FUNERAL RITES, ceremonies accompanying the interment or burial of the dead. The word is formed of the Latin funus, and that of funalia, on account of the torches (fusus cera circumdati) used in the funerals of the Romans. Others, however, derive funus from the Greek φῦς, death or slaughter.
The first people who seem to have paid any particular respect to their dead were the Egyptians, the posterity of Ham, the first cultivators of idolatrous worship and superstition after the deluge. They were also the first who ascertained the immortality of the soul, its migration into all
kinds of animals, and its return to the human body, which they supposed to be within the term of three thousand years. Hence the great care which they evinced in embalming their dead, and the vast expense they incurred in building proper repositories for them. In fact, they were more solicitous about graves for the dead than about houses for the living. This is strikingly displayed in those stupendous remains of architecture under ground which were appropriated to the reception of the dead, as well as those above ground, such as the pyramids, where some of the Egyptian kings were interred.
Amongst the Egyptians, when a person died, his parents and friends put on mourning habits, and abstained from all banquets and entertainments. This mourning lasted from forty to seventy days, during which period they embalmed the body. After this ceremony was completed, it was restored to the friends, who placed it in a kind of open chest, which was preserved either in their houses, or in the sepulchres of their ancestors. But before the dead were allowed to be deposited in the tomb, they underwent a solemn judgment, which extended even to their kings. Of this remarkable custom we have a particular account in the first book of Diodorus Siculus. "Those who prepare to bury a relative give notice of the day intended for the ceremony to the judges, and to all the friends of the deceased, informing them that the body will pass over the lake of that district to which the dead belonged; when, on the
judges assembling, to the number of more than forty, and ranging themselves in a semicircle on the further side of the lake, the vessel is set afloat, which those who superintend the funeral have prepared for this purpose. This vessel is managed by a pilot, called in the Egyptian language Charon; and hence they say, that Orpheus, travelling in old times into Egypt, and seeing this ceremony, formed his fable of the infernal regions, partly from what he saw, and partly from invention. The vessel being launched on the lake, before the coffin which contains the body is put on board, the law permits all who are so inclined to produce an accusation against it. If any one steps forth and proves that the deceased had led an evil life, the judges pronounce sentence, and the body is precluded from burial; but if the accuser is convicted of injustice in his charge he falls himself under a considerable penalty. When no accuser appears, or when the accusation is proved to be an unfair one, the relations who are assembled change their expressions of sorrow into encomiums on the dead; yet do not, like the Greeks, speak in honour of his family, because they consider all Egyptians as equally well born; but they set forth the education and manners of his youth, his piety and justice in maturer life, his moderation, and every virtue by which he was distinguished; and they supplicate the infernal deities to receive him as an associate amongst the blessed. The multitude join their acclamations of applause in this celebration of the dead, whom they consider as going to pass an eternity amongst the just below." Such is the description which Diodorus gives of this funeral judiciary, to which even the kings of Egypt were subject. The same author asserts that many sovereigns had been thus judicially deprived of the honours of burial by the indignation of their people; and that the terrors of such a fate had the most salutary influence on the conduct of their kings.
The funeral rites amongst the Hebrews were solemn and magnificent. Upon the demise of any person, the relatives and friends of the deceased rent their clothes. This custom is still imitated, but with a due regard to economy, by the modern Jews, who only cut off a piece of their garment in token of affliction. It was usual to bend the dead person's thumb into the hand, and fasten it in that posture with a string, because the thumb having then the figure of the name of God, they thought the evil spirit would not dare to approach it. When they came to the burying-place, they made a speech to the dead in the following terms: "Blessed be God, who has formed thee, fed thee, maintained thee, and taken away thy life. O dead, he knows your numbers, and shall one day restore your life;" and so on. After this they delivered the eulogium, or funeral oration, upon the deceased; then said a prayer, called the "righteousness of judgment;" and finally, turning the face of the dead body towards heaven, they called out, "Go in peace."
Amongst the ancient Greeks it was usual sometimes, before the interment, to place a piece of money in the mouth of the deceased, as Charon's fare for wafting the departed soul over the river Styx. This ceremony was considered as unnecessary in those countries which were supposed to be situated in the neighbourhood of the infernal regions, and to lead thither by a ready and direct road. The corpse was likewise furnished with a cake, composed of flour, honey, and other ingredients, which was designed to appease the fury of Cerberus, and to procure the ghost a safe and quiet entrance. Whilst the corpse continued in the house, a vessel of water was placed before the door, the design of which was, that those concerned about the body might purify themselves by washing; it being the opinion of the Greeks, as well as of the Jews, that pollution was contracted by touching a dead body.
The ceremonies by which they expressed their sorrow for the death of their friends were various; but it seems to
have been a constant rule to recede as much as possible in habit and behaviour from their ordinary customs. For this reason they abstained from banquets and entertainments; they divested themselves of all ornaments; and they tore, cut off, or shaved their hair, which they cast into the funeral pile, to be consumed with the remains of their deceased friend. Sometimes they threw themselves on the ground and rolled in the dust, or covered their heads with ashes. They beat their breasts, and even tore their flesh with their nails, upon the loss of a person whom they much lamented. When people of rank, such as public magistrates or great generals, died, the whole city mourned their loss. All public meetings were intermitted; the schools, baths, shops, temples, and all places of concourse were shut up.
