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Text and photos courtesy of Roy et Giguère inc.
and Centre funéraire Gérald Cloutier inc.
Cremation (or incineration) has long existed in the history of humanity, but the Catholic Church has only recognized this method of disposal since 1963. While cremation is becoming increasingly popular, many people choose to have visiting hours and a funeral service in church with the body, to be followed by cremation. The Church has permitted the celebration of funerals in presence of cremains since 1985.
The body of the deceased is placed in a casket, a wooden box or cardboard container, depending on the choice. Out of respect for the deceased, the body is incinerated in the casket or in a cremation container. The furnace can only hold one casket at a time. Cremation takes approximately an hour and a half, at temperatures ranging between 1000° and 1200°C. The heat is so great that the container, clothing and body disintegrate, leaving only bony remains.
Even at very high temperatures, the principal bones of the human body cannot be reduced to ashes. As a result, after cooling, the fragments of bone are ground into tiny fragments before being placed in the cinerary urn that has been chosen.
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Cremated remains
are put int the urn |
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There are many kind of urns, made from many different materials, including bronze, marble, wood, etc. The cinerary urn must be waterproof to properly protect the cremains once they are placed in the urn. Afterwards, the cinerary earn may be interred in a cemetery, or in a columbarium.
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