A funeral is an act to bury a deceased person in a cemetery or place of interment.

Depending on the religion or tradition the actual burial can take place within 24 hours after death or some cases even a week or two after the death took place.

There are many ways that a traditional funeral can take place and is guided by the religion or tradition of the specific ethnic/religious group involved. A few examples will follow:

These “guidelines” are all determined by the religion or the ethnic tradition of the loved one.

In the first situation, the loved one is taken by the funeral parlour assisting with the burial, in a casket to the home of the deceased the night before the service takes place. This allows the family and mourners the time to have a night vigil where the deceased can be viewed for the last time and religious/traditional rites can be performed.

The next morning a sermon or memorial service can be held at home, church, or venue as a tribute to the loved one.

This can include multiple sermons or services relating to religion or ethnic traditions. (In some cases, the loved one will only be brought to the home on the day of the burial where similar actions will take place.)

After the sermon or memorial service, the mourners will leave to the cemetery or place of internment where a short service or traditional/religious acts can be performed before the actual internment takes place. After the internment, the mourners will normally move to a venue where refreshments will be served, and the mourners will celebrate the life of the deceased.