El velorio y la cremación
El velorio funerario, or funeral wake, is the first rite of a traditional Catholic funeral. It’s an opportunity for friends and family to gather to view the body of a loved one who has passed and to say goodbye in person.
It’s also a time to gather for food, prayer, and shared memories. It’s a less formal event than a structured funeral mass and provides a place and time to read eulogies, pray the rosary, light a candle of remembrance, and reflect on the life that was lost.
In Mexico, where families often prepare their own loved ones for burial, el velorio is an integral part of laying someone to rest. The wake would usually happen in a person’s home, with the body laid out in a simple casket or beneath a shroud while visitors would come to pay respects before the funeral.
Here in Denver, it’s standard for a funeral home to help with preparing your loved one’s body, but the funeral wake remains a very important step in the process of saying goodbye.
Decir adiós una última vez
Beyond offering family and friends a chance to gather and remember, the wake provides a chance to say goodbye to your loved one in person for the last time.
Holding their hand, kissing their forehead, and being in the presence of their body can help you confront the reality of the loss. People who do not have this opportunity often feel incomplete in their grief or struggle to move past the feelings of shock and disbelief that can follow a loss, particularly an unexpected one.
¿La cremación le impide realizar un velorio?
It’s a
common misconception that choosing cremation means you can’t have a traditional funeral. In fact, the Catholic church allows cremation as a method of disposition, or laying a body to rest. All of the traditional Catholic funeral rites can be performed in the presence of a body before cremation, and this includes el velorio.
Cremation doesn’t have to happen right away. You have time in the days after a loved one’s death to hold the wake and funeral in the presence of their body. The wake can be held at your home, the funeral home, or another location.
If you wish, the team at Latina Funerals & Cremations can help with making these arrangements and hosting the viewing and visitation. We can also help with catering, provide space for your friends and family members to gather, and have audiovisual equipment available for sharing music, pictures, and video tributes to their life.
Whether you choose cremation or burial, being able to see them one last time and gather in the presence of their body is important. We understand the emotional, religious, and cultural significance of these precious final moments and will do whatever we can to help your family in this difficult time. Call us at
303-996-0701 with questions or to begin planning your loved one’s cremation with us.
Go en paz.
As members of Denver’s Hispanic communities, we feel a deep responsibility to help its families through some of their most difficult days. We are here for you and your loved ones, and our staff is available to answer any questions you may have.
Llámanos al (303) 996-0701.
