Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-10-05
STRANGE FUNERAL CUSTOMS.
Points on the Manner In Which Various
Countries Observe Them.


Countries Observe Them.
Some singular customs in relation to
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 the Chileans make funny side
even to a funeral. The more degraded
class look upon the death Of relative
as an excuse for wild orgies, and the
body, especially if it be that Of child,
is kept in the house for festive purposes
for many days after death and some-
times even lent to friends who are not
so fortunate to possess a corpse of one
Of their own relatives.
On the continent we had a great va
riety in funeral ceremonies and obsery-
ances. In Paris more outward manites-
tations Of respect are paid to the dead
than in any other city. When funeral
passes through the street, it is the Gus
tom for all men to take off their hats
and bow their heads until the cortege
has passed, women expressing their sor-
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 to professional
mourners, who abound in the city. The
employment Of these mourners Is gen.
eral-the richer the deceased the bigger
the funeral-and many Of the inhabi-
tants gain a good living by simply
mourning for other people. They are
expected to fill the church with hideous
means and yells, and at the grave they
must - and do scream and yell as
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 to their re-
muneration. which varies from to
silver roubles - are entertained at q
banquet after the funeral is over.
1t is in 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 moro fully than in any
part of the world. Many of the Gus
toms besides being picturesque and
beautiful, are 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 were
worn for year after the death Of aneal
relative The funeral procession was al
observance in which all connected witt
the deceased took part. This procession
always took place at night and was
headed by men, who sang the tunera
song Then the corpse, in the moutf
of which a coin was placed to pay hi
ferriage across the Styx, was carried OF
a couch, generally by freedmen. Th
family followed, the men with head
uncovered, the women with disheveleC
hair, beating their breasts and utterinI
piercing cries. Finally the corpse wa
placed on a funeral pyre, which th'
nearest relative kindled, and while
was being consumed perfumes, oil, fooC
and clothing were thrown on the pyre
Among many other old customs
which have survived till today is thu
Misericordia confraternity at Florence
for the care of people injured by acci
dent and their burial in the case o
death. The members of the society arr
never seen in public without wearing
masking hood and habit, and while per
forming their duties they defy individ
nal Identification.
In Venice much pomp is displayed
especially if the deceased was a nobl
or high dignitary of state. The gondola
highly decorated, becomes a perfec
blaze of lights and torches as it passe
through the city to the metropolis. II
the case of young woman the cere
mony Of conveying the body to tn
grave is full of poetry and grace. Re
clining on a raised couch, covered wit
flowers, the dead girl, floating on he
funeral bier" like Elaine, the maid o
Astolat, is conveyed to an island, AM
after the preliminary service the re
quiem begins, and loving hands plac
the body in its last resting place. Gas
sells Magazine.