The annual number of deaths in Hong Kong is approximately 45,000, which means that at least over 40,000 funerals are held each year. Among them, some funerals and burial processes are simple in procedure and scale, while others are more grand. When it comes to arranging funeral affairs and choosing the type of funeral, one of the factors to consider is the religious beliefs of the deceased and their family, and another is the venue and cost for holding the funeral.
Types of funerals:
Traditionally, funerals are mainly held for the deceased. This is especially true for Chinese funerals, whose purpose is to help the soul of the deceased transcend to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss. Therefore, in both funeral and burial processes, there are many rituals such as chanting scriptures, reciting incantations, and performing religious ceremonies, aiming to allow the living family members to bid farewell to the deceased and wish them a peaceful journey.
If the deceased and their family are Christians, Christian rituals will be chosen for the funeral. In the Christian perspective on funerals, the role of a funeral is not only to pray for the deceased, asking the Lord to receive their soul into heaven and grant them eternal life, but also to provide a channel for relatives and friends to remember and cherish the deceased through the funeral, allowing them to reconnect with one another. Therefore, Christian funerals usually include recounting the deceased’s life, relatives, friends and guests sharing daily anecdotes about the deceased, and even showing photos of the deceased during their lifetime, so that relatives and friends can jointly recall the time spent with the deceased.
Christian funerals make the funeral more vivid, enabling the deceased to “live” once again in the hearts of the living and reconnection between them. Therefore, Christian funerals also hold the significance of providing therapy and grief counseling for the relatives and friends of the deceased, helping the living find solace amid the pain of losing their loved ones.
Christian funeral procedures:
In a Christian funeral, the encoffining and funeral procession ceremonies are part of the funeral. The officiant will also read from the Funeral Liturgy during the service to comfort the relatives and friends of the deceased. For example, John 11:25: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life.
The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.'” This allows the guests attending the funeral to hear the gospel of God, enabling them to gradually calm their grief even in the sorrow of losing a loved one.
In addition, the officiant will read scriptures about God’s promise of eternal life and hope, psalms, and deliver a sermon during the funeral, so that the guests may understand that God is always with them, witnessing Christ’s salvation and the promise of eternal life.
Christian burial ceremony is conducted, allowing relatives and friends to bid their final farewell to the deceased. The officiant will lead the guests attending the ceremony in offering prayers on behalf of the deceased, praying that the deceased’s soul may be entrusted into God’s hands. During the prayer, in addition to praying for the deceased, relatives and friends can also understand the Christian beliefs in the joy of life after death and the message that the deceased has found rest in God’s embrace, thus finding comfort for their souls.
Venue of the funeral:
Different procedures of a Christian funeral can be held in a funeral parlour, a church, or alternatively in a small chapel of a hospital. However, if held in a hospital’s small chapel, the time is generally shorter, and the ceremony usually does not exceed half an hour.
Funeral costs:
Funeral expenses cannot be generalized. Specifically, they depend on the scale and venue of the funeral, ranging from over 30,000 to several hundred thousand, and may even require more exorbitant costs. However, in fact, the most important purpose of a funeral is to meet the requirements and expectations of the deceased’s family. Therefore, the cost of holding a funeral varies from person to person.
Contact us
White Lily Christian Funeral Services provides comprehensive funeral services tailored to the needs of the deceased and their families, including handling government documents, venue booking and decoration, issuing funeral lists on behalf of clients, as well as services such as inviting guests and arranging transportation during the funeral and procession. If in need, please feel free to contact us. Let White Lily accompany you through the grief of losing a loved one.
