Burial rituals/traditions
I realize that not all faiths/denominations/religions/traditions follow Christianity burial rituals; so that has me wondering do all religions/faiths etc bury their dead facing east? Are there any that doesn’t? If so, which ones and why? (when the deceased is actually buried as part of the religion/tradition).
Best Answers
-
@X24mom X24mom
.
Just some 'light' bedtime reading ...
.
WikiPedia
Burial
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burial
.
Religion Media Centre
Death and Funeral Rituals in World Religions
https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/factsheets/death-funeral-rituals-in-world-religions/
.
I will leave you to find some more articles - there are many
.
Brett
.
0 -
I guess I should have elaborated a little about the reason they’re buried facing east
I couldn’t find the article I was reading the other day but this one pretty much says most of the same stuff:
“The traditional Christian method of positioning the coffin or shroud covered body in the grave was to have the body with the head to the west, feet to the east. The body was placed face up. When it was not practical to use the west-east position for the grave, a north-south positioning was the next best option. There the body would then be laid on its side, head to the north and facing east. Not all burials followed the tradition nor did all cemeteries.”
0
Answers
-
in all the burials of my deceased family (that I was a part of ) - I dont think any one asked - or cared which direction the bodies were facing. Maybe it was a common tradition of the cemetery - but I cant remember the family specifically asking for it.
0 -
In our two cemeteries, people of all religions are buried together and there is no east to west pattern. The plots are laid out to make the best use of the available space. The current burial section is running North to South.
0 -
I've never heard of such a tradition, nor observed any such thing in any cemetery I've ever been in. I've only ever been in Christian cemeteries.
0 -
I have seen this in a lot of cemeteries in some of the NE states. I know that in many Christian cemeteries in the US this is done. I know that where it is done, it is based on the scriptures about the second coming of Jesus Christ where he will come from the east (as the sun rises) and the dead will be caught up to join him.
The subject of the second coming became very popular during the time of the early Christian Revivals in the US. My ASSUMPTION here is that may have been when the eastern facing gravesites may have become popular in and around those areas, and why Christian grave sites in other places such as Europe don't have this as much.
0 -
Lol I just realized I forgot to include the link to the article I was reading that prompted me to ask that question 🤣 I’ll find it and edit my original post 😊
0 -
Yes! Exactly! @JeffWiseman JeffWiseman 😊 I grew up surrounded by Pentecostal relatives and neighbors so I know all too well about the “rapture” but after reading this info online I realized that not “everyone” may know about the reason for being buried facing east
0 -
Just to add my belated contribution... My impression is that in England, the practice varies between graveyards and cemeteries. To stop Juli muttering darkly about two words in English where the rest of the world has one (maybe 😊 ) I had better say that in England, graveyards are attached to, and controlled by churches. Cemeteries are controlled by secular organisations, although areas may be reserved for specific religions / denominations.
In the typical Church of England graveyard, the vast majority of graves (cremations excepted) have the body with head to the west, feet to the east, and yes, I had heard it was so that they would face the risen Christ or words to that effect. Any headstone is normally at the, err, head end.
In cemeteries, the graves are laid out in whichever configuration it is convenient to dig the rows.
There we are - a typical British compromise for you...
PS yes, there are oddities in the graveyard / cemetery distinction. Of course.
0 -
But of course that is why they put up fences around cemeteries…
--People are dying to get in…
--It's a grave situation…
--And a lot of those places are the dead-center of town
0 -
And they say Americans have no sense of humour!
0
