Funeral traditions of different religions

Australia is an incredibly multicultural country where people of all different backgrounds and traditions live in harmony. It’s highly likely that you have friends or even family members who come from a different culture to your own. 

It can sometimes be confronting when it comes to the subject of death and the celebration of life, as this process differs greatly from one religion to another. 

Say you have been invited to attend a funeral or service of a religion that you’re not familiar with. This can raise a number of questions and doubts making you uncomfortable about how to present yourself, how you should dress, whether you should bring anything and what to expect in the service. 

These are good things to be asking before going as you want to be there for support and to comfort your friend or relative but want to respect the customs of the faith. So, let’s have a look at some of our country’s diverse funeral practices across different religions.

It’s important to note that not every person of a certain faith will follow the norm when it comes to a funeral, and of course, there are differences even within certain religions themselves. It’s a good idea to ask someone who is familiar with the exact sect of the faith ahead of time if there is anything you should be aware of.

To learn about specific funeral traditions of different religions, choose from one of the many articles below: