Funeral
Part 2 History
Chapter 21 The Apostolic Period [0-399 CE]
Secular History |
Church History |
Ministry to the Dead and Bereaved |
Secular History
1. "Tears" are a kind of "sacrament" of grief. In
ancient times tears were holy and collected in a small tear vial or
lachrymatory. (The picture [used
with owner's permission] is of a 2000 year old lachrymatory that was being sold
on e-bay.)
2. Families cared for their dead. They washed and anointed the body in preparation for burial. In hot and dry climates, burial was usually immediately after death, or soon after death.
3. When I was in Kerala India, the mother of my host, Rev. Dr. Jacob Thekeparampil, had recently died. According to the Catholic custom in India she was immediately buried. A shrine for her spirit was set up in the home where she died -- the home of her daughter and son-in-law. The shrine, placed in the principal room of the house, consisted of her bed, her picture, and fresh flowers. Her spirit-person remained in the home for 40 days -- just as Jesus' spirit-person remained on earth for 40 days -- and then ascended into heaven. On the 40th day we celebrated her funeral. Many of her friends and relatives came (about 600 people); and there was a Mass in the parish church, a procession to the grave in adjacent cemetery, and a festive sit down meal at the home for all 600 people. The meal was arranged by the funeral director who in India is equipped to set up the tent, tables, chairs, provide the food, waiters, etc.
Church History
1. In a perfect world, there would be a helpful link to chapter d22 of these notes Origins of Christian Liturgy but I find that I have not written that chapter yet and you will find the page blank!
2. It is important to remember that at the beginning we were not a religion of power and we did not have grand public ceremonies and books of liturgical formulas. Also, at the beginning we were a religion of practical action, not doctrine. Think of the things Jesus said we had to believe and the things Jesus said we had to do. (Love one another; the greatest commandment...; I was hungry and you gave me food, etc.) There was no 600 page catechism, no 7 volume Summa, no 17 volume Catholic Encyclopedia.
Ministry to the Dead and Bereaved
1. The common belief at the time was that there were four archangels who surround the throne of God: Gabriel, Michael, Raphael and Uriel (Flame of God). Uriel is the archangel who leads one through death to heaven. Uriel is one of the angels who helped bury Adam and Abel in Paradise. Uriel told Noah about the upcoming Great Flood and checked the doors of Egypt for lamb's blood during the plague. He also holds the key to the Pit during the End Times. Uriel led Abraham to the West. Note that at this early period Uriel was thought to be with the dying to carry them up to heaven. In the Middle Ages, Uriel is replaced by Satan who is with the dying to snatch them down to hell! This adds to the fear and dread of dying.
ANGEL Postings from course participants
1. Burying the dead was seen as an act of faith which expressed our belief in everlasting life.
2. The faith of the Christian martyrs heavily influenced the belief in the afterlife as a place of "refreshment and peace."
3. The Eucharist became a part of the funeral meal thus sealing a continuity between life on earth and life in the eschatological kingdom.
4. Vigils that formed as a night-watch for the deceased (time between death and Eucharistic celebration) became highly charged places of prayer.
5. The funeral meal was linked with the Eucharist.
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© Copyright: Tom Richstatter, Franciscan Province of St. John the Baptist, Cincinnati Ohio, Order of Friars Minor. All Rights Reserved. This page was created by Fr. Thomas Richstatter, O.F.M. Every effort has been, and is being made, to acknowledge sources when the ideas are not my own. Any failure to comply with the United States Copyright Act (Title 17, United States Code) will be corrected immediately should I become aware of it. This site was updated on 10/07/08 . Your comments on this site are welcome at tomrichs@psci.net.