Memorial
Memorial
A memorial is a ceremony or gathering held to remember and honour a person who has died, without the coffin or casket being present. A memorial can take place before or after burial or cremation, and can be held at almost any time and in almost any place.
The body is not present. The defining difference between a memorial and a Funeral is that the coffin or casket is not taken to the place where the memorial is held. The person may already have been buried or cremated, or the cremation or burial may take place separately.
Before cremation. A family may choose to hold a memorial before the cremation. The coffin or casket remains elsewhere, and the people gathering do not have the opportunity to see or be with the person who has died.
After cremation. A memorial is often held after cremation, when the cremated remains may or may not be present. The family might gather weeks, months or even years later, when the timing and circumstances feel right.
Not defined by timing. A memorial can take place immediately after a death or long afterwards. It might be held at a home, community hall, garden, church, crematorium chapel, favourite place or somewhere else that has meaning to the family.
A personal farewell. A memorial can include music, readings, photographs, stories, religious or cultural rituals, personal objects and contributions from family and friends. It can be formal or informal, large or private.
The ashes may or may not be present. The presence of cremated remains does not turn a memorial into a funeral. The distinction is whether the coffin or casket containing the person is present at the gathering.
Ultimately, a memorial is a farewell or gathering to remember someone who has died, held without their coffin or casket present.