Your loved one's ashes don't have to stay together either. Families can choose to split the ashes of the deceased among the wider family, where the individual families can choose what they want to do with them.
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.
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.
To divide the ashes, you can go one of two ways. You can either ask the funeral director to do it for you, or do it yourself. If you're the DIY type, here's how to divide the ashes. Prepare a few plastic bags and a clean, flat area to do the transfer.
For many people, the act of scattering a loved one's ashes brings peace and closure. It can symbolize the return of the individual to nature, or the release of their spirit to heaven.
By contrast, California's laws state that ashes may only be disposed of by scattering in a cemetery scattering garden, or scattering where there is no local prohibition and with written permission of the property owner or governing agency.
If you decide to cremate and scatter ashes, nothing in the Bible prohibits you from doing so.
Since all of the organic matter is burned away during cremation, this is why ashes can last (almost) forever - or at least for our entire lifetime. Bones are still DNA and scientists believe that DNA has survived for about one million years.
On Tuesday, the Vatican responded to what it called an “unstoppable increase” in cremation and issued guidelines barring the scattering of ashes “in the air, on land, at sea or in some other way.” The Vatican decreed that the ashes of loved ones have no place in the home, and certainly not in jewelry.
Is it OK to Keep Cremains at Home? There's nothing bad about keeping cremated remains at home. Even though the practice is legal, those from specific faith communities may object to the practice. Some religious faiths, such as followers of Islam, Eastern Orthodox, and some Jewish sects forbid cremation.
As a general rule, it is disrespectful to open an urn contrary to the decedent's wishes or beliefs, or for your own curiosity or benefit. You can be confident that you are treating your loved one with proper respect if you are opening the urn to follow their instructions (for scattering, etc) or to honor their memory.
Can Two People's Ashes Be Mixed Together? Also known as commingling, mixing cremated remains is illegal unless it is specifically requested by the deceased. This simply comes down to a matter of personal preference of the deceased.
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.”
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.
“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 ...
Do you have clothes on when you're cremated? Most crematories allow the bereaved the option of dressing their loved one prior to cremation (or having a funeral professional dress the body), although clothing choices must be completely combustible.
In most cases, people are cremated in either a sheet or the clothing they are wearing upon arrival to the crematory. However, most Direct Cremation providers give you and your family the option to fully dress your loved one prior to Direct Cremation.
When teeth survive the cremation process, they're ground down with the remaining fragments. Ashes are always processed before they're given to the family. All of the cremation remains are ground together, mixing the fragments into ash.
In Christian countries, cremation fell out of favor due to the Christian belief in the physical resurrection of the body. Christians also used burial as a mark of difference from the Iron Age European pre-Christian Pagan religions, which usually cremated their dead.
As a Catholic, may I be cremated? Yes. In May 1963, the Vatican's Holy Office (now the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith) lifted the prohibition forbidding Catholics to choose cremation.
Yes, it is important to get permission to scatter ashes from the owners of private land or the Trustee of parks and reserves, or from local council for parks, beaches and playing fields as scattering of ashes may contravene the provisions of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 in terms of air or water ...
Vatican: Don't Scatter Cremation Ashes, And Don't Keep Them At Home : The Two-Way New guidelines from the Roman Catholic Church note that the practice of cremation is increasing and recommend that ashes be buried in "cemeteries and other sacred places."
This can be in a garden of remembrance, in a green space, over water, or on private land. Some people request to have their ashes scattered in a place that was close to their heart. Others may not leave instruction. It's also possible to scatter ashes in multiple places, if preferred.