Only in "grave and exceptional cases" would the ashes be permitted to be kept in a home, the Church said. "It is not permitted to scatter the ashes of the faithful departed in the air, on land, at sea or in some other way, nor may they be preserved in mementos, pieces of jewellery or other objects," it said.
According to new guidelines from the Vatican's doctrinal office, cremated remains should be kept in a “sacred place” such as a church cemetery. Ashes should not be divided up between family members, “nor may they be preserved in mementos, pieces of jewelry or other objects.”
Ash Scattering References in the Bible
In the Bible, there are no passages that prohibit or encourage cremation and scattering of ashes. However, many Christian sects believe a burial funeral aligns with best end-of-life practices.
A deceased loved one, said Father Salsa, should be in a place “accessible to everyone, where they can be venerated,” so a cemetery is preferable to a home. And scattering ashes can be “misunderstood as a sort of religion of nature, while we believe in resurrection,” he said.
No, it is not a sin to separate ashes. The Bible does not specifically mention cremation or the scattering of ashes, so there is no ruling on this matter. However, some people may have religious or spiritual beliefs that say cremation and the scattering of ashes are not acceptable.
The newest guidelines from the Vatican state that Catholic people can be cremated, but their ashes should not be scattered at sea, and the urn should not be kept in the home. The guidelines state that the cremains should be kept in a sacred place like a church cemetery.
Other practices such as commingling cremated remains or dividing up cremated remains among family members or friends are not acceptable for Catholics.
Yes. In May 1963, the Vatican's Holy Office (now known as the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith) lifted the prohibition forbidding Catholics to choose cremation. This permission was incorporated into the revised Code of Canon Law of 1983, and its liturgies were written in the Order of Christian Funerals.
What's really returned to you is the person's skeleton. Once you burn off all the water, soft tissue, organs, skin, hair, cremation container/casket, etc., what you're left with is bone. When complete, the bones are allowed to cool to a temperature that they can be handled and are placed into a processing machine.
Of all world religions, Islam is probably the most strongly opposed to cremation. Unlike Judaism and Christianity, there is little diversity of opinion about it. Cremation is considered by Islam to be an unclean practice.
“Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear brother here departed, we, therefore, commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who ...
Here are the top cremation myths and what the Catholic church has to say about them. Cremated ashes can be scattered. Though the Pope and the Church approve of cremation, scattering of one's ashes is strictly prohibited.
Cremated remains are usually collected by either the funeral director or the person who arranged for the ceremony the day after the cremation. After receiving the ashes, you can decide when and how to divide them up.
While there is no time limit to how long you can store ashes in your home, you may want to consider having the ashes buried in a cemetery or use them to make a piece of jewelry as a keepsake.
Why do families need to wait? These different state laws are based on the typical amount of time it takes to complete authorizations, like issuing a death certificate. Because the crematorium needs the death certificate before they can cremate the body, this delays the process and is built into the waiting period.
The average cremated adult will produce about five pounds of pulverized bone fragments, a coarse powder that is sterile and safe to touch, even if the person died of a communicable disease.
Keep the larger portion at home and scatter some at a favorite location. Bury the larger portion at the cemetery and keep some in a small "keepsake" urn. Scatter some, give some to family, and keep some in a cremation necklace near your heart. Share the remains equally between two, three, four, or more family members.
4. Can ashes be scattered on public land? Yes. If you are looking to scatter ashes on public land or in green spaces, you'll need to request permission from the local council.
How to divide cremated remains. Most crematoriums return the ashes in a plastic bag, placed in a "temporary urn" made often from cardboard. This will work fine to divide ashes. If the funeral provider is dividing for you, you would ask them beforehand and provide the urns or containers you have selected.
Is it disrespectful to scatter ashes? No, it is not a sin to separate ashes. The Bible does not specifically mention cremation or the scattering of ashes, so there is no ruling on this matter. However, some people may have religious or spiritual beliefs that say cremation and the scattering of ashes are not acceptable.
Answer: It is true that lay ministers can be deputed to assist a priest or deacon in the distribution of blessed ashes: “This rite [the blessing of ashes] may be celebrated by a priest or deacon who may be assisted by lay ministers in the distribution of the ashes.
Cremation of a body can be done with or without clothing. Typically, if there has been a traditional funeral (with the body) present, the deceased will be cremated in whatever clothing they were wearing.
The body does not feel pain during cremation because the person is no longer alive. When a person dies, their brain stops sending signals to the body. This means that the person cannot feel pain or any other sensation.
No matter what a person's preference is, from the Christian perspective, cremation does not prevent one from going to Heaven. So there's no need to worry, if God can create life from dust, surely he can restore life from ashes.