The reasons for choosing cremation are varied - from environmental, to natural, to economic, to religious. Often times, the families that come to us simply feel that our cremation options afford them a pathway to closure that is more harmonious with the lifestyle of their loved one.

Cremation is the process of returning human remains to the original elements, through the application of intense heat (usually 1800 - 2000 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours or more). After the human remains turned into the form of ash, the cremated remains are placed in an urn or other container suitable for memorialization, transport or interment, that you, the family, can choose at the time of arrangements. Once returned to the Funeral Home, or picked up by the family, it is also possible to hold a memorial service for your loved one.

There is no law that mandates a casket be used for a cremation.

The law states that human remains held more than 48 hours post mortem (in certain cases, 24 hours), that have not yet been interred or cremated, must be either embalmed or properly refrigerated.

Most major religions accept cremation, with the exception of Islam & Orthodox Judaism. Most Christian denominations approve it as well, though the Catholic Church advocates the interment of the cremated remains in a cemetery. Buddhists, as well as Hindus, prefer cremation, as it is the prescribed method of disposition.

Hindu funeral rites and traditions vary, but in general, one can expect to hear mantras being chanted around the departed person’s body at a home funeral.

Traditionally, the cremation ceremony involves a ritual burning of the body, attended to by a Hindu priest and male family members. Sometimes guests attend the ceremony, too. The ‘last food’ is offered and the cremation takes place with flowers arranged around the body.

Cremation is chosen because Hindus believe that cremation is the fastest way to aid the soul in escaping the body. Cremation rituals vary from place to place, but they often include: prayer chanting and rice balls, flowers may also be placed around the body, a lamp is placed near the head of the body, water is sprinkled on the body, food is offered traditionally. Hindus prefer to have their ashes immersed in the holy Ganges.

If they are Hindu, they participate in the chanting of mantras. If they do not know mantras, they may sit quietly during the chanting. Otherwise, one views the body upon entering the home, perhaps offering some quiet and brief words of condolence to the family.

Typically, Hindu families try to have the funeral within 24 hours after death, after which the body will be cremated.

The preta-karma is an important Hindu death ritual that takes place during the period of mourning. It serves to help the deceased person’s soul move from spirit form to its new body in the cycle of reincarnation.

There is a 10-day period after the death, during which the immediate family follows Hindu mourning customs. They refrain from visiting the family shrine and are prohibited from entering a temple or any other sacred place. This is because they are considered to be spiritually impure during this mourning period. After the shrahdhah ceremony, the family typically returns to work in anywhere from one to three weeks, depending on personal preferences.

According to Hindu funeral customs, the body remains at the home until it is cremated, which is usually within 24 hours after death. The ashes are typically scattered at a sacred body of water or at some other place of importance to the deceased.

refers to the ceremony conducted to mark the final day of mourning after a death by North Indian Hindus, and sometimes Sikhs. The term terahvin means thirteenth, and the ceremony is held on the thirteenth day after the death being mourned. Alms are given to the poor and to priests who help conduct the ceremonies, which can include Puja and havan for Hindus and a concluding recitation of the Guru Granth Sahib for Sikhs. A community function and feast is often organized for the mohalla or village to commemorate the dead person, especially if the deceased was socially prominent.

• Mourners at a Hindu funeral wear simple, white, casual clothes. Dress down, not up.

• A priest or oldest son (or other male) of the family preside at the service.

• You'll hear prayers and hymns.

• You'll see lots of flowers on the body.

• The casket will be open, and all mourners are expected to quietly view it.

Mourners who attend any of the various funeral ceremonies should not wear black. It is customary for guests and family member to wear white, and no head covering is required for either sex. Women should dress conservatively, covering arms and knees.

Hindus believe that humans are in a cycle of death and rebirth called samsara. When a person dies, their atman is reborn in a different body. Some believe rebirth happens directly at death, others believe that an atman may exist in other realms. Hindus believe in karma or 'intentional action'.

The death ritual does not end with the elimination of the body. To ensure the passage during its voyage to the otherworld, an eleven-day ritual called shraddha is performed. It consists of daily offerings of rice balls, called pindas, which provide a symbolic, transitional body for the dead.

