Funeral and burial: understanding the main differences

Many people use the terms funeral and burial interchangeably, but they are not the same thing and it is important to distinguish between them in order to know what type of funeral service to arrange. In this article, Áltima will explain the differences between the two concepts.

Main differences between a funeral and a burial

Are funerals and burials the same thing? No, these terms have different meanings in Spanish. The confusion arises due to a translation error. In English, a funeral is translated interchangeably as ‘funeral’ or ‘burial’ but in Spanish they are two different concepts:

• Burial is the act of burying the body of a deceased person.

• Funeral is the ceremony performed to remember and honour a deceased loved one. This can be done not only immediately after the death, but also to commemorate the anniversary of that death, for instance.

Thus, the main difference between a funeral and a burial is that the former refers to the way in which a deceased person is honoured and the latter refers to the way in which the body of that person is treated and disposed of.

In many cases, the funeral and burial are linked, since in most cultures the burial is accompanied by a ceremony to say goodbye to the loved one, regardless of whether it is a religious or civil funeral.

Emotional involvement in the funeral and burial

Cultural or religious influences are a key factor in differentiating between a funeral and a burial, as the rituals and customs can vary widely.

Funerals act as a way of remembering and honouring our loved ones, but in certain cultures, they also serve to sanctify them, so the customs surrounding a funeral can range from prayer and religious readings to mummification or washing of the body.

Similarly, the way we bury our loved ones has a very important cultural and religious component.

The funeral rites that are chosen are also key to the grieving process, as they can help us to cope with the feelings associated with the loss of a loved one.

Duration of each process

While a burial is the actual act of placing the deceased person in the ground, the rituals associated with a funeral, which include saying farewell to the deceased, can be much longer. Burials can, however, also be associated with brief farewell ceremonies to the loved one.

Generally, it is the funeral services associated with the funeral and burial that make the process last longer: the preparation, arrangements, organisation, etc.

Costs associated with a funeral and burial

When we talk about a burial, we are referring to the act of placing the coffin of the deceased person in a cemetery. Even so, the process also involves other funeral services related to the burial itself.

The funeral, on the other hand, is a series of solemn acts held in honour of a deceased loved one, either immediately after death or at some point afterwards.

Each of them, therefore, has different associated expenses. These tend to be higher for burials because they involve costs such as transportation, the coffin, cemetery fees, flowers, etc. The funeral, on the other hand, only includes the cost of organising the ceremony, which will also depend on the type of funeral chosen and additional funeral services.

Is it possible to have a funeral without a burial?

It is possible to have a funeral and a burial separately. We have already seen that a funeral can take place immediately after the burial, as an associated funeral service, but it can also take place much later, without the presence of the body of the deceased. For instance, this could be at the commemoration of the anniversary of the death of our loved one.

But there are other cases where the funeral and burial are separate. When choosing between cremation and burial, if the decision is made to cremate the deceased, it is possible to have a funeral without burial. In this case, the ashes do not have to be placed underground, but can rather be deposited in a columbarium or scattered somewhere.

Recommendations for choosing a funeral service with burial

When choosing a funeral and burial service, it is important for families to consider a number of factors in order to select the most appropriate option:

• As already mentioned, cultural and religious issues play a key role in this decision. Here, family preferences are important, but the wishes that the deceased loved one may have expressed during their lifetime must also be taken into account. If, indeed, they left an express record of their last wishes, these should ideally be honoured.

• Another essential factor is the financial aspect. It is essential to assess the family's budget first and this should be done before contracting any funeral service to organise the funeral and burial. If there is a funeral insurance policy or similar, this must naturally be taken into account. Also if there is the option to customise funeral services, the family is able to select only those services they prefer in order to bring the price down. Being able to pay for these services with a finance deal over a period of time also helps to lessen the financial burden that the death of a loved one can sometimes place on families.

In order to make the best decision when arranging a burial with a funeral, it is essential to take these considerations into account, as they can influence not only the savings of the family, but also their grieving process.