Finland
Many years ago, Finns buried the deceased in a wooden box and believed it to be the deceased person’s home. Quite often, the box was made by the deceased him / herself and was used for storage before their death. Whilst relatives of the deceased remembered and worshipped their dead loved ones, as well as […]
France
Every death in France is registered in the local town hall within twenty four hours of a person’s death, the ‘mairie’ and is usually registered by the deceased person’s next of kin or family member, however, the registration of a death can also take place by a local funeral director. The Christian faith is held […]
Germany
Germany has one of the most highly regulated funeral industries in the world and there are a number of laws and protocol that are to be followed when someone dies. This increases the cost for families putting their loved ones to rest and they have little choice in what they are able to do upon […]
Greece
It was in ancient times, as far back as the sixth century BC in Greece that the concept of the afterlife and funeral ceremonies were deemed important for the Greeks. The classical stories of Gods and Goddesses have been told and retold many times with the belief that all those who have died can be […]
Haiti
The life expectancy in Haiti is 61 years for a man and 64 years for a woman due to the extreme poverty, disease and lack of medical care available. Death is very much the centre of most Haitians’ lives. The Haitian Christians follow much of the traditions that belong to the Christian faith but family […]
Italy
The Italians are superstitious about death and many of the customs and traditions that were followed many years ago continue to this day. Whilst the Italians might be known for their flamboyant and dramatic attitudes, it has always been and continues to be traditional to keep funerals, that are considered a major event in the […]
Jordan
Jordan’s society has changed little over the years when considering death and the mourning process. In Jordan, the mourning of a deceased person is a significant affair that ordinarily takes place over 3 days. It has developed in that it has become expected of the wider community to show respect and has become a personal […]
Kazakhstan
In Kazakhstan, funerals are followed using a combination of traditional and Islamic beliefs. When a loved one dies, most of the deceased’s relatives and the wider community come together to take part in the funeral. The deceased’s body is, in accordance with customs of Muslim society, washed and wrapped in white cloth. This process takes […]
Lithuania
The tradition in Lithuania, when burying their loved ones, is to dress them in their finery. The deceased are dressed by their family or next of kin in their best clothes, sometimes special garments are made for them so they can be sent off in an elaborate funeral outfit. Lithuanians place an importance of what […]
Mexico
Mexico demonstrates a culture like no other where death is concerned. ‘Día de los Muertos’, translated as ‘Day of the Dead’, is a well-known and historic Mexican holiday that is celebrated at the beginning of November for two days on 1st and 2nd November with the first being All Saints Day and the second, 2nd November being All […]