In Nepal and India, a death anniversary is known as shraadh. The first death anniversary is called a barsy, from the word baras, meaning year in the Nepali and Hindi languages. According to Nepali and Indian texts, a soul has to wander about in the various worlds after death and has to suffer a lot due to past karmas.

and refers to the funeral rietes for the deal in Hinduism. This rite of passage is one of traditional Samskaras in hte lief of a Hindu. It is also refferred to as Antima Sanskar, Antya-kriya, Anvarohanyya, or as Vahni Sanskara.

According to the Hindu traditions, the ceremony is usually performed by the father of the wife of the eldest, surviving male member. The ceremony usually takes place on the fourth day from the day of funeral rites (Antim Sanskar, also known as Uthala), or on the thirteenth day, Tehravin.

Cremated remains are mostly dry calcium phosphates with some minor minerals, such as salts of sodium and potassium. Sulfur and most carbon are driven off asoxidized gases during the process, although a relatively small amount of carbon may remain as carbonate.

A memorial service or celebration of life is a funerary ceremony that is performed without the remains of the deceased person. The word funeral comes from the Latin funus, which had a variety of meanings, including the corpse and the funerary rites themselves.

The Ganges River is regarded as a holy river by Hindus and many crematory ghats are on its banks. Police officials of Unnao (UP) have offered an explanation that thebodies were of "people who were dumped in the river or buried on the banks after their families could not afford a proper cremation."

In funerals, the Hindu people wear white casual clothes in respect of the dead. Widows and sometimes widowers are expected to dress in white clothing to signify their status. In many Asian cultures, white clothing is worn as a sign of mourning

According to Hindu cosmology, above the earthly plane, are other planes: (1) Bhuva Loka, (2) Swarga Loka, meaning Good Kingdom, is the general name for heaven in Hinduism, a heavenly paradise of pleasure, where most of the Hindu Devatas (Deva) reside along with the king of Devas, Indra, and beatified mortals.

The stay in heaven is not eternal—eventually they will use up their good karma and will undergo rebirth into another realm, as a human, animal or other being. Because heaven is temporary and part of samsara, Buddhists focus more on escaping the cycle of rebirth and reaching enlightenment (nirvana).

Rebirth in Buddhism refers to its teaching that the actions of a person lead to a new existence after death, in endless cycles called samsara. The Buddhist traditions have disagreed on what it is in a person that is reborn, as well as how quickly the rebirth occurs after each death.

The first death anniversary is called a barsy, from the word baras, meaning year in the Nepali and Hindi languages. Shraadh means to give with devotion or to offer one's respect. Shraadh is a private ceremony performed by the family members of the departed soul.

Hindus who do eat meat, often distinguish all other meat from cow meat (beef). The respect for cow is part of Hindu belief, and most Hindus avoid meat sourced from cow as cows are treated as a motherly giving animal considered as another member of the family.

The last rites, in Roman Catholicism, are the last prayers and ministrations given to an individual of the faith, when possible, shortly before death. The last rites go by various names. They may be administered to those awaiting execution, mortally injured, or terminally ill.

Although these three sacraments are not, in the proper sense, the Last Rites, they are sometimes mistakenly spoken of as such. The Eucharist given as Viaticum is the only sacrament essentially associated with dying: "The celebration of the Eucharist as Viaticum is the sacrament proper to the dying Christian".

Even today people tend to bury the dead or cremate them. Open-air cremations, known as funeral pyres, are uncommon and even illegal in some countries, particularly in the Western World, because it is considered taboo.

Sikhs do not erect monuments over the remains of the dead. After the cremation ceremony, there may be another service at the Gurdwara, the Sikh place of worship, call the Sahaj Paath Bhog Ceremony.

For most of its history, the Roman Catholic Church had a ban against cremation. It was seen as the most sacrilegious act towards Christians and God, not simply blaspheming but physically declaring a disbelief in the resurrection of the body.

The body is cremated in the coffin. A piece of fire clay with a number on it is used for identifying the remains of the dead body after burning. The remains are then placed in a container called an ash capsule, which generally is put into a cinerary urn.

