During the Bronze Age, 2500 to 1000 B.C. cemeteries for cremation developed in Spain, British Isles, Hungary and Northern Italy. By the Mycenean Age around 1000 B.C cremation was an integral part of the Grecian burial custom and was encouraged to be the preferred mode of disposition in a battle ravaged country.
Interest aroused in England
His main reason for supporting cremation was that "it was becoming a necessary sanitary precaution against the propagation of disease among a population daily growing larger in relation to the area it occupied".
History. The practice of cremation on open fires was introduced to the Western world by the Greeks as early as 1000 bce. They seem to have adopted cremation from some northern people as an imperative of war, to ensure soldiers slain in alien territory a homeland funeral attended by family and fellow citizens.
Eastern Orthodox churches strongly oppose cremation. This is because these orthodox religions associate cremation with a deliberate desecration of the body. These churches prefer the natural decomposition of a traditional burial. If a body is cremated, these churches may refuse to participate in those funeral services.
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.
What does the Bible say about cremation? According to most Biblical study websites, there is no explicit scriptural command for or against cremation. There are no passages that forbid cremation, according to most Biblical scholars.
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.
Cremation is prohibited under Islamic law because, unlike in some cultures, it is considered a violation of the dignity of the human body. Based on reports attributed to Prophet Muhammed it is mustaḥab (or preferred)—i.e., not farḍ/wājib (compulsory)—to bury the dead bodies quickly.
Since the Bible does not ban nor promote cremation, most Christian denominations do not consider cremation to be sinful. The Catholic church, however, held an opposing view for many years.
One of the biggest reasons as to why Catholicism has been so against cremation for centuries is due to that very fact: Catholics believe the deceased should be buried in the same was as Jesus Christ, who was laid in a tomb after his death. This is because Catholics believe in the resurrection of the body.
During cremation, the body parts that do burn consist of organs, soft tissue, hair, and skin, while the water in our bodies evaporates. The body parts that do not burn are bone fragments.
First of all, cremations are known to be much more cost-effective as there are no gravesite fees, caskets, cemetery fees, or headstones involved. Second of all, cremations are better for the environment as there is no land needed and no space required.
Religions like Orthodox Christianity, Islam and Judaism follow traditions that frown upon cremation, even prohibiting it. Traditionally, their culture believes that the idea of turning human body into cremation ashes might interfere with God's ability to resurrect the dead and bring it to heaven.
Carrying a coffin with the feet first helps keep it balanced and also means the deceased is being handled with great care. The funeral director will provide instructions on how to take the coffin.
Princess Margaret is the only senior royal member to have ever been cremated. She died in 2002 and did not have a traditional procession for her coffin to her final resting place, reports MyLondon. Instead, she was cremated in Berkshire - the Slough Crematorium.
There is no property in a dead body, or put another way, nobody can claim ownership of a body. The individual entitled to possession of the body is the person under the duty to dispose of the body. A crematorium authority will need to hand over the ashes to the person who delivered the body for cremation.
Can a Jewish Person be Cremated? Despite Jewish law and thousands of years of tradition, more and more members of the Jewish community are electing to be cremated. In recent years, the popularity of cremation has risen around the globe, and members of the Jewish faith have contributed to this growing trend.
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.
Cremains contain what is known as rest energy, sometimes referred to as free or dormant energy. This type of energy is still subject to the restraints of natural law, and can have no physical or spiritual impact on those around it.
As with many Asian religions, Sikhs believe that the physical body serves no purpose but to house the soul. For that reason, cremation is usually preferred, but burying is also accepted. However, no headstone or monument is allowed.
For most Christians today, the question of cremation is largely left to individual discretion. Many Christians choose cremation as an alternative to burial, while still retaining those aspects of their traditional funeral practices that allow them to honor the lives of their loved ones and glorify God.
In fact, Hinduism is the only religion that mandates cremation, which is known as antim sanskar, or last rites. It is usually performed within 24 hours of death or as soon as possible, due to the fact that Hinduism also doesn't traditionally use embalming or other preservation tactics.
A Hindu's body is normally cremated within 24 hours of death, the ashes scattered in sacred water or a sentimental place, and a ceremony held 10 days later to free the dead person's soul so it can rise to heaven.
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. In fact, a dead person feels nothing at all.
No matter what a person's preference is, from the Christian perspective, cremation does not prevent one from going to Heaven.