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Tag: Religion

Religion and Faith shapes how we say goodbye. This tag gathers thoughtful stories and timely news where ashes, cremation and scattering meet religious belief and community life. You’ll find human-interest pieces about families blending traditions, updates from churches, synagogues, mosques...

Cremation Ashes – Church of England’s stance

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The Church of England and Scattering Ashes: Religion vs Land Ownership The Church of England occupies a slightly unusual position when it comes to cremated remains. It is both the established church of England and one of the country’s largest landowners. These two roles are often blurred together — but they are not the same, […]

Scattering Cremation Ashes: Catholic Church’s stance

The Catholic Church’s Position on Cremation Ashes: A Deeper Explanation The Catholic Church takes a clear and theologically grounded position on the treatment of cremated remains. While cremation itself is permitted, the Church maintains that ashes must be treated with the same reverence as a human body. When asked directly, the Church explained its position […]

Scattering ashes at Milton Keynes’ Cathedral of Trees

I always love adding new locations to the list of where people can scatter their loved ones ashes, but I particularly like this one maybe because of the splendid symbolism and also because of the thought that had gone into allowing people to scatter their ashes there. Milton Keynes’s has a Cathedral of Trees –,a […]

Bertrand Russell and the Buddha walk in to a Pub…to discuss Scattering Ashes

What happens when the greats discuss the big question So the act of scattering ashes is both practical and spiritual , so I wanted to imagine what would happen if you got two of the giants for the the different perspectives, together in a pub to have a chat and see what they make of […]

Bertrand Russell’s view on Scattering Ashes

They say never meet your hero’s, well that is okay because mine is long gone. I have to say I am massive admirer of most* of Bertrand Russell’s musings and thoughts. Anyway, I try with this blog to see things from different cultural and spiritual perspectives. So with that in mind I had an idea, […]

Changing Funeral Traditions: EastEnders and the Evolving Practice of Scattering Ashes

Changing Funeral Traditions: EastEnders and the Evolving Practice of Scattering Ashes At Scattering Ashes, we’ve long believed that soap operas reflect real-life changes in society, and when it comes to funeral traditions, they can provide a fascinating insight into cultural shifts. A recent storyline in EastEnders has beautifully highlighted the evolving way in which Sikh […]

Water Logging Allows Exhumation on Church of England Land

Exhumation of Ashes: A Rare but Necessary Decision Now here is a recent case further expanding our understand of exhumation on Church or England / consecrated ground. The recent case involved St. Peter’s churchyard in Aubourn, near Lincoln, and highlights the rare and complex circumstances under which ashes can be moved from their resting place. […]

what do the various churches think about ashes

Religious Opinion on Scattering Ashes

Religious opinion on scattering ashes Different religions have their own view concerning ashes and cremation, below is a broad overview of religious doctrine relating to ashes. We recommend readers to speak to the relevant faith leader when deciding how best to scatter ashes. Buddhist According to the Theravada tradition, Buddhists cremate the body of the […]

Exhumation the rules broken down and explained

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Exhumation Rules for consecrated and unconsecrated ground For the exhumation of a body or cremated remains from consecrated ground, it will be necessary to obtain a Faculty from the Chancellor of the Diocese. It is no longer necessary to obtain an Exhumation Licence from the Ministry of Justice, even if it is intended that the […]

New Product: Sikh Ashes Ceremony Record

Traditions adapt and move on, until recently many Sikh families living outside the Punjab region of India would have taken the ashes of a loved one back to Kiratpur Sahib, a town in the Punjab, India. The town is the location of the Gurdwara Patal Puri where Sikhs scatter the ashes of their deceased. […]

Does the Spirit Stay with the Ashes? The Meaning Behind Scattering Ashes

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Does the Spirit Stay with the Ashes? I don’t tend to write about spiritual matters very often — mainly because I don’t feel particularly qualified. But a recent phone call from a customer got me thinking. The conversation went something like this: “There are a lot of people who want to say goodbye to my […]

What is the definition of an Urn?

