Cremated remains can either go directly inside an urn or be contained in a bag inside the urn. When you receive your loved one's ashes from the crematorium, the ashes will already be inside a plastic bag, so you can either place the entire bag inside the urn or pour the ashes from the bag into the urn.
Cremated remains entering the United States have no permit or importation requirements. These "ashes," which are processed bone fragments left over from the cremation process, are sterile because any tissue, blood, or other decomposable material that can transmit disease has been burned away during cremation. Other human remains that require no permit for importation include clean and dry bones, hair, teeth, and finger or toe nails. A deceased person's body that is entering the United States for later burial or cremation must be accompanied by a death certificate and be cleared for entry.
A good starting estimate is to assume one pound of a person's weight while alive will produce one cubic inch of cremated remains. Therefore, if a person weighed 100 pounds, you can expect to receive about 100 cubic inches of ashes. A suitable urn for a 100lb person should be able to hold a bit over 100 cubic inches of ashes, leaving some room at the top to avoid the ashes overflowing or spilling over the lip of the urn. All standard adult urns will be appropriate, although you may also be able to use a medium-sized urn if it has a volume of over 100 cubic inches.
First, the deceased's body will be prepared for cremation. This includes removing items that can’t be cremated such as jewelry or certain medical implants, identifying the person with a unique number stamped onto a small metal disk, and placing the body into a casket or combustible container (optional).
Then, when it is time for cremation, an operator will load the casket into a cremation chamber, where intense heat will reduce the body to bone fragments over the course of a few hours. The identifying metal disk will be hung on the outside of the cremation chamber during this time.
After the cremation has finished, the remaining fragments will be processed into a fine, sand-like consistency, finally being returned to the family as cremated remains or "ashes." The identifying metal disk will be included in the bag of cremated remains to confirm the person's identity.
Christianity has always practiced burial, but due to the rising popularity of cremation in modern times, most Christian denominations today permit cremation even if they encourage burial as a first choice. However, Eastern Orthodox Christians still don't believe in allowing cremation, and the Eastern Orthodox Church forbids it. Historically, this ban was enacted because cremation was viewed as pagan, and denied the value of the human body and creation by God.
Depending on where you bury your loved one's ashes, an urn may or may not be a requirement. If you or your loved ones own the property where you’ll be burying the cremated remains, the decision to use an urn is entirely up to your preference. However, cemeteries often have specific rules on how to bury ashes, and public and private properties may also have regulations for burying ashes. Always ensure you comply with a location's set guidelines and local laws to avoid any issues.
There is no best way to bury cremated remains, and it depends on you and your deceased loved one's preferences. You may opt to use a biodegradable urn if you prefer an eco-friendly option, or choose a traditional urn and an optional urn vault for a permanent placement. You may also consider burying the ashes directly into the soil. Any of these options are respectable ways to honor your loved one's remains, and you can choose whichever method you prefer. If you have a location in mind, they may already have made this choice for you depending on their conditions for burial.
There is no mention of scattering ashes in the Bible, but the Catholic Church prohibits scattering because it teaches that a person's body should be interred in a sacred resting place (i.e., graveyard, which is a cemetery located on church grounds). Cremation is permitted under the basis that cremated remains are treated as if they were a whole body, and the act of scattering goes against this practice.
Showering with cremation jewelry isn't a good idea, because you risk damaging the jewelry piece or introducing water into the ashes compartment. To protect your cremation jewelry, you should set it in a dry place before performing routine hygiene tasks.
Depending on your location, you may have legal regulations associated with scattering ashes. These are in place for the interest of public and environmental safety, along with respect for private property owners who may not want cremated remains on their property. Some families may choose to ignore these regulations and scatter ashes in places that bar cremated remains (such as Disneyland), but we heavily discourage this as it can be illegal and result in the undignified disposal of your loved one's remains as a biohazard.
If you plan to keep all the ashes within one urn, choose an urn size that can hold the full volume of ashes you expect to receive. One pound of body weight will roughly correspond to one cubic inch of ashes, so you can use the weight of your loved one to estimate what size urn will be appropriate. Most adults will be able to use a standard-sized urn (also known as an adult urn), which has a volume in the range of 200 cubic inches. Make sure the urn's volume is slightly larger than your estimated volume of ashes, to avoid the urn overflowing during closure. If you are sharing or dividing ashes among family members, choose an urn that is smaller than a standard-sized urn, because you will not need to store the full volume of ashes. Discuss with your loved one how you plan to divide the ashes, including the number of people that will receive ashes and whether the ashes will be divided in equal portions.
When filling an urn, you can choose between placing the entire bag of ashes into the urn (bag transfer), or pouring the ashes from the bag into the urn (direct transfer). Both methods are acceptable, and if you feel uncomfortable directly touching cremated remains, it's perfectly fine to keep your loved one's ashes inside the bag they came in.
The Bible does not explicitly forbid cremation. In the Old Testament, 1 Samuel 31:12 mentions that Saul and his sons were cremated and buried, although this cremation occurs as a response to their bodies being dismembered post-mortem by the warring Philistines. On the other hand, Amos 2:1 describes God punishing the people of Moab for sins which include burning the bones of Edom's king. Burial is depicted much more frequently in the Bible, which implies that burial is the preferred method of final disposition according to the Bible. It is important to note that views on cremation are changing within Christianity, and many denominations today permit it.
The best material for a cremation urn depends on personal preference, intended use, and budget.
Metal, stone, and resin urns are the most durable urns, ideal for outdoor settings or burial.
Wood, glass, and ceramic urns last longer in controlled environments, so these urns are great options for an interior setting such as home display or interment within a columbarium.
The most affordable cremation urns are made of biodegradable materials, which will suit those looking for environmentally-conscious choices.
Burying cremated remains is often referred to as interring ashes. Interment is the proper term for the burial of a deceased person's body or cremated remains in their final resting place. Ashes can be interred in a variety of locations, such as a cemetery plot, a columbarium niche, or a designated area in a memorial garden.
You can bury your loved one's ashes in a cemetery. To bury cremated remains within a cemetery, you will need to purchase one of the cemetery's burial plots. Burial plots for urns will typically cost less than burial plots for caskets because they take up a smaller area of land. Some cemeteries will have designated areas for urn burial, such as urn gardens, that are separated from the area for casket burial. If you are burying your loved one's urn within a cemetery, you may also wish to purchase a headstone to mark your loved one's resting place.
You can use any container you find appropriate to hold your loved one's ashes or your future ashes, and if you feel that no cremation urns you find are suitable, you can make your own urn for ashes. However, depending on the materials you use to create a DIY urn, the urn may not be as durable and long-lasting as an urn that was professionally manufactured. At In the Light Urns, we create custom cremation urns for ashes and can help you make a personalized urn for your needs. Our 3D-printed custom urns are excellent choices for an urn that you can design to be printed in any shape or style imaginable.