Vocabulary- Funeral Directing Flashcards
In the Jehovah’s Witness faith, the person who typically conducts the service.
Elder
An honorary title conferred upon a Priest.
Monsignor
An excavation in the earth as a place for interment; interment space.
Grave
An elevated place or structure on which sacrifices are offered or at which religious rites are performed; in the Cristian faith, a table on which the Eucharist or Holy Communion is offered.
Altar
Water blessed by a priest.
Holy Water
In the Roman Catholic faith, a piece of cloth or a medal having religious significance usually worn around the neck.
Scapular
An area of ground set aside and dedicated for the final disposition of dead human bodies.
Cemetery
A news item concerning the death of a person which usually contains a biographical sketch.
Obituary
One who has served a prescribed period of time with the armed forces and who is no longer an active member of the armed forces.
Veteran
Any carrier required by law to convey passengers or freight without refusal if the approved fare or charge is paid (airline, train, etc.).
Common Carrier
An oration praising an individual, usually after death.
Eulogy
Ceremonial instructions of the Mormon Church, given only within a Temple to worthy members of the sect.
Temple of Ordinances
A document indicating the offering of a Mass for a specific intention.
Mass Card (Spiritual Bouquet)
A prescribed order or form of worship specific to a particular denomination which will have the Eucharist or Holy Communion as its central element.
Liturgical (Eucharist Centered) Worship
A subdivision in a cemetery which consists of several graves or interment spaces.
Lot
The name given to a member of the Islamic faith.
Moslem (Muslim)
Is to be performed by the minister before the body is moved from place of death. However, due to great distances that may be encountered by the ministers and the dangers of driving around late at night, this service is usually held at the mortuary immediately before the funeral arrangements are made, regardless of whether or not the body has been embalmed. (Usually the body is embalmed). (Buddhism).
Makura-Gyo (Bedside Prayer)
A book signed by those attending a visitation/service.
Memorial Book (Register Book)
In the Islam faith, the funeral or funeral prayer.
Jinazah
The automobile generally used for transporting the uncasketed dead human body from the place of death to the mortuary.
First Call Car (Transfer Vehicle)
A contract which may be terminated by the purchaser at any time prior to the death of the beneficiary with a refund of the monies paid on the contract as prescribed by state law.
Revocable Contract
The movement, in an orderly fashion, at the beginning of service.
Procession (Processional)
In the Roman Catholic faith, a geographical grouping of parishes under the jurisdiction of a Bishop.
Diocese
In the Jewish faith, a watcher; one who sits with the body until burial.
Shomer
The officiant who celebrates the Mass in the Roman Catholic Church.
Celebrant
A teacher or ordained leader in the Jewish faith.
Rabbi
The term applied to the completing of the service and financial details of the funeral.
Funeral Arrangements
Funeral arrangements made in advance of need that do not include provisions for funding or prepayment.
Pre-Planned Funeral Arrangements
False teeth.
Dentures
Cremated Human Remains
Cremains
A dead human body.
Deceased
A portable stretcher commonly employed in an ambulance or transfer vehicle for the moving of the sick, injured, or deceased.
Cot
A cloth of garment in which a dead person is wrapped or dressed for burial.
Shroud
A funeral rite that is in essence devoid of religious connotation.
Humanistic Funeral
One who supplies the vital statistic information concerning the deceased.
Informant
In the Jewish faith, a seven (7) day mourning period.
Shivah
Vigil service associated with eastern Orthodox funerals.
Parastas
A subordinate officer in a Christian church.
Deacon
Imitation grass made in mat form and used at the cemetery to cover the earth around the grave.
Artificial Grass
The Buddhist place of worship.
Pagoda
The liturgical celebration of the Eucharist in the Roman Catholic Church.
Mass
The reduction of a dead human body to inorganic bone fragments by intense heat in a specifically designed retort or chamber.
Cremation
A card with the name of the decedent and a prayer or verse, which may or may not include the dates of birth and death.
Prayer Card
A federal agency that administers benefits provided by law for veterans of the armed forces.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) (Previously known as Veterans Administration)
In the Buddhist faith, a service performed as part of casketing the body.
Service of Encasketing
Wings of the main part of the church which may serve as small chapels for baptism, weddings, and even small funeral services.