There are various definitions on an Urn, let’s ignore those specifically referring to a large receptacle for tea and such like and focus on those that contain ashes, oops have I just given the game away? Let’s see… Urn (noun: urn; plural noun: urns) So Google pops up with the following: a tall, rounded vase […]

Ash Wednesday

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Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday everyone. So if like me you’re still full from the pancakes yesterday you’re not alone! Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day is when many countries with a Christian population celebrate. Traditionally you would empty your larder of all the goodies before you embarked upon Lent. You can see the almost literal translation in […]

The Church of England has granted atheist parents the right to exhumation their daughter ashes

Church of England Grants Atheist Parents Ashes Exhumation Beverley Wilson and Michael Hughill lost their 10-month-old daughter back in 1982, a hugely traumatic experience. The child (Lizzie) was cremated and her ashes were buried the same month at Chestnut Cemetery in Hertfordshire. The parents, due to the trauma they were feeling, left the arrangements for […]

Splitting Ashes and the Church of England

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The good old CofE don’t really like ashes to be split, and the Catholic Church specifically prohibits it. I was speaking at a resent Church of England conference on the subject of ashes and this thorny issue was raised. From a secular point of view I never realised the extent to which this vexed the […]

The Vatican’s Position on the Ashes of Saints

How the Catholic Church treats cremated remains, relics and sacred places The Vatican has updated it rules on relics these are body parts (and more historically) including associated items of a saint. There has been issues recently when surviving family members disagree with what the Catholic church wishes to do body of a person once […]

Holy Cross church yard in the north Wiltshire village of Sherston

Exhumation Granted due to Proximity to the Footpath

As you may have seen from other posts I try and highlight as many examples of formal exhumation for Church of England cemeteries as possible so I can give you an idea of what constitutes exceptional circumstances as possible. If you are not aware exceptional circumstances are the criteria the Church of England puts in […]

Why I Understand the Catholic Church’s Stance on Scattering Ashes

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There are a number of people and organisations that have been getting rather hot under the collar about the recent instruction from the Vatican clarifying the Catholic Church’s position on the scattering ashes and the fact that they do not like it, or splitting ashes, or jewellery containing ashes, so on and so forth. There are those who […]

Vatican’s updated stance on Cremation Ashes

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Catholic Church Stance on Scattering Ashes The Catholic Church has issued clear guidance on what should happen to a person’s ashes after cremation. This came from the Vatican’s Instruction “Ad resurgendum cum Christo” (To Rise with Christ), which outlines how the faithful should treat cremated remains in accordance with Catholic teaching. While cremation is now […]

A serene Kerala churchyard beside a traditional Mar Thoma Syrian Church

Mar Thoma Syrian Church – Cremation is now allowed

The various religions in the world is a constant source of wonder to me. The various sects seems never ending, here is a new one on me, the Mar Thoma Syrian Church – never heard of it? It has over a million followers. Although as religions go this fairly unique. It is a Syrian Christian […]

Is the Church of England Softening its Stance on Exhumation of Ashes?

We feedback any reports we come across in the press on exhumation of ashes, we do this so you can start to understand the stance and precedents set by the Church of England. We hope to help you in deciding whether your case may be considered worthy enough to meet the CoE’s stance of ‘exceptional circumstance’. Recently a lady wanted […]

Internment Psalms – Biblical

Christian Texts for When Ashes Are Scattered or Interred When it comes to saying goodbye, many families find comfort in familiar words of faith. The Bible offers verses that speak of peace, protection, and the promise of eternal care — words that help us place a loved one gently into God’s hands. The following passages […]

Exhumation is getting the Church hot under the (dog) collar

Church of England objects to rising exhumation requests, especially for ashes It seems the case of Mrs Gooch, who wanted her mums cremated remains moved as she could not access the grave as she was wheelchair bound. The church refused as it was not exceptional circumstances. The Sunday Express, the Guardian and the Telegraph all […]

exhumation pensioner Norfolk church yard

Pensioner failed to get exhumation order on the grounds of access

A pensioner from Norfolk has failed in her attempt to get the ashes of her mother exhumed. She had partitioned the Church of England’s Consistory Court but to no avail. Mrs Queenie Ivy Gooch wanted the ashes of her mother moved from the Churchyard in Gunton to the nearby Kirkley Cemtery so that she could […]

