catholic funeral rite Flashcards
coffin pall
white coffin pall is symbolic of the white garment that the deceased person wore at their baptism. gives hope of the resurrection that the person will rise to have eternal life with god
crucifix + gospels
priest places a book of the gospels and a crucifix on the coffin. gospels signify the person’s life dedicated to the teachings of jesus, and the crucifix reminds believers that they will share in jesus’ victory over sin and death
holy water + incense
coffin sprinkled with holy water as a reminder of the dead person’s baptism and the promise of sharing in jesus’ resurrection. incense is burned and the smoke rises which symbolises the soul of the deceased ascending to heaven to have eternal life with God
paschal candle
paschal candle is lit and represents the belief that jesus won victory over death and they can share in the resurrection and have eternal life. The flame represents Jesus as the light in the darkness. He provides hope of life after death
readings + prayer
mass is celebrated with readings and prayers focused on the christian hope of eternal life.after the liturgy of the word comes the homily, when the priest explains the meaning of the readings. the homily normally includes a tribute to the person who has died
music
music, traditionally Faure’s Requiem, is played at the funeral. music lifts our hearts and mind towards God. The music is designed to help people mourn their loved ones and the words of the hymns express beliefs about the resurrection and life after death
catholic funeral rite ceremony
catholics belief death is not the end. look forward to eternal life with God in heaven. at a catholic funeral rite, mourners pray for the person who has died, asking God to take care of them + give them eternal life.believe that God listens to their prayers and will be merciful towards the departed person. Roman Catholic Funeral is usually a Requiem Mass. The funeral contains a variety of symbols that reflect catholic beliefs about life after death