Hindu practices include rituals such as puja (worship) and recitations, japa,meditation, family-oriented rites of passage, annual festivals, and occasional pilgrimages. Some Hindus leave their social world and material possessions, then engage in lifelong Sannyasa (monastic practices) to achieve Moksha.

Hinduism mostly shares common terms with the other Indian religions, including Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Islam shares common characteristics with Abrahamic religions – those religions claiming descent from the prophet Abraham–being, from oldest to youngest, Judaism, Christianity, Islam

Mourning is, in the simplest sense, grief over someone's death. The word is also used to describe a cultural complex of behaviors in which the bereaved participate or are expected to participate.

Burial or interment is the ritual act of placing a dead person sometimes with objects, into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objects in it, and covering it over.

In Hinduism, the river Ganges is considered sacred and is personified as the goddess Ganaga. She is worshiped by Hindus who believe that bathing in the river causes the remission of sins and facilitates Moksha (liberation from the cycle of life and death), and that the water of the Ganges is considered very pure.

Pollution of the Ganges (or Ganga), the largest river in India, poses significant threats to human health and the larger environment. Today, the Ganges is considered to be the sixth most polluted river in the world.

"Karma" literally means "action" or "reincarnation", and more broadly names the universal principle of cause and effect, action and reaction, which Hindus believe governs all consciousness. Karma is not fate, for we act with what can be described as a conditioned free will creating our own destinies.

According to tradition, the creator god Brahma emerged from the egg and created the world; while in yet another tradition the Brahma himself is the Hiranyagarbha. The nature of the Purusha, the creation of the gods and other details of the embryo creation myth have been described variously by the later Hindu texts.

The Jaina philosophy assumes that the soul (Jiva in Jainism, Atman in Hinduism) exists and is eternal, passing through cycles of transmigration and rebirth. After death, reincarnation into a new body is asserted to be instantaneous in early Jaina texts.

After death, reincarnation into a new body is asserted to be instantaneous in early Jaina texts. Depending upon the accumulated karma, rebirth occurs into a higher or lower bodily form, either in heaven or hell or earthly realm. No bodily form is permanent: everyone dies and reincarnates further.

Sikhs, once they become Amritdhari (baptised) via the Amrit Sanchaar (baptism ceremony), are forbidden from eating Kutha or ritually-slaughtered (Halal, Kosher) meat because it transgresses one of the four restrictions in the Sikh Code of Conduct.

It is said that he poured water from his mouth on the Shiva lingam which he brought from the nearby river Swarnamukhi. He also offered Lord Shiva whatever animal he hunted, including swine flesh. But Lord Shiva accepted his offerings since Thinnanwas pure at heart and his devotion was true.

Fasting in Islam involves abstaining from all bodily pleasures between dawn and sunset. Sawm also carries a significant spiritual meaning. It teaches one the principle of God Consciousness: because when one observes fasting, it is done out of deep love for God and to learn self-restraint.

When administered to those on the point of death, the sacraments of Penance, Anointing of the Sick and Viaticum (Holy Communion administered to someone who is dying) are sometimes mistakenly called the last rites.

Viaticum is a term used especially in the Catholic Church for the Eucharist (also called Holy Communion) administered, with or without Anointing of the Sick (also called Extreme Unction), to a person who is dying, and is thus a part of the Last Rites.

One can bury in a biodegradable coffin, casket, or shroud. The grave does not use a burial vault or outer burial container that would prevent the body's contact with soil. Natural burials can take place both on private land (subject to regulations) and in any cemetery that will accommodate the vault-free technique.

The excavation that formed the grave. However, most modern graves in the United States are only 4 feet deep as the casket is placed into a concrete box which prevents a sinkhole, is strong enough to be driven over, and will not float in a flood. Excavated soil. The material dug up when the grave is excavated.

On the day of the cremation, the body is taken to the Gurdwara or home where Shabads (hymns) from the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh Scriptures, are recited by the congregation, which induce feeling of consolation and courage. Sikhs do not erect monuments over the remains of the dead.

All Sikh Gurus since Guru Nanak have worn turbans. However, covering one's hair with a turban was made an official policy by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs. Some other reasons Sikhs wear the turban are to take care of the hair, promote equality, and preserve the Sikh identity.