Iconic Buddhist monk’s cremation relics go on display

The Rosemead Buddhist temple in Los Angles is opening its door to the public, displaying a huge collection of relics. This year the collection has even more artefacts, perhaps the most notable of its new relics from the Venerable Thich Quang Duc. The Buddhist monk who in 1963 in south Vietnam set fire to himself […]

A festival that involves throwing cremation ash at one another

Cultural context behind a controversial ash-throwing tradition Varanasi, India is famous and unique. A holy Hindu city whose principal business is death, many families take their loved ones to be cremated there, while western eyes may view it as macabre, the locals have a very different take. Reincarnation is a fundamental part of the Hindu […]

Crazy way to cure an illness: with cremation ashes!

Unusual Healing Ritual in India Involving Cremation Ashes I am not saying Western Medicine is the be-all and end-all, but some supposed cures and remains are just plain bonkers. In Salepur, situated in Odisha north east India, a self-styled godman has come up with an interesting approach to aliments. Pretend you are dead, the evil […]

Bremen is the first state in Germany to allow the Scattering of Ashes

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Bremen, the smallest state in Germany, has voted to allow the scattering of ashes. To be honest I knew the name, but I was not aware where it was – and it is small, really small in fact it is two cities that are separated by the larger state of Lower Saxony. You might not […]

Ashes kept in the house is a ghost more likely to be present?

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Ashes kept in the house is a ghost more likely to be present? If you keep ashes inside your house is this is more likely to retain the ghost of that individual or attract other ghosts in the vicinity? So, we have two conflicting opinions to this question: Those who think a ghost is less […]

Why is so difficult to cremate someone in Greece?

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Cremation in Greece: Slow Progress After Years of Delay In 2006, the Greek parliament passed a law permitting cremation. Yet for more than a decade afterwards, not a single person was cremated in the country. Despite overcrowded urban cemeteries — where bodies are commonly exhumed after three years to make space for others — cremation […]

Tibetan Buddhist thinking may not favour Water Burials for Ashes

I have often thought that the more you read the less you really know, this I often feel when considering the stances of the various world religions and subdivisions thereof. Tibetan Bhuddiam has a slightly different take on many aspects of doctrine compared to other forms of Buddhism. Mr Khenpo Karma Tharchin Rinpoche, a senior lama of […]

Site in the Welsh Valleys used for scattering ashes has been vandalised

Welsh Valleys Ashes Scattering Site Vandalised The well-known White Cross of Trealaw has been vandalised. The cross in the heart of the Rhondda valleys has been partially dismantled by a group of mystery climbers. The cross was built by Glyn Thomas, of Trealaw, in 2005 as a final resting place for those who wanted their […]

Make your own ashes: Japanese bone crushing apparatus for rent

Japanese Bone Crushing Apparatus for Rent — Make Your Own Ashes Now here’s a franchise opportunity you are unlikely to see on Dragons Den: Rental of bone crushing apparatus. The Japanese tradition is to cremate and then place the bones of the loved one in an urn, I have already posted on this – Japanese […]

The Balinese Ceremony of Ngaben: Turn to Ash

Balinese Ngaben Cremation Ceremony — Turn to Ash The beautiful Island of Bali in the Indonesian archipelago has a predominately Hindu population, whose belief system varies slightly from the Hindu doctrine in India. And from time to time they hold mass cremations. The cremation ceremony know as Ngaben (which means ‘turn to ash’) is elaborate […]

Ashes dumped in Hampshire cemetery: fee dodging?

