The term originally referred to a late-night prayer vigil but is now mostly used for the social interactions accompanying a funeral. While the modern usage of the verb wake is "become or stay alert", a wake for the dead harks back to the vigil, "watch" or "guard" of earlier times.
Irish wakes are a celebration of life - one last party to honor the deceased. The name “wake” originated because unknown diseases had plagued the countryside causing some to appear dead. As the family began to mourn, they would awaken. For this reason, the body is waked in the deceased's home for at least one night.
In Australia, a wake is sometimes simply known as a gathering, and it is a social event that takes place after the funeral is over.
More specifically, wakes are a Catholic tradition, so if you go to a Catholic wake you can expect a priest to be there saying prayers.
Prior to the Funeral
After the death of a practicing Catholic, it's common for their family to hold a prayer vigil the night before the funeral. This is sometimes referred to as a wake or the reception of the body.
Attending the funeral reception
If you cannot attend the funeral, it is acceptable to attend the wake, but be sure to let the family know in advance that you would like to pay your respects in this way and maybe bring a thoughtful gift or flowers to the next of kin to show you are thinking of them.
What is a wake? A wake, also known as a funeral reception, is an event where close friends and family of the deceased gather together to pay their respects to their loved one. Traditionally, a wake referred to the viewing held before the funeral, but nowadays it's usually held after the funeral or memorial service.
Traditionally, the wake is a Catholic ceremony based in part on the Celtic traditions of Ireland. Those traditions dictated that family and close friends should stay awake through the night with the deceased in order to offer protection from evil spirits. Once buried, all was safe.
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.
When thinking about what to wear to a wake, women have to remember that this is a somber occasion, and it is best to choose conservative colors and styles. You don't have to wear black, but it is acceptable if you decide to wear all black. Other colors include navy blue, gray, blush colors, and neutrals such as beige.
They are often held the day before the funeral or on the same day just prior to the service, and typically last for 2-3 hours.
During a traditional visitation or wake, it's customary for the body to be displayed in an open casket. Visitors approach the body to pay their respects and say goodbye. This is considered to be a way to honor the deceased person and to get closure. People can even touch the body if they find this to be comforting.
A wake is when a group of people come together to talk about, celebrate and honour the life of someone who's died. Wakes are informal gatherings where people are encouraged to chat and share stories, after the formal schedule of the funeral.
Nine night is a separate event to the funeral itself. It's like the Irish wake and takes place nine days after the death of the person. You have a celebration of their life at the point at which their spirit traditionally leaves the body. It's a Jamaican practice with roots in an African tradition.
When attending a wake, it is customary to bring gifts for family of the deceased. The type of gift you should bring depends on your relationship with the family and the deceased.
A funeral reception luncheon, or funeral repast, is a gathering for a meal after the funeral service. The person who hosts the luncheon will decide with the family to hold the event at a restaurant, banquet hall, or someone's home.
Nor can the ashes be scattered in the air, land or sea since doing so would give the appearance of "pantheism, naturalism or nihilism," the guidelines said. It repeated church teaching that Catholics who choose to be cremated for reasons contrary to the Christian faith must be denied a Christian funeral.
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.
Muslims are always buried, never cremated. It is a religious requirement that the body be ritually washed and draped before burial, which should be as soon as possible after death. Those carrying out this duty should be immunised against hepatitis B and be aware of the hazards of AIDS.
Jesus Christ my God, I adore you and thank you for all the graces you have given me this day. I offer you my sleep and all the moments of this night, and I ask you to keep me from sin. I put myself within your sacred side and under the mantle of our Lady. Let your holy angels stand about me and keep me in peace.
Evening Prayer for Peace
O Lord God, grant your peace to us, for you have supplied us with all things — the peace of rest, the peace of the Sabbath which has no evening; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
How long after death should a Catholic be buried? The funeral and burial take place between 2 and 7 days after someone has died — typically around three days after. The ceremonies are usually not held on a Sunday, as this day is reserved for the traditional Sunday church service.
If you are an ex-spouse of the deceased or their family
There may be some exceptions to this. If you have a poor relationship with your ex-spouse's family, it may be inappropriate for you to attend the wake. You can attend the funeral but do so unobtrusively.
The Irish wake is a well-known funeral tradition where the family of the deceased covers all mirrors in the home. To hide the physical body from the soul, the family turns mirrors to face the wall. Some Irish superstitions say that if you look in a mirror long enough, you'll see a devil looking over your shoulder.