Singapore is a diverse city-state that today primarily consists of four races: Chinese, Eurasians, Indians and Malays. According to the Inter-Religious Organisation Singapore, each of these races has their own set of religion, practices and beliefs among of which include:
Needless to say, with the large number of religions in Singapore, funeral customs and practices differ as well. In this article, Shuang Rong, a reputable funeral service provider, focuses on Christian funeral services in Singapore and everything you need to know about the religion that takes up approximately 20% of the state’s population.
Christian Funeral Service in Singapore
Christianity is a religion that has a firm belief in the afterlife. Therefore, much of their lives are lived to achieve eternal peace in Heaven. They believe that Jesus is the son of God who came to earth to teach through the life he lived.
Such belief is written in the Christian Bible which tells Jesus was crucified, died and resurrected to pay for the sins of mankind. As a result, anyone who believes in Jesus will be forgiven for their sins and receive eternal life in heaven.
Christian funeral services serve an identical purpose: to pray for the soul of the deceased and to comfort the bereaved. The service typically includes:
Opening statement - An opening statement is lead by an officiating priest or minister and it may either be a statement to comfort the bereaved, a prayer or a combination of the two.
Prayers and hymns - Then, prayers are read and hymns are sung for the duration of the service.
Scripture readings - Consequently, there will also be readings placed throughout the ceremony.
Eulogy - Then, a eulogy will follow wherein a family member or a close friend will honour the life of the deceased through a speech.
Closing remarks - The service will end with closing words lead by the officiating priest or minister. He will announce the end of the service and will lead the procession to the cemetery.
As mentioned, funeral services differ by religion, but all services - including different types of Christian funerals - have some form of words of committal in which the priest or the minister reads a prayer and prays for the soul of the deceased.
Catholic Funeral
Similarly, the requirements of a Catholic funeral doesn’t vary greatly from a traditional Christian funeral service. It consists of three main parts, namely:
Vigil - a service held during the wake, typically during the last night of the wake wherein the family, relatives and friends gather to remember the deceased and pray for his soul.
Funeral Liturgy - regarded as the most important rite for the deceased, a funeral liturgy is designed to worship God, commend the deceased soul to God’s mercy and to find solace from the promise of eternal life.
Rite of Committal - the committal is presided by a priest wherein the family and friends gather to offer their prayers for the deceased, for the last time. It typically takes place at the final resting place.
If you’re looking to learn more about Christian funeral services in Singapore, Shuang Rong offers affordable Christian funeral service packages that cover everything you need for a solemn and hassle-free funeral.
Contact Shuang Rong today!