Ashes Dumped in Hampshire Cemetery Amid Fee Dispute The Vicar of the charming village of Lyndhurst in Hampshire has got hot under the collar. The Rev Dr James Bruce spoke out after it was revealed that the ashes, of what appeared several people, had been tipped onto the grass at the graveyard near his church. […]

Japanese Buddhist Temples criticised for Interring Ashes sent through the post

Japan is a predominantly secular country although nominally a third (about 90 million people) follow the Buddhist tradition. Now a small number of temples are offering a postal service accepting cremation ashes through the post, which the priests then inter at the charnel house. This has come under some criticism. The reason given is not […]

New cremation law to be introduced in the Republic of Cyprus

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Cremation Law in Cyprus — New Regulations on Cremation and Ashes The Republic of Cyprus (the southern bit) is looking to introduce some laws on cremation. Within these is all the sensible one might expect: stuff thou shalt remove all pacemakers along with all clothing or footwear containing rubber or PVC, earrings, bracelets, rings, glasses, […]

New Zealand’s Hindus and Māori – a clash of ash culture

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When Hindu water rites meet Māori views on sacred land and ash practices The scattering of cremation ashes in New Zealand is becoming more contentious as time goes by. Why? Well the reason I believe is because of two main factors, the general rise cremation and scattering as an option, but also the rise in […]

Exhumation of Ashes order not granted: plea NOT considered to be Exceptional

Previously we have reported on success stories where a family has managed to secure the approval for exhumation of ashes via the Church of England’s Consistory Court. We had pointed out exhumation orders on church consecrated land were rare. Here is a story from the news website KentOnline about a lady who wished to reunite […]

columbarium baptist st john catholic anglian

Columbarium: St John the Baptist in Norwich

This is a real beauty, the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Norwich has a wonderful columbarium in its vaulted undercroft at the east end of the Cathedral. St John’s is the second largest Catholic cathedral in the UK. The niches are finely worked bronze cabinets containing individual urns and are sited in […]

Scattering Ashes biblical reference Psalm 147:16 – Origins Part IV

Psalm 147:16 — “He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.” This line from the King James Bible — Psalm 147:16 — has always intrigued me. Let me start with a disclaimer: I’m not a biblical scholar, nor a translator of Scripture. These thoughts are not offered as theology, but simply as […]

Interring cremation ashes in the Holy Land

Interring Ashes in the Holy Land – Jerusalem and the Sea of Galilee For some people, a final connection to the Holy Land carries profound spiritual, historical and personal meaning. If it is your last wish — or that of a loved one — to have ashes interred in Israel, this can be done, and […]

Prominent Indian Hindu to have his ashes scattered in a number of holy rivers

The late Bal Thackeray, the revered Shiv Sena chief, who passed away last month, will have his ashes scattered in various sacred rivers across India, fulfilling his final wishes. Thackeray’s ashes are set to be immersed in a selection of spiritually significant rivers including Harihareshwar, Nashik, Haridwar, Kashi, and Kanyakumari among others, reflecting the profound […]

Cremation is on the rise for American Jews

Cremation Is on the Rise for American Jews It would appear that there is an increasing number of American Jews are opting to be cremated rather than buried, which some parts of the community are quite unhappy about. Jews have a long tradition of burial, and more orthodox elements find cremation abhorrent. I have posted […]

Archdiocese of Washington’s thinking on the scattering of ashes – in short they don’t like it!

Catholic guidance discouraging ash scattering and preferred practices Ashes to Armaments Dust to Detonation – A Brief Essay on What NOT to do with Cremated Remains Author Mr Charles Pope “Cremation, though permitted by the Church, often presents pastoral problems for the Church. For, as experience shows, many people treat cremated remains (aka, cremains) in […]

What do Catholic the Church think about ashes

The Catholic Church: cremation, cremated remains and scattering ashes

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Catholic doctrine on cremation and guidance on handling ashes Previous postings have referred to the Catholic Church requiring the burying or interring of a loved ones ashes, very recently I came across this very comprehensive article explaining why. I have copied in full and the author has been credited at the bottom it a) it […]

Explore the nuanced relationship between Judaism and cremation. Learn how beliefs vary across Jewish denominations, discover biblical references, and understand emerging services such as ash scattering in Israel.

Scattering Ashes in Israel, the Holy Land

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Cremation and Judaism: A More Nuanced Picture Than Many Realise For years I’ve come across stories suggesting that all Jewish communities strongly reject cremation. The idea of cremation being incompatible with Judaism is so widespread that many assume it’s a universal doctrine. But that isn’t the full story. While traditional Jewish law — particularly within Orthodox communities […]

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