Sikhs do not erect monuments over the remains of the dead. After the cremation ceremony, there may be another service at the Gurdwara, the Sikh place of worship, call the Sahaj Paath Bhog Ceremony.

It is not permitted under normal circumstances since the mayyit should be treated with respect. According to a hadith of the Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace), "Breaking the bones of a deceased person, is tantamount to breaking his bones when alive." (Reported by Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah). The only exception is when foul play is suspected, and there is a need for criminal investigation. Maslahali 'aammah (public interest) outweighs other considerations in this situation.

It is preferred that the mayyit be buried in the country of death. However, if a person dies while travelling abroad, his body can be transported to his homeland for burial. The body of Caliph Abu Bakr's son was brought to Madinah for burial, although' Aishah, the mother of the faithful, expressed displeasure over it, and wished he had been buried at the place of death. It is also reported that (because of some pressing reasons) Jabir b. Abdallah, one of the Companions of the Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace), relocated the body of his father six months after burial (Abu Dawud).

There are no prescribed dua's to be recited. However one should recite Bismillaahi arrahmaani raheem (In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful) when starting ghusl. There is no mention anywhere that the Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace) prescribed any du 'as for this occasion.

It is not obligatory for him to make a ghusl unless he became unclean in the process of giving ghusl i.e. by being sprayed with dirty water). However, ghusl is recommended for the person who performed the ghusl on the mayyit.

Use of light perfume is recommended for both males and females. The restriction for women to abstain from use of perfume is not applicable in this case. However, by perfume we only mean light scents, which is more commonly known as 'itr.

The Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace) said, "It is not permitted for a mayyit to be kept waiting for burial among his family."(Reported by Abu Dawud). He also said, "Hurry to bury the dead without delay."(Reported by al-Bukhari, Muslim and others) Therefore, it is not within the spirit of Islam to delay funerals unnecessarily. However, a moderate delay to wait for a very close relative is allowed, provided that the body does not begin to decompose.

According to scholars it is not necessary to pray Janazah on someone who died in another country. However, there is an exception if nobody prayed his Janazah in the country of his death. The Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace) prayed Janazah on Najjashi (Negus), the emperor of Abyssinia, upon receiving the news of his death. According to Imam Ibn Taymiyah, the Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace) did so because there was no one around Negus to pray his Janazah.

Since there are no other reports of the Prophet praying on anyone else who died in another country, it can be concluded that this was not one of his common practices. However, there are scholars who see no harm in praying Janazah for someone who died elsewhere, although a du'a is preferable.

There is no mention of this practice in the Sunnah of the Prophet or traditions and customs of the early Muslims (including the four imams) -- whose example all Muslims are supposed to follow. As Muslims, we must not take away or add anything to the established rites of Islam, including funerals.

The Prophet said, "Any innovation which is not initially prescribed in our religion, should be rejected."(Reporled by al-Bukhari), May Allah help us to keep the pristine purity of Islam, and save ourselves from innovations in religion, for "every innovation is a deviation and every deviation leads to the fire of hell."(Reported by Muslim)

The Sunnah is to read the Qur'an before death. The Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace) is reported to have said, "Read (Surah) Yaseen in the presence of those who are dying."(Reported by Abu Dawud) The Qur'an is the source of true healing and salvation for the faithful.

Aware of this fact, pious Muslims of the past were in the habit of either reading the Qur'an themselves or asking those around them to read it at the time of their death. One may also read the Qur'an on the grave after burial. The first and the last parts of Surat al-Baqarah is especially recommended. As for gathering people to read the Qur'an after burial, if it is read for a remuneration (payment), then it is definitely undesirable.

No reward should be expected from such a practice, since the Qur'an has to be read solely for the pleasure of Allah. Consequently, the mayyit will not receive any rewards from this kind of reading. If, on the other hand, people gather voluntarily and read the Qur'an, and donate the rewards to the mayyit, then according to the majority of scholars, it is permitted to do so.

However, there are also some scholars who feel that reading the Qur'an after burial will not generate any rewards for the mayyit. The scholars who are of the opinion that the mayyit will benefit from such donations base their view on a number of traditions.

