Page 21 - Bereavement Guide Book

CREMATION SERVICES

What options are available be- The remains are placed in a container that is
sides ground burial? combustible and placed in a special furnace
called a cremation chamber or a crematory
Besides ground burial, some cemeteries offer where, through intense heat, the remains
interment in lawn crypts or entombment in are reduced to bone fragments that are then
mausoleums. In addition, most cemeteries crushed and pulverised to resemble coarse
provide choice for those who have selected sand. The cremated remains are an average
cremation. These often include placement of human body will weigh about 7-8 pounds.
cremated remains in a niche of a columbari- Cremation is not an alternative to a funeral.
um or interment in an urn space. But rather an alternative to burial or other
forms of disposition.
What are the burial vaults and Cremated remains can be scattered or buried,
grave liners? or they may be kept with the family in a dec-

orative urn. There are many new and differ-
These are the outside containers into which ent ways to dispose of ashes today, cremated
the casket is placed. Burial vaults are remains can be placed in an artificial coral
designed to protect the casket and may be reef in the ocean or they can be spun into
made of a variety or combination of materials glass artwork or diamonds.
including concrete, stainless steel, galvanized
steel, copper, bronze, plastic or fibreglass. A Some religions welcome cremation while
grave liner is a lightweight version of a vault others forbid it. The Catholic Church has
which simply keeps the grave surface from banned cremation up until 1963, and burial
sinking in. remains the preferred form of disposition
today. In other Christian denominations cre-
Must I purchase a burial vault? mation was historically discouraged but now-
adays it is more widely accepted. In eastern
Most large, active cemeteries have regula- religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism
tions that require the use of a basic grave and Buddhism cremation is mandated, while
liner for maintenance and safety purposes. in Islam it is strictly forbidden. Orthodox
Either a grave liner or a burial vault will Jews also forbid cremation; other sects of Ju-
satisfy these requirements. Some smaller daism support cremation, but burial remains
rural or churchyard cemeteries do not require the preferred option.
use of a container to surround the casket in
the grave.
Cremation FAQs
Cremation Services What is a cremation?

Cremation is an alternative to the burial pro- Cremation is the process of reducing the
cess and it is chosen by many people because human body to bone fragments using high
of religious beliefs, the desire to preserve the heat and flame. Cremation is not the final
environment or because it was requested by disposition of the remains, nor is it a type of
the person who died. Cremation is also a less funeral service.
expensive option in comparison to a burial.

Peace and Tranquility Funeral Home | Page 21