Funeral Care Services are a final act of honor for a loved one. It is no surprise, then, that the family will always strive to do their best. However, not everyone has the experience or knowledge to do this.
Grief often arrives suddenly, leaving the family no time to prepare. Yet to give the very best, there are several things that need attention.
This article will explain the procedures for caring for the body before the wake in the Christian faith. We hope it can be helpful information for grieving families and the wider public.
Procedures for Caring for the Deceased in the Christian Faith
The Christian faith treats the body with great respect, just as one would a living person. Here is the sequence and explanation of the care procedures before the wake that you should know:
1. Washing
The first step is to cleanse the body by washing it. The purpose of this cleansing is to keep the body in good condition throughout the wake.
This is especially important if the person has wounds on the skin, which are prone to decay. Cleansing the body aims to minimize deterioration and the development of odor.
Those involved are usually close family members. For example, if a parent has passed away, the child would be the one to wash the body.
Alternatively, the family may also make use of grief support services that provide facilities for the procedure of washing the body. These facilities are usually offered as part of a package that includes funeral facilities.
2. Dressing
Next, once the body is clean, the family will dress the deceased in their best clothing. In certain cultures, the body is dressed in the finest traditional attire.
Traditional clothing serves as a symbol of identity for the deceased. In addition, there are usually accessories tied to the tradition that the family also places on the body, such as bracelets and rings.
Apart from traditional attire, in general, a man's body will be dressed in a suit and a woman's body in a dress. If the deceased was an unmarried young woman, she will be dressed in bridal attire.
3. Grooming
The next step of funeral care in the Christian faith is grooming the body. The purpose of grooming is to make the body look peaceful and dignified. This is a final act of honor for a loved one who has passed away.
Makeup on the face can conceal skin that has begun to change color. This appearance will become the family and relatives' last memory, so a dignified look can become a beautiful memory even amid grief.
If the family is unable to groom the body themselves, they may also use the services of a professional mortician. Grief support agencies usually provide this as well.
4. Placing in the Coffin
The body is placed in the coffin dressed in its best clothing and with its face groomed. In the Christian faith, the body is indeed buried in a coffin.
During this process, the eyes, nose, and mouth are arranged to be closed. The hands are positioned on the stomach. If the mouth is difficult to keep closed, a cord or similar support is used.
Arranging the body within the coffin aims to convey that the person passed away peacefully, calmly, and with dignity. For this reason, there is often decoration on the outside and inside of the coffin.
This decoration may use artificial flowers or real flowers that are still fresh and fragrant.
5. Taking to the Funeral Home
The next step of funeral care in the Christian faith is taking the body to the funeral home or wake location. The wake can usually last several days, depending on the family's needs.
At the funeral home, the body will be prayed over several times, including during the comfort service and the coffin closing service. These prayers are offered not only for the deceased but also for the grieving family.
After the coffin is closed during the service, the process moves on to the next stage: burial or cremation. The family may make use of professional burial services to assist with this process.
A farewell service will be held to accompany the burial or cremation. This forms part of the best care and final honor given to a loved one who has passed away.
Embalming the Body
The wake in the Christian faith can last for several days, for example, while waiting for family or relatives who are coming from far away.
This is why there is an option to embalm the body. In this way, the body's appearance will remain well-preserved until all family members have arrived and the coffin is closed. The embalming process uses a special substance, namely formalin.
A professional injects specific areas of the body. A special pump is then also used so that the preservative substance spreads throughout all parts of the body.
Those who perform embalming professionally are, of course, not just anyone. They are paramedics, forensic doctors, or medical assistants who are certified or experienced in carrying out this work.
Body Care Services
Grief can make it difficult for you or your family to care for the body of a loved one. There is, indeed, quite a lot that needs attention when arranging it.
In this regard, however, you need not worry, as there is already a service on demand service Kamboja that can help you and your family. Kamboja, as one of the finest funeral services, offers several facilities you can make use of.
These range from arranging the body, headstones, coffins, tents, chairs, transport of the body, flower arrangements, burial sites, processing the death certificate, to food during the period of the wake. You can obtain all of these comprehensive services in a funeral cost package starting from IDR 35,000,000.
If you feel that package is too expensive, you may enroll in its insurance plan, which you can pay in monthly installments with premiums starting from IDR 35,000 per month.
A Final Tribute to Those We Love
Arranging the best possible care for a loved one who has passed away is the final tribute a family can give. However, grief often makes it hard for families to focus on doing so.
For that reason, making use of funeral protection services from Kamboja can be a solution. Families can take part in every ceremony with dignity while still giving the very best.
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The Kamboja team writes guides on bereavement, funeral arrangements and funeral planning to help families in Indonesia.
