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Cremation Services high heat and flame. Cremation is not the
final disposition of the remains, nor is it a
Cremation is an alternative to the burial type of funeral service.
process and it is chosen by many people
because of religious beliefs, the desire to Is a casket needed for cremation?
preserve the environment or because it No, a casket is not required. Most
was requested by the person who died. states require an alternative container
Cremation is also a less expensive option constructed of wood or cardboard,
in comparison to a burial. The remains are however, in some states no container is
placed in a container that is combustible required.
and placed in a special furnace called
a cremation chamber or a crematory Is embalming required prior to
where, through intense heat, the remains cremation?
are reduced to bone fragments that are No. In fact, it is against the law for a
then crushed and pulverized to resemble funeral home to tell you otherwise.
coarse sand. The cremated remains of an
average human body will weigh about 7-8
pounds. Cremation is not an alternative Can the family witness the cremation?
to a funeral, but rather an alternative to Yes, they can; some cremation providers
burial or other forms of disposition. will allow family members to be present
when the body is placed in the cremation
Cremated remains can be scattered or chamber. Some religious groups even
buried, or they may be kept with the family include this as part of their funeral custom.
in a decorative urn. There are many new
and different ways to dispose of ashes Can an urn be brought into church?
today, cremated remains can be placed Nearly all Protestant Churches allow for
in an artificial coral reef in the ocean or the urn to present during the memorial
they can be spun into glass artwork or services. Most Catholic Churches also
diamonds. allow the remains to be present during
the Memorial Mass. It is encouraged that
Some religions welcome cremation while cremated remains be a part of a funeral
others forbid it. The Catholic Church as it provides a focal point for the service.
had banned cremation up until 1963,
and burial remains the preferred form What can be done with the cremated
of disposition today. In other Christian remains?
denominations cremation was historically While laws vary state by state, for the most
discouraged but nowadays it is more part remains can be buried in a cemetery
widely accepted. In eastern religions lot or a cremation garden, interred in a
such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and columbarium, kept at home or scattered.
Buddhism cremation is mandated, while
in Islam it is strictly forbidden. Orthodox How can I be sure I receive the correct
Jews also forbid cremation; other sects remains?
of Judaism support cremation, but burial All reputable cremation providers have
remains the preferred option. developed rigorous sets of operating
policies and procedures in order to
Cremation FAQs maximize the level of service and minimize
the potential for human error. Since
it is illegal to perform more than one
What is cremation? cremation at a time, and the vast majority
Cremation is the process of reducing the
human body to bone fragments using
Butler-Hughes Funeral Home, Inc. - Page 17
