What is the purpose of a funeral?

Funerals provide surviving family members and friends a caring, supportive environment in which to recognize the death of a loved one, and to share thoughts and feelings about that person. Funerals are the first step in the healing process. The ritual of attending a funeral service provides many benefits including:

• Providing a social support system for the bereaved
• Helping the bereaved understand death is final and that death is part of life
• Integrating the bereaved back into the community
• Easing the transition to a new life after the death of a loved one
• Providing a safe haven for embracing and expressing pain
• Reaffirming one's relationship with the person who died
• Providing a time to say good-bye

It is possible to have a full funeral service even for those choosing cremation. The importance of the ritual is in providing a social gathering to help the bereaved begin the healing process.