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What are the steps in cremation?
Educational Resources > A Quick Guide to Cremation, Educational Resources > Understanding the Cremation Process
Answer:
- 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.
Answer:
After cremation, remains are carefully removed from the cremation chamber and transferred onto a cooling tray. The remains are processed to remove any metal fragments that may be present, if for example the deceased had a surgical implant. When only bone is left, the fragments are processed into sand-like particles using a machine called a cremulator. These "ashes" are returned to the family in an urn or other container.
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When scattering ashes, you might say a few words that honor the memory and life of the deceased, sharing a personal story or a meaningful quote. It's also common to take a moment of silence for reflection, and if appropriate, invite others to share their thoughts or feelings before gently releasing the ashes into the chosen location.
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When you are arranging a cremation and funeral service through a funeral home, the funeral home will typically offer cremation urns for sale. However, urns sold by a funeral home are often priced extremely high in order to create profit. You should know that you are not obligated to purchase an urn from a funeral home, and you can use your own urn to hold your loved one's ashes. By United States law, a funeral home or crematorium must accept outside urns when transferring cremated remains into a container. Purchasing urns from a third party like In the Light Urns is often preferable to purchasing directly from a funeral home or crematorium, because it allows you more flexibility in pricing and urn customization.
What do ashes or cremated remains look like?
Educational Resources > Collecting Ashes After a Cremation, Educational Resources > Understanding the Cremation Process
Answer:
Cremated remains are often referred to as ashes, but they are actually remnants of bone that have not burned during cremation. After cremation, the remaining skeleton is crushed into small particles that can vary in size, but usually resemble coarse sand or crushed seashells. These remains may vary in color from white to dark gray, and the exact shade can vary depending on factors such as the temperature of the cremation chamber, the duration of the process, and the composition of the individual's bones. Typically, higher temperatures and longer durations result in whiter or light gray remains, while lower temperatures and shorter durations can produce darker gray or even bluish hues.
What do ashes or cremated remains look like?
Educational Resources > Collecting Ashes After a Cremation, Educational Resources > Understanding the Cremation Process
Answer:
Cremated remains are often referred to as ashes, but they are actually remnants of bone that have not burned during cremation. After cremation, the remaining skeleton is crushed into small particles that can vary in size, but usually resemble coarse sand or crushed seashells. These remains may vary in color from white to dark gray, and the exact shade can vary depending on factors such as the temperature of the cremation chamber, the duration of the process, and the composition of the individual's bones. Typically, higher temperatures and longer durations result in whiter or light gray remains, while lower temperatures and shorter durations can produce darker gray or even bluish hues.
Answer:
The amount of ashes you will need to fill a cremation jewelry urn depends on the specific jewelry piece you have, but you can expect to need no more than 2 cubic inches of cremated remains at most. Many cremation jewelry pendants hold a minuscule amount of ashes, approximately the size of one or two grains of rice. This minimal amount ensures the jewelry remains lightweight and comfortable to wear while still honoring your loved one.
Answer:
The amount of ashes you will need to fill a cremation jewelry urn depends on the specific jewelry piece you have, but you can expect to need no more than 2 cubic inches of cremated remains at most. Many cremation jewelry pendants hold a minuscule amount of ashes, approximately the size of one or two grains of rice. This minimal amount ensures the jewelry remains lightweight and comfortable to wear while still honoring your loved one.
Answer:
The amount of ashes you will need to fill a cremation jewelry urn depends on the specific jewelry piece you have, but you can expect to need no more than 2 cubic inches of cremated remains at most. Many cremation jewelry pendants hold a minuscule amount of ashes, approximately the size of one or two grains of rice. This minimal amount ensures the jewelry remains lightweight and comfortable to wear while still honoring your loved one.
Answer:
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.
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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.
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Most metal cremation urns are vase-shaped with a threaded lid, which means that the lid uses a twist mechanism to open and close. To open a metal cremation urn and remove the lid, unscrew the top lid counter-clockwise.
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To fill a cremation urn with ashes, you can use direct transfer, bag transfer, or bag-to-bag transfer. The simplest way to fill a cremation urn is through bag transfer, where you simply place the entire bag of ashes inside the urn. Pouring ashes from their bag into the urn itself is called direct transfer, while pouring ashes from one bag into another bag is called bag-to-bag transfer. Any of these three methods will work to fill a cremation urn. If you are filling a smaller urn such as a medium urn or a keepsake urn, you can use direct transfer to pour some ashes into the urn, or use bag-to-bag transfer to portion out some ashes into a smaller bag before using bag transfer to place the smaller bag into the urn.
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Most wood urns are box-shaped and have a removable bottom panel that is held in place via threaded screws. After the screws have been tightened, some people may choose to add glue to seal where the edges of the bottom panel meet the urn, but this is a matter of preference.
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Cremation does not require blood or any other fluids in the body to be drained. However, if a viewing or open casket funeral is planned for your loved one prior to cremation, they will need to be embalmed first, which involves draining blood from the body and replacing it with formaldehyde. This process helps preserve the body by slowing the rate of decomposition. Embalmed bodies can still be cremated, but an embalming is not necessary for cremation. If your loved one will not be viewed post-mortem, you do not need to have them embalmed.
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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.
Answer:
A cremation container is a combustible box or casket used to hold a person's intact body before cremation. When cremation occurs, the cremation container holding the body gets burned in a cremation chamber. After cremation, when a person's body has been reduced to bones and ground into small particles resembling sand, an urn is used to store the cremated remains or "ashes." An urn for ashes can be a temporary holding container while the ashes are transported for scattering, or it can be a permanent urn intended for burial or decorative display.
Is it bad luck to keep ashes in the house?
Educational Resources > A Quick Guide to Cremation, Educational Resources > Religious Views on Cremation
Answer:
It is not bad luck to keep ashes in the house, and no bad luck superstitions about this exist. In fact, many families find comfort in having their loved one nearby. Apprehension or hesitation about keeping cremated remains at home is likely a cultural influence from Catholicism, which teaches that if a Catholic is cremated after death, their remains must be treated the same as an intact body and buried.