After interment followed the epulae or feasts, at which the company used to appear crowned; and upon this occasion they spoke in praise of the dead, as far as they could go with truth, it being esteemed a notorious wickedness to disregard truth in their eulogiums. And not only at these feasts, but even before the company quitted the sepulchre, they were sometimes entertained with a panegyric upon the deceased.
The Grecian soldiers who died in battle had not only their tombs adorned with inscriptions showing their names, parentage, and exploits, but were also honoured with an oration in their praise. The custom amongst the Athenians in the interment of their soldiers was as follows: "They used to place the bodies of their dead in tents three days before the funeral, that all persons might have an opportunity of finding out their relatives, and paying their last respects to them. Upon the fourth day a coffin of cypress was sent from every tribe to convey the bones of their own relatives; after which went a covered hearse, in memory of those whose bodies could not be found. All these, accompanied by a concourse of people, were carried to the public burying-place, called Ceramicus, and there interred. One oration was spoken in commendation of them all, and their monuments were adorned with pillars, inscriptions, and other ornaments usual about the tombs of the most honourable persons. The oration was pronounced by the fathers of the deceased persons who had behaved themselves most valiantly. Thus, after the battle of Marathon, the fathers of Callimachus and Cynagyrus were appointed to pronounce the funeral oration. And on the return of the day upon which the solemnity was first held, the same oration was annually repeated."
Intermingling or laying the dead in the ground seems to have been the most ancient practice amongst the Greeks; though burning came afterwards to be generally had recourse to. It was customary to throw into the funeral pile those garments which the deceased had usually worn. The pile was lighted by one of his nearest relatives or friends, who made prayers and vows to the wind to assist the flames, that the body might quickly be reduced to ashes; and whilst the pile was burning, the friends of the deceased stood by it, called upon him, and poured out libations of wine.
The funeral rites amongst the ancient Romans were very numerous. The deceased was kept seven days, and every day washed with hot water, and sometimes with oil, that, in case he was only in a slumber, he might be thus awakened; and at intervals his friends collected and raised a shout with the same intent. This last act they called conclamatio. The third conclamatio was on the seventh day; when, if no signs of life appeared, the defunct was dressed and embalmed by the pollinitores, placed in a bed near the door, with his face and heels towards the street; and the outside of the gate, if the deceased were of condition, was hung with cypress boughs. In the course of these seven days an altar was raised near his bed side, called acerra, on which his friends every day offered incense; and the libitinarii provided articles necessary for the interment.
On the seventh day a public crier was sent about the city, inviting the people to the solemnization of the funeral in these words: Exequias L. Tit. filii, quibus est commodum ire, jam tempus est. Olus (i. e. ille) ex aedibus effertur. The company being assembled, the last conclamation ended, and the bed was covered with purple. A trumpeter then marched forward, followed by old women called præfice, singing songs in praise of the deceased. Lastly, the bed followed, borne by the next relations; and if the person were of quality and office, the waxen images of all his predecessors were carried before him on poles. The bed was followed by his children, kindred, and others, atrati, or in mourning. From this act of following the corpse, these funeral rites were called exequias. The body being thus brought to the rostra, the next of kin laudabat defunctum pro rostris, made a funeral oration in his praise and that of his ancestors. This being completed, the body was carried to the pyra, or funeral pile, and there burnt, his friends first cutting off a finger, which was buried with a second solemnity. When the body was consumed, the ashes were gathered; and the priest, sprinkling the company thrice with clean water, the eldest of the præfice crying aloud, Illicet, dismissed the people, who took their leave of the deceased in this form, Vale, vale, vale; nos te ordine quo natura permisit sequemur. The ashes, enclosed in an urn, were laid in the sepulchre or tomb.
The ancient Christians testified their abhorrence of the Pagan custom of burning their dead, and always deposited the body entire in the ground; and it was usual to bestow the honour of embalming upon the martyrs at least, if not upon others. They prepared the body for burial by washing it with water, and dressing it in a funeral attire. The exportation or carrying forth of the body was performed by near relations, or persons of such dignity as the circumstances of the deceased required. Psalmody, or singing of psalms, was the great ceremony used in all funeral processions amongst the early Christians.
In the Roman Catholic church, the body of the deceased person is washed, and a crucifix is put in its hand. At its feet stands a vessel full of holy water, and a sprinkler is placed, that those who come in may sprinkle both themselves and the body. A priest also stands by the corpse, and prays for the deceased till it is interred. In the funeral procession, the exorcist walks first, carrying the holy water, next the cross-bearer, afterwards the rest of the clergy, and lastly the officiating priest. They all sing the miserere, and some other psalms; and at the end of each psalm a requiem. We learn from Alet's ritual that the faces of deceased laymen must be turned towards the altar when they are placed in the church, and those of the clergy towards the people. The corpse is placed in the church, surrounded with lighted tapers; after the office for the dead, mass is said; then the officiating priest sprinkles the corpse thrice with holy water, and as often throws incense on it. The body being laid in the grave, the clergyman sprinkles it with holy water.
The funeral ceremonies of the Greek church are much the same with those of the Latin. It needs only to be observed, that, after the funeral service, they kiss the crucifix, and salute the mouth and forehead of the deceased; after which each of the company eats a bit of bread and drinks a glass of wine in the church, wishing the soul a good repose, and the afflicted family all consolation.