Transepts
One where the funeral home guarantees that the services and merchandise will be provided at the time of need for an amount not exceeding the original amount of the contract plus any accruals, regardless of the cost of providing the services and merchandise at the time of the funeral.
Guaranteed Contract
In the Islam faith; the name for God.
Allah
A cemetery, or section of a cemetery, with only flush to the ground type markers.
Memorial Park
An unfinished wood box or other non-metal receptacle or enclosure, without ornamentation or a fixed interior lining, which is designated for the encasement of human remains and which is made of fiberboard, pressed-wood, composition materials (with or without an outside covering) or like materials.
Alternative Container
A religious singer who assists the clergy; assists the Rabbi in the Jewish faith; assists the Priest in the Eastern Orthodox faith.
Cantor
The name of the Buddhist Priest.
Bonze
The rites held at the time of disposition of human remains, with the body present.
Funeral Service
A letter or form from a Priest stating the eligibility of the deceased for burial in a Roman Catholic Cemetery.
Christian Burial Certificate (Christian Burial Permit, Priest(ly) Lines)
A legal document, issued by a governmental agency, authorizing transportation and/or disposition of a dead human body.
Burial Transit Permit (Disposition Permit)
The Jewish Sabbath; begins at sundown Friday and ends at Sundown Sunday.
Shabbat
One’s relatives: referring to blood relationship (legally, the surviving spouse is not included).
Kin
A chamber in a mausoleum, of sufficient size, generally used to contain the casketed remains of a deceased person.
Crypt
In the Jewish faith, the skull cap worn by the men at the temple services and funeral services.
Kippah (Yarmulke)
In the Jewish faith, a prayer recited for the deceased by the direct mourners (parents, siblings, spouse, children) for the first time at the conclusion or interment service. It is subsequently recited by children for parents at every service for eleven months. All other categories of mourners have the obligation to say this for 30 days.
Kaddish
A building or designated area of a building in which services are conducted.
Chapel
A religious emblem consisting of two plain bars which intersect at right angles to each other.
Cross
Buddhists believe that the soul joins and becomes a buddha here. There is no heaven or hell, just this. Everyone will become enlightened when they die, and exist forever in Eternal Bliss.
Nirvhana (Pure Land)
Disposition of human remains by cremation, without formal viewing, visitation or ceremony with the body present.
Direct Cremation
The act of placing the dead human body in the ground.
Burial (Interment, Inhumement)
In the Roman Catholic faith, a woman who is a member of a religious order, especially one bound by vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
Nun (Sister)
Layperson sanctioned to administer holy communion and other assigned tasks.
Eucharistic Minister
One who carries the crucifix/cross during an ecclesiastical procession.
Crucifer (Crossbearer)
The teaching of Guatama Budda is that suffering is inherent in life and that one can be liberated from it by mental and moral self-purification. The place of worship is called Pagoda.
Buddhism
To bury in the ground.
Inter (Inhume)
Leading to an organized departure or inviting to leave.
Dismissal
Certification/legalization of a document for international use (under terms of 1961 Hague Convention).
Apostille
In the Jewish faith, the grave.
Kever
Contract for future funeral services which cannot be terminated or canceled prior to the death of the beneficiary.
Irrevocable Contract
Ritual garments worn by the clergy.
Vestments
Leader of multiple churches in a particular denomination; in the Roman Catholic faith, the head of a diocese; in the LDS church, Bishop of the ward is leader of a singe church.
Bishop
In Liturgical churches, stated directions in a prayer book or liturgical manual regarding the order of service as approved by the denomination.
Rubrics
In the Roman Catholic faith, the head of an archdiocese.
Archbishop
Relating to social or religious organization.
Brotherhood
One who outlives another person or event.
Survivor(s)
A brief expression of gratitude to the congregation for their presence at the Buddhist service.
Words of Appreciation
To accompany, as a leader of the procession or guardian of the group; military personnel assigned to accompany a body following an active duty death.
Escort
Funeral rites or burial ceremonies.
Obsequies
Hebrew meaning container; a casket made entirely of wood with no metal parts.
Aron
To have the auspicious or favorable time according to the date of birth and date of death of the deceased, along with the surviving spouse or son’s birth date, he then decides the accurate time to put the body into the casket. (Buddhism).
Book of Dates
The holy book of the Islam faith as revealed to Mohammed by the angel Gabriel.
Koran (Quran)
