Guide On Attending A Funeral Of Someone Outside Your Faith Tradition

Guide On Attending A Funeral Of Someone Outside
Your Faith Tradition

In this global age, it is very natural that you will have a friend
or neighbor or a colleague who is not from your faith, church,
or even ethnicity. And like a good friend or neighbor, you
have to show your support to them when they lose a family
member. If you have never been to a funeral home in Miami
to attend a funeral of someone outside your faith tradition,
then here is a handy guide that will help you out.

Have an idea of what to expect

Each culture has its own way of honoring its loved ones. For
example, people from Ghana often create “fantasy coffins”
that show what the deceased person had accomplished in his
lifetime. Then there is the religious difference of how a
funeral is held not only between different religions but
sometimes within different churches/sects of the same
religion. Hence, the first thing you should do if you have to

attend such a funeral is read about the funeral tradition of the
faith of the deceased person. Google is of course the best
place to do so, but you can also ask the funeral home where
the funeral is being held for more information. Asking friends
or common acquaintances of the same faith is also a good
idea. Going to a funeral informed about it is always better
than going without knowing anything. You won’t be making
any faux pass that way!

Dress appropriately

A funeral is a somber event, and unless there is a dress code
given, it is best to be on the conservative side when dressing
for a funeral. Dressing modestly is always best, especially for
women. If the funeral is going to be held in a religious place,
it is best to wear dresses that are below the knee and cover the
shoulder. In some faith, both men and women need to cover
their hair while the funeral service is being held. The head
coverings are often offered in such cases, but for women, it is
better to carry a scarf or mantilla just in case there isn’t any
for women. Another important thing in this regard is the color
of the attire. Some religion has a specific color that denotes
mourning, for example, white in Hinduism, black in most
Christian churches, etc. If you don’t have any specific
information in this aspect, then the best choice is to wear
neutral shades like beige, dark blue, grey, etc. Don’t try to “fit
in” with others in such a funeral, wear something that you
think is appropriate after taking in the considerations
discussed above, and you are ready for the funeral.

Be attentive while participating

One thing you should remember is that, when you attend a
funeral of someone from a different faith, no one from the
family of the deceased person will expect that you will join
them in their religious services like communion or sacraments
or prayers. In fact, if you try to join, it might be seen as a sign
of disrespect. The best thing in such a scenario is to watch

carefully what others in the funeral home in Miami are doing
and follow them when they sit or stand up. Just immerse
yourself in this new experience and appreciate the poignancy
of the moment. People attending the funeral will appreciate
the effort you put in to understand their faith and pay respect
to the deceased person.

Don’t be anxious when you have to attend the funeral of
someone not from your faith. Take it as a chance to know
about a new culture/faith/community. And with little help
from this guide, everything else will fall into place.