5 Religious Funeral Customs and Their Meanings

1. 5 Religious Funeral Customs and Their Meanings In Singapore, there are several main religious communities and each of them has their own funeral rituals and customs. These customs are often different from the ones that may be practised in your religion. When you attend a funeral service, it can be confusing as you don’t want to offend or hurt anyone’s feelings unknowingly. There may be many young Singaporeans who are unaware of the rituals performed at a Buddhist funeral in Singapore. To prevent the instances where you may offend someone, here’s a look at some religious customs that are commonly practiced in Singapore and their significance. 1. Rosary prayers for the repose of the soul Most companies offering Christian funeral services in Singapore are being asked to organise the recitation of the Rosary during the vigil to pray for the repose of the soul. It is an important custom in Christianity and should be followed in the hope that the deceased is granted eternal rest in heaven. 2. To have the body face Mecca, graves are built in a certain direction As per the Muslim traditions, it is believed that the graves should be built in a certain direction to be precise at a right angle to the direction of Kaaba in Mecca. When the deceased is buried, they turn the faces to the right. 3. Caskets are watched so that cats don’t wake the deceased At a Buddhist funeral in Singapore, the deceased is kept in a casket and the relatives watch over the casket. Apart from giving company to the deceased, they try to prevent any cats from jumping over the casket. According to their beliefs, it is said that if a black pregnant cat jumps on the casket, it can pass of one of its 9 lives to the deceased thereby preventing the deceased from departing in peace. 4. Checking the footprints of the deceased with flour The Taoist community believes that the soul of the deceased returns after 7 days of the death. It is mandatory to sprinkle some flour on the floor and keep dishes overnight on the 7th day as offering. If there are footprints on the floor, it means the soul has visited the house. If there are no footprints, the deceased has already been reincarnated. 5. A lamp is lit for as long as the body is in the house In accordance with Hindu funeral customs, the deceased is placed on a white cloth and a lamp is placed by the head of deceased. The lamp symbolises showing light to the soul as it leaves the body for reincarnation.

2. Explore the web for more information and suggestions on choosing an ideal funeral parlour offering world-class Christian funeral services in Singapore.You can also arrange an appointment with the funeral home to have a look at the array of services they offer and customise your funeral package as per your specific requirements.