Farewell Meeting (Sociology of Funerals)

Abstract

The article is devoted to identifying the features of a farewell meeting — funeral. They represent the ritual design of the wires of the deceased into the space of death, guaranteeing a safe crossing of the border between them for the living. Despite the historical, cultural and ethno-confessional differences, a common algorithm and similar features can be found in the farewells to the deceased. A retrospective analysis of the rites showed that at all times there was a “stratification” of funeral ceremonies. In the 20th century, the secularization process abroad led to a significant reduction in funerals performed in accordance with religious rituals. Since ancient times, mourning music has set the tempo of funerals. Although the transition from a traditional to a modernized society had modified the farewell to a certain extent, their fundamental features remained unchanged — the demonstration of love and respect for the deceased, the rites of carrying out the body and the funeral procession to the place of his last resting place. Classification of funerals is carried out on a variety of grounds (the number of deceased, the social status of the deceased, technology, duration, etc.). According to customs, at certain stages or in certain funeral rituals, the participation of children, women (especially pregnant women), seriously ill, elderly people, etc. is restricted or prohibited. Along with strictly regulated ceremonies, emergency funerals occur in people’s lives when the duration of rituals is shortened, or they are not observed at all — in conditions of hostilities, natural or man-made disasters, pandemics. By their “nature” funerals are multifunctional — they perform sanitaryhygienic, ritual, psychotherapeutic, consolidating, identification, memorial and other functions. In general, funerals can be considered as a “chain” of oppositions: completion — beginning, break — connection, farewell — meeting, etc.