Funeral services during the pandemic: what changed

Funeral services changed after the pandemic. Before the virus spread and turