Cremation: What to Do With the Ashes of the Deceased?

In some customs, cremation represents a requirement that all must respect. Indeed, it is a ritual that specially honors the deceased. However, in some cases, this act is only performed following the wishes of the deceased. But, in either case, what could the ashes from the cremation of the deceased be used for? Otherwise, what should be done with the ashes of the deceased?

Cremation: Burying the Ashes of the Deceased

With or without the wishes of the deceased, family members may decide to burn the dead person’s body. But, after having performed this ritual, they should now decide on the destination of the ashes resulting from the cremation. So, for a first choice, you can bury the deceased’s ashes. This option is part of the burial of the body.

In this case, you will have to put the ashes in an urn and bury them in a special place in the cemetery. This way, the deceased’s relatives can come to this place to honor the dead. However, you do not always have to do the burial at the cemetery. You can bury the ashes of the deceased in the family home.

Cremation: Storing Ashes in a Columbarium

In addition to the cemetery and the family home, you also have other options for burying the deceased’s ashes. Among these options, you have the columbarium. A columbarium is a peaceful place to store the urns containing the ashes. In most cases, these places are equipped with boxes (glazed or not) that will better protect your ashes.

To have access to the columbarium, you can approach specific cemeteries. Not all cemeteries offer this type of service. Apart from glass columbariums, you can also have some with greenery. But, whether it is glazed or not, you will always be able to come and gather there at any time.

Cremation: Scattering the Ashes of the Deceased

If you do not bury the deceased’s ashes in a suitable place, you can choose to scatter them. However, it is essential to know that the law does not always allow this option. In fact, in some jurisdictions, the burial or scattering of ashes may only occur in a cemetery. Nevertheless, by respecting certain restrictions, you can scatter the ashes of your loved ones without constraints.

So, to spread the ashes of the deceased, choose strategic places that respect the deceased’s dignity and that are far from residential areas. For example, you can select the top of a mountain or an area with a river. Once there, all you have to do is scatter the ashes in the air or the water. The place where the ashes were scattered then serves as a place of remembrance.

Cremation: Keeping the Ashes of the Deceased

The previous alternatives were to dispose of the ashes of the deceased. However, in addition to this option, you can also decide to keep the ashes with you. In this case, you will have to put them in an urn and place them in a strategic corner of the house. For example, this strategic location could be a corner of the house to remember the deceased. To avoid disturbing the sensibilities of other relatives, you may also decide to keep the ashes in the deceased’s room.

In this case, you prevent close family members (children, wife, parents) from shedding tears at the slightest opportunity. To better preserve the ashes, you can use urns or jars made of plastic. Also, try to put the ashes in an inaccessible place to children. This way, they will not be able to knock over the urn or break it (in the case of a glass urn).