OrthodoxFuneral Service

OrthodoxFunerals

There are many funeral services that fail to understand how to go about making the necessary arrangements for orthodox funerals in Sydney. This is mainly because they have not been exposed to much about the orthodox church. Generally speaking, while there are varying degrees of orthodoxy within the Eastern Orthodox Church itself, most Eastern Orthodox Christians believe that salvation can only be achieved by living a holy, Christ-like life also called deification. Interestingly, since traditional Western ideas or notions of heaven and hell in this faith are nonexistent, the belief rather is that both hell and heaven are an experience of being within God’s eternal presence.

So, for someone who loves God, their eternal presence will be heaven. In Eastern Orthodox Christian practice, when someone is near death a priest is brought to them to hear their final confession and to administer holy communion to the soon-to-be deceased. This for all intents and purposes also signifies the first step towards leaving this plane of existence. Unlike regular Christian funeral services, orthodox funerals in Sydney never require cremation because it is forbidden but rather burial is the only option. The first step of which is preparing the dead for the send-off.

Preparingthe Body

Preparing the body for an orthodox funeral in Sydney requires washing and then clothing. Usually, it is family and very close friends that perform this traditionally alongside a priest. If the person who passed away was a military veteran they would be clothed in their uniform. If they had a role in the church they would be dressed in robes. After the body has been thoroughly bathed as per tradition, it is then dressed and placed in a casket. The priest present will then sprinkle some holy water on all four sides of the casket prior to placing the body inside.

The FuneralService

The orthodox funeral service takes the form of a procession after which the body can be viewed in the church. This allows friends and family members to pay their last respects to the dearly departed. After the burial, friends and family members gather for the post-funeral reception. This is where people discuss the deceased while having some tea and food. Though many of the aspects of orthodox funerals in Sydney are a lot like regular Christian West-style funerals, there is a lot that is different too. As experts and experienced funeral service people, we understand these differences and so we can handle just about any aspect of the entire funeral on our own. Nobody, in this industry perhaps, understands orthodox funerals the way we do and this has over the years made us the obvious choice for many families. If you are looking for an Orthodox funeral service in Sydney that has the experience and track record of ensuring the perfect outcome then do not hesitate to call us at (02) 9564 0223. You can also get in touch via our online form and we will make all the required arrangements.