The traditions suggest that good deeds such as fasts, charities, and pilgrimages performed on behalf of the deceased by their children, will benefit them. Based on these facts, they believe that there is no reason to exclude reading of the Qur'an from the category of such good deeds. Moreover, there is also evidence to suggest that some of the al-Salaf as-Salib (pious generations) were in the habit of reading the Qur'an over their beloved ones even after burial.

In light of this, one should not object to the reading of the Qur'an after burial if no remuneration is involved. At the same time, it must also be noted that the reading is not a prescribed requirement.

A Muslim firmly believes that life and death are decreed by Allah. Therefore, Islam has been very strict in discouraging all forms of wailing and lamentation. Any words or actions that express one's displeasure with the will of Allah is clearly forbidden. The permitted form of mourning is to grieve and express sadness within moderation.

Shedding of tears is permitted. Islam has also restricted the number of days allowed for mourning. The Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace) explicitly states,"1t is not permitted for a person who believes in Allah and the last day to mourn any deceased person for more than three days and nights, except in the case of a wife mourning her husband." (Reported by both al-Bukhari and Muslim) In the case of a wife, she should sit in 'iddah (period of waiting) for four months and ten days. While in this state, she must avoid all kinds of indulgences, beautification, and she should not contemplate or entertain marriage proposals.

A woman is permitted to visit graves on the condition that she observes proper Islamic etiquettes. The Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace) cursed those who frequent the graves for wailing and lamentation. If a person can abstain from such pagan practices, then he/she is permitted to do so.

'Aishah, the wife of the Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace) visited the grave of her brother Abd al-Rahman. When questioned about it, she replied, "Yes, the Prophet had earlier forbidden people from visiting graves, but he did permit it afterwards." (Reported by al-Hakim, al-Bayhaqi and authenticated by al-Dhahabi) In other words, in her view, the permission to visit graves applies to both males and females.

While visiting graves one should greet the mayyit with the greetings mentioned earlier. One may also ask for mercy and forgiveness- on behalf of the mayyit by using the supplications generally used in Janazah prayer. According to some scholars, one may also read verses from the Qur'an prior to offering du'as.

According to Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, it was not the Sunnah of the Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace) to erect structures on graves, put mud on them, or raise mausoleums. All such practices are forbidden innovations and in stark contrast to his clear example. He sent Ali Abi Talib to Yemen with the mission of erasing statues, and levelling built-up graves to the ground.

The Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace) has also forbidden the practice of embellishing, whitening, or engraving tombstones. He further prohibited converting grave sites into mosques and lighting lamps on graves. At the same time, the Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace) clearly prohibited all forms of desecration of graves such as walking or relieving oneself over them.

Celebrating death anniversaries, whereby people gather for mourning and spending wealth extravagantly, is a clear innovation. Such a practice did not exist in early Islam, and so we should shun it in order to keep our religion pure.

The Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace) himself had lost many of his dear companions, including his wife Khadijah, but he never celebrated any death anniversaries. The pious generations (al-Salaf as-Salih) followed this example and abstained from such innovations.

If a Muslim had requested that a certain un-Islamic or questionable practice be performed at the funeral, this wish should not be respected. Rather one should respect the laws of Allah and His Messenger. A person will be held responsible for actions done on his behalf by his relatives, if he knew in advance that it was going to be done, and yet he did not try to prevent it-- even if he had not requested it. For this reason the early Muslims were in the habit ofleaving specific instructions as to what should and should not be done at their funerals.

Janazah should be performed, preferably, outside the mosque if at all possible. This was the most common practice of the Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace). Nevertheless, on rare occasions, he did perform Janazah in the mosque, as in the case of Suhail and his brother, according to a report of Aishah, the wife of the Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace).

(Reported by Muslim and Abu Dawud). Furthermore, according to Imam al-Khattabi, the famous hadith scholar, the Janazahs of both Abu Bakr and Umar b. al-Khattab were performed in the Prophet's mosque. If it had been undesirable, the Prophet's Companions would not have done so. (See Mukhtasar SunanAbi Dawud, Vol.4: 326)

If someone declares himself a Muslim and is known among the people as one, then he must be treated as such. This is true even if he had been guilty of neglecting Salah or committing major sins. The scholars of Islam concur that all the external laws of Islam such as Janazah, inheritance, and burial in Muslim graveyards apply to such people.

