit of a surprise. If it’s the same case here, I’ll try Apologetics. But, I hope for some insight from Liturgy experts.

 

[Phemie]

What properly constitutes a Christian Burial?

I do have follow-up questions on this, but I’m just trying to get a basic understanding of it before I get any deeper.

I did ask this before on another CAF forum, but I got no answers, which was a bit of a surprise. If it’s the same case here, I’ll try Apologetics. But, I hope for some insight from Liturgy experts.

Burial in a cemetery of the body or the ashes or entombment of the body in a mausoleum or of the ashes in a columbarium.

 

[JesuXPIPassio]

Burial in a cemetery of the body or the ashes or entombment of the body in a mausoleum or of the ashes in a columbarium.

Thanks for your response. I believe water burial is included in cases where the person died at sea.

It has to be put into something so that it is not visible, right? And it has to be inaccessible?

 

[Phemie]

Thanks for your response. I believe water burial is included in cases where the person died at sea.

It has to be put into something so that it is not visible, right? And it has to be inaccessible?

Sorry, I did forget about burial at sea. I’m not sure what rules apply there except that the ashes have to remain in the urn (which I assume would be weighted). As for a body, I may have seen too many ‘Hollywood’ wrapped and weighted bodies dropped overboard when someone died on board ship. I’m not sure what rules apply when a former sailor requests a burial at sea.

 

[FrDavid96]

What properly constitutes a Christian Burial?

I do have follow-up questions on this, but I’m just trying to get a basic understanding of it before I get any deeper.

I did ask this before on another CAF forum, but I got no answers, which was a bit of a surprise. If it’s the same case here, I’ll try Apologetics. But, I hope for some insight from Liturgy experts.

“Proper” means
a requiem Mass with the body present
followed by internment in blessed ground, a blessed mausoleum, or the sea done by the priest or deacon
using the proper rite of burial (ie what’s in the book).
All of that is “as much as is possible”

Of course, all of that is not always possible under individual cirsumstances. At a minimum, so long as the body (or remains) are interred with dignity and prayer for the soul of the deceased, that would be a “proper” burial if that is all that is possible at the moment.

 

[JesuXPIPassio]

“Proper” means
a requiem Mass with the body present
followed by internment in blessed ground, a blessed mausoleum, or the sea done by the priest or deacon
using the proper rite of burial (ie what’s in the book).
All of that is “as much as is possible”

Of course, all of that is not always possible under individual cirsumstances. At a minimum, so long as the body (or remains) are interred with dignity and prayer for the soul of the deceased, that would be a “proper” burial if that is all that is possible at the moment.

Thanks for all your responses so far.

Well, the reason I was wondering this was because of the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo. Bodies are put on display there; I personally think it’s great when they display bodies of incorrupt saints, as that seems dignified to me; but in the catacombs in Palermo, they are mostly just skeletons and stuff.

There is the possibility, of course, that what the Capuchins did there was a bit of an abuse. I don’t expect anyone to defend every single thing that every single Catholic has done throughout history (atheists and anti-Catholics expect that of us, which is pretty stupid).

 

[aimee]

How could one have a Christian burial and no funeral?

 

[passus]

Well, the reason I was wondering this was because of the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo. Bodies are put on display there; I personally think it’s great when they display bodies of incorrupt saints, as that seems dignified to me; but in the catacombs in Palermo, they are mostly just skeletons and stuff.

Hmm, this reminds me of that ridiculous Bodyworlds exhibit that goes around all over the world…

bodyworlds.com/en.html