Traditional Funeral Services

The Basics of Traditional Funeral Services

Traditional funeral services typically include:

• Visitation: This is often called a viewing or a wake. Guests come to pay their respects to the deceased by viewing their casketed body and spending time with the grieving family. A visitation can occur at any time before the funeral service.
• Funeral Service: This event commonly takes place at the funeral home, a church, or at the graveside. It can include music, the reading of literary or religious passages, a eulogy, prayer, and the singing of hymns.
• Committal Service: If the family plans to bury or entomb the deceased, this service includes the blessing or hallowing of the final resting place.  Most often, this is conducted at the cemetery.
• Funeral Reception/Luncheon: Many choose to host this post-service gathering (or repast) at a reception hall or restaurant. This is considered a time to share memories, laughter, and support.

A funeral service, whether traditional or more contemporary (memorial service or celebration-of-life), has two functions: to acknowledge the death and lifetime achievements of an individual and to bring grieving family members and friends together in support of one another during this difficult time.

If you are interested in making funeral arrangements for a loved one, we invite you to call us at 412-793-3000 to begin.

Online Sources:

Rostad, Curtis, "The Basics of Funeral Service", Indiana Funeral Directors Association, 2014