But the rule is different in the case of someone who had been notorious for his nifaq (hypocrisy) and zandaqah (atheism). No Janazah should be performed on such a person, even if he paraded himself as a Muslim. This rule also applies to anyone who has renounced Islam by denying any of its fundamental beliefs or practices such as the obligations of Salah, fasting, Zakah, resurrection, etc.

Such a person should be treated as a munafiq (hypocrite) or mushrik (polytheist), and prayers should not be performed on his behalf. Referring to munafiqeen (hypocrites), Allah says: " Do not pray over anyone of them, should he die, and do not stand over his grave imploring mercy on his behalf." (al-Qur'an: 9: 84), and referring to the mushrikeen (polytheists): "It is improper for the Prophet and the believers to ask forgiveness for the pagans." (al-Qur'an: 9: 113) As for those who had been guilty of major sins, the best approach is that while some Muslims pray, others abstain.

It is best that the knowledgeable people and leaders refrain from praying. This is to serve as a deterrent and lesson for others. The Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace) refused to pray on those who had committed suicide or those who had incurred loans—if he or anyone else could not pay them on their behalf. However, at the same time he asked the companions to pray over them. According to scholars, the Prophet's action was intended to serve as a deterrent for others from committing the same sins.

The prescribed period of mourning for a mayyit is three days only (the only exception being in the case of a wife mourning her husband). The reason for this restriction is due to Islam's insistence that life must continue regardless of someone's death or birth. Therefore, the custom of refraining from marriages in the month of Muharram, because of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn, is an innovation and has no basis in Islamic teachings.

There is no mention that any of the al-Salaf as-Salih observed mourning for Imam Husayn, or for anyone else for that matter, and thus refrained from marriage in any month including the month of Muharram. If one were to refrain from marriages because of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn, must not we do the same in the case of the martyrdoms of others such as prophets, caliphs, etc.? If we were to observe this rule, we would not be able to conduct any marriages at all, as it would be almost impossible to find a month free from martyrdoms.

Therefore, it is an absurd idea. The Prophet (upon whom be Allah's blessings and peace) knew that such innovations are destructive and harmful as they amount to disrupting human life. We ought to deeply ponder the following hadith, 'This religion (of ours) is both simple and easy to follow; whoever makes it hard will be defeated by it (by being forced to give it up altogether)." (Reported by al-Bukhari) ''All praises are due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds."

The Jewish funeral consists of a burial, also known as an interment. Cremation is forbidden. Burial is considered to allow the body to decompose naturally, therefore embalming is forbidden.

The 40th Day after death is a traditional memorial service, family gathering, ceremonies and rituals in memory of the departed on the 40th day after his/her death. The 40th Day concludes the 40-day memorial period and has a major significance in traditions of Eastern Orthodox.

The Jewish funeral consists of a burial, also known as an interment. Cremation is forbidden. Burial is considered to allow the body to decompose naturally, therefore embalming is forbidden.

Mourners might have originally placed stones on the graves of loved ones in order to prevent souls from leaving their burial spots. Placing pebbles and rocks on Jewish graves might have prevented evil spirits and demons from entering burial sites and taking possession of human souls, according to superstition.

In the Catholic tradition, a nine-day novena (prayer) is held every evening after the Holy Mass and a celebration is held on the deceased's 40th day as this is believed to be the day he/she ascends into heaven. Among Born-again Christians the 9 day and 40 day prayers and celebrations are dispensed with.

Beside the Sea of Galilee he encouraged Peter to serve his followers. His final gospel appearance is reported as being forty days after the resurrection when he was "carried up" into heaven where he sits on the right hand of God.

How does a person must cope up with the death of his / her spouse?

1. Take care of yourself. Grief can spoil health.

2. Try to eat right.

3. Talk with caring friends.

4. Join a grief support group.

5. Visit with members of your religious community.

6. Try not to make any major changes right away.

7. See your doctor regularly.

8. Don't be afraid to seek professional help.

Shiva (Hebrew literally "seven") is the week-long mourning period in Judaism for first-degree relatives. The ritual is referred to as "sitting Shiva." At the funeral, mourners wear an outer garment or ribbon that is torn during the procession in a ritual known as keriah.

The Kaddish or Qaddish (Aramaic "holy" - alternative spelling: Kaddish) is a hymn of praises to God found in Jewish prayer services. The Central theme of the Kaddish is the magnification and sanctification of God's name. Mourners say Kaddish to show that despite the loss they still praise God.

The biblical narrative in Chapter 1 of the Acts of the Apostles takes place 40 days after the resurrection: Jesus is taken up from the disciples in their sight, a cloud hides him from view, and two men in white appear to tell them that he will return "in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

Luke 24 tells how Jesus leads the eleven disciples to Bethany, a village on the Mount of Olives not far from Jerusalem, where he instructs them to remain in Jerusalem until the coming of the Holy Spirit and blesses them. "And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven.

Most scholars assume a date of birth between 6 and 4 BC, and that Jesus' preaching began around AD 27–29 and lasted one to three years. They calculate the death of Jesus as having taken place between AD 30 and 36.

A widow was supposed to wear mourning for two years and was not supposed to enter society for twelve months. No lady or gentleman in mourning was supposed to attend social events while in deep mourning. In general, servants wore black armbands when there had been a death in the household.

Moses then went up Mount Nebo to the top of Pisgah, looked over the promised land of Israel spread out before him, and died, at the age of one hundred and twenty (120).

Aleinu (Hebrew: it is our duty) or Aleinu leshabei'ach ("[it is] our duty to praise [God]"), meaning "it is upon us or it is our obligation or duty to praise God," is a Jewish prayer found in the siddur, the classical Jewish prayer book.

The use of a yahrzeit candle is a widely practiced custom, where mourners light a yahrzeit candle that burns for 24 hours, on the anniversary of the death on the Hebrew calendar.

Matthew has two post-Resurrection appearances, the first to Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" at the tomb, and the second, based on Mark 16:7, to all the disciples on a mountain in Galilee, where Jesus claims authority over heaven and earth and commissions the disciples to preach the gospel to the whole world.

According to the post-biblical Jewish Midrash, eight people went to heaven (also referred to as the Garden of Eden and Paradise) alive: Elijah (Kings II Chapter 2, Verse 11) Serach, the daughter of Asher – one of the sons of Jacob (Midrash Yalkut Shimoni (Yechezkel 367)) Enoch (Genesis 5:22–24)

The earliest source stating 25 December as the date of birth of Jesus is likely by Hippolytus of Rome, written very early in the 3rd century, based on the assumption that the conception of Jesus took place at the Spring equinox which he placed on 25 March, and then added nine months.

Some apocryphal accounts state that at the time of her betrothal to Joseph, Mary was 12–14 years old, and he was ninety years old, but such accounts are unreliable. According to ancient Jewish custom, Mary could have been betrothed at about 12.

Widows observe an extended mourning period (iddah, period of waiting), 4 months and 10 days long. During that time, the widow is not to remarry or to interact with non-mahram (a man she can marry).

A national day of mourning is a day marked by mourning and memorial activities observed among the majority of a country's populace. They are designated by the national government.

When a Christian dies, it is seen as the end of his/her life on earth. A funeral is held for friends and family to grieve for the person who has died and give thanks for their life. If someone is on their deathbed, a minister will prepare them for death.

A Christian burial is the burial of a deceased person with specifically Christian ecclesiastical rites; typically, in consecrated ground. Until recent times Christians generally objected to cremation because it interfered with the dogma of the resurrection of the body, and practiced inhumation almost exclusively.

The funeral is typically held about one week after the time of death. There may also be a wake or viewing, depending on the family's preferences.

Though there is no clear commandment against cremation, Presbyterians generally do not support cremation, and instead prefer that the body remain intact and be buried in the ground.
What are the religious customs of Christianity?

• Belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit.

• The death, descent into hell, resurrection and ascension of Christ.

• The holiness of the Church and the communion of saints.

• Christ's second coming, the Day of Judgement and salvation of the faithful.

At a burial, the committal service typically takes place at the graveside of your loved one and may include prayers and readings. When you are ready to say goodbye to the deceased, the coffin or casket is lowered into the ground. You may scatter soil onto the coffin or throw flowers into the grave as it is lowered.