Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1894-10-06
STRANGE FUNERAL CUSTOMS.
Points on tho Manner In Which Various
Countries Observe Them.

: STRANGE FUNERAL CUSTOMS.
Points on tho Manner In Which Various
Countries Observe Them.
Some singular customs in relation 70
funerals not generally known among
English people prevail in other lands,
and many of those with which travellers
have made us familiar appear neyerthe-
less somewhat strange to US.
a recent resident in Valparaiso states
that tho Chiloans make funny side
oven to funeral The more degraded
GLASS look upon the death Of relative
Us an excuse for wild orgies, and the
body, especially if it be that OF o child,
Is kept in tho house for festive purposes
for many days after death and some
times even lent to friends who are not
&c fortunate to possess corpse OF one
of their own relatives.
On the continent we had n great va
rioty In funeral ceremonies and observ-
ances. In Paris more outward NANTES
tations Of respect are paid to the dead
than In any othor city When funeral
passes through the street, it is the cus-
tom for all men to take of their hats
and bow their heads until the cortege
has passed women expressing their SOL
row by the conventional courtesy.
AS contrast to this funeral at ST.
Petersburg is considered quite Jolly
affair, outward expressions OF sorrow,
etc. being delegated 10 professional
mourners, who abound in the city. The
employment of these mournors IS gen
ersl--the richer the deceased the bigger
the funeral-and many of the inhabi-
tanes gain good living by simply
mourning for other people They are
expected to fill the church with hideous
means and yells, aud at the grave they
must aud do scream and yell rs
though suffering the widest paroxysm
of grief. If their employer is satisfied
that these duties have been carried OUT
in an efficient and satisfactory manner,
the mourners-in addition 10 their re-
enumeration, which varies from ] 70 D
silver roubles = are entertained at 4
banquet after the funeral is over.
1t is III Italy, however, where many
of the funeral customs have remained
unchanged from the middle ages TO the
present time, that the poetry OF burial
is brought out more fully than IL any
part Of tho world. Many of the Gus
toms, besides being picturesque and
beautiful, arc extremely touching. Even
so far back as the days Of the Roman
republic the mourning and sacrifices
were continued for nine days and. by
the women, mourning habiliments We're
worn for year after the death OF near
relative. The funeral processionwas an
Observance in which all connected with
the deceased took part This procession
always took place ct night and was
headed by men, who sang the funeral
song. Then the corpse in the mouth
of which o coin was placed to pay his
ferriage across the Styx, was carried on
q couch, generally by freedmen. The
family followed, tbs men with heads
uncovered, the women with disheveled
hair, beating their breasts and uttering
piercing cries Finally the corpse was
placed on a funeral pyre, which the
nearest relative kindied, and while it
was being consumed perfumes, oil, food
and clothing were thrown On the pyre
Among many other old customs
which have survived till today is the
Misoricordia confraternity at Florence
for the care Of people injured by acci-
dent and their burial in the case Of
death. The members Of the society are
never seen In public without wearing %
masking hood and habit, and while per
forming their duties they defy individ-
ual Identification.
In Venice much pomp is displayed,
especially if the deceased was noble
or nigh dignitary Of state. The gondola,
highly decorated, becomes a perfect
blaze of lights and torches as it passes
through the city TO the metropolis. In
the case of a young woman the cere-
mony Of conveying the body TO the
grave Is full of poetry and grace. Re-
clining on raised couch. covered with
flowers, the dead girl, floating on her
funeral bier" like Elaine, the maid of
Astolat, Is conveyed TO an island, and
after the preliminary service the re-
QUEEN begins, and loving hands place
the body In its last resting place.
sells Magazine.