Our Funeral Home has organised funerals over the years for many religious denominations. The diverse nationalities and religious beliefs within the United Kingdom are enormous and therefore knowledge of the various rituals required for these beliefs is imperative. It is of the utmost importance for our funeral home to arrange the correct service and provide the required respect every funeral should receive.

We have extensive knowledge and have provided funeral ceremonies over the years for the following religious denominations:

• Church of England
• Roman Catholic
• Baptist
• Methodist
• Pentecostal
• Church of God
• Congregational
• Evangelical
• Seventh Day Adventist
• Elim Church
• Greek Orthodox
• Salvation Army
• Quakers

When arranging Church of England funeral services or any of the above listed religious ceremonies we always try to accommodate families wishes within reason and to conform with required regulations of the specific church, crematorium or cemetery. Usually the above religions have a service in the church and then travel on to the crematorium or cemetery for burial or cremation. Sometimes family wish to dress the deceased themselves and our private facilities can accommodate this wish.

We can also accommodate:

Hindu

• Tamil
• Vishwa
• Sanskrit
• Oshwal

The faith requires a religious washing and our premises provides the required room enabling family members adequate facilities to perform the burial rites.

A Hindu lady is available to help female members of the family to dress the deceased if required. Overshoes are provided for family and friends if required. Pictures of holy men and Gods are provided if requested and hindu religious tapes for the home service or at the Crematorium can be obtained.

The deceased can be taken home for prayers or to rest in our cleansed Sanskrit Hindu or Tamil Chapel before the cremation takes place. We supply the Sanskrit and Tamil religious signs and hindu lamps which can be placed inside the coffin or on the altar.

Buddhists

Buddhists normally cremate the remains. This was a practice prevalent at the time of the Buddha as well.   A Buddhist monk is invited to perform the last rites. The proceedings normally start by reciting panca-sila (pansil). The monk will then recite a stanza, which is a reminder of the impermanent and transient nature of all living things. Finally, a jug full of water is gradually emptied into a bowl until it overflows, while reciting a stanza with thoughts of metta towards the departed one. This is a symbolic gesture in which the water in the jug represents the merits aquired by the friends and relatives present by generating thoughts of metta, which are then transferred to the departed by pouring the water into the bowl.

Seven days after death, it is usual to give a dana to Buddhist monks, which is repeated after three months. The practices may differ widely depending on the particular culture, since there are no instructions in the ancient texts regarding funeral rites.

Buddhists believe that departed ones may be born into a state of existence where they may be in a position to receive merits and thoughts of metta from the living. It is believed that such merits when acquired by the departed will result in wholesome kamma and enhance their future birth

Sikhs

To a Sikh, birth and death are closely associated, because they are both part of the cycle of human life. Sikhs believe in reincarnation so mourning is therefore discouraged.

The death ceremony may be split into two parts; Saskar, the cremation and the Antim Ardas, the final prayer at the end of the Bhog. At a Sikh's death-bed, relatives and friends read Sukhmani Sahib, the Psalm of Peace to console themselves and the dying person. For cremation, the body is first washed and dressed with clean clothes complete with the Five K's. If the death occurs in a hospital, the body is taken home for viewing before the funeral. The deceased is then taken to the Nanak Centre (Temple) where a prayer is said to seek salvation for the soul before proceeding to the Crematorium. On arrival at the crematorium, a brief speech about the deceased, bedtime prayer is recited and the Ardas, formal prayer is offered. At the end of the cremation members of the funeral party return to their homes. The family usually require the cremated remains to be scattered at sea and we can provide special biodegradable boxes for this purpose.

Islam

The faith requires the burial to take place within 24hours of death if possible. A religious washing takes place whereupon the entire body is wrapped in a funeral shroud made of clean, white cloth, tied at the head and the feet. This washing can take place within our premises or the person can be transferred to the local Mosque where prayers take place before proceeding to the funeral.

Jewish

• Reform
• Conservative
• Orthodox Jew

The faith requires the burial to take place as soon as possible but not later than two days after death otherwise it is considered to be disrespectful. The soul has returned to God. The burial is to be a simple affair with no flowers and a simple wooden coffin and no preservation of the body so the soul ascends to Heaven. The family do not hold a wake as the body should be brought to rest as soon as possible.

A 'Tahara' washing takes place which prepares the deceased for burial.

A Rabbi would usually attend the funeral and he would usually perform a ritual whereby he tears the clothing of the seven mourners as a sign of mourning. This is referred to as tearing the Kria. Psalms, a eulogy and memorial prayer are recited during the ceremony preceding the burial.