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Christians believe that death is not the end.

The final stage of life on earth and the passing from this life to eternal life is marked by the Christian funeral service. At the heart of the funeral service is the belief that at the end of time, each believer is resurrected to share in Christ’s victory over death.

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Christians believe that death is not the end.

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  1. The final stage of life on earth and thepassing from this life to eternal lifeis marked by the Christianfuneral service.

  2. At the heart of the funeral service is the belief that at the end of time, each believer is resurrected tosharein Christ’s victory over death.

  3. Few Christians believe in actual physical resurrection of the body, which is whymost Christians allow cremation.

  4. Christians believe thatdeath is not the end. They believe that the soul of the person lives on and is unitedwith God. After death the body is washed and placed in a coffin which sometimes bears the Christian symbol of the cross.

  5. There are some variations within the threeChristian traditions: • In the Protestant tradition the coffinistakentothechurch or chapel where the mourners meet.

  6. The coffin is usually carried into church and the chief mourners follow it in. The vicar or Minister recites from John’sgospel at this point… “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die;and all those who live and believein me will never die.”

  7. Prayers, readings, hymns and a talk about death, resurrection and the life of the deceased form part of the service. This is followed either by the cremation or the burial of the body.

  8. A shortservice is held either at the crematorium or at the graveside. • Christians believe that they will be reunited with Christ after death.

  9. They also believe that the person will rise again and enjoy eternal life, which has been assured by the sacrifice of Jesuson the cross.

  10. Roman Catholics believe that sometime after death, the soul may remain in purgatory to redeem the sins committed on earth. • For a RomanCatholic funeral service, the coffin is taken to church the night before the funeral so that prayers can be said for the soul of the departed.

  11. They also believe that the time the soul remains in purgatory can be affected by the prayers of thoseleft behind. The priest wears white, which is the colour associated with life after death and the resurrection.

  12. There is usually a special mass called a Requiem Mass, which has prayers and readings for the deceased. At the committal (the burial or cremation), the coffin is blessed with holywater as a sign of the cleansingofsins.

  13. In the Orthodox Christian faith, as soon as a person dies their body is washed and dressed in new clothes and placed in an open coffin, which is positioned at the front of the church. • It remains open during the service to remind the people that death is an unnecessary tragedy, since it is God’s punishment for sin.

  14. The tragedy of death is accompanied by the hope of resurrection, and this is symbolised by the candles that are burning and the incense, which is sprayed near the coffin.

  15. Readings from the Bible emphasise the resurrectionofthedead and the hopethat is shared by all believers in God.

  16. End of Show

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