We are deeply sorry for the loss of your loved one. We encourage you to contact a local priest for pastoral care. Find a priest by looking up a church near you.

As Christians we have joy in the certainty that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, not height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

This joy, however, does not make human grief unchristian. The very love we have for each other in Christ brings deep sorrow when we are parted by death.

Death is a part of living; thoughtful Christians acknowledge this and prepare for it. Christian burial is an act of corporate worship, rather than a private affair. It is a time to celebrate, commemorate and give thanks for the life of the departed. A funeral is appropriately set in a church within the context of a Holy Eucharist Service.

Parish clergy regard death and funerals as an important part of their work. The Christian funeral generally includes two or three lessons from the Old Testament, the Epistle or from the Gospels. The Bible readings tell of God’s care and of the hope of eternal life.

Some churches have a columbarium to hold cremated ashes. A columbarium is a structure provided for the placement of the ashes of the dead and can be either an interior or exterior structure. Ashes are placed in niches within the columbarium and are marked with a memorial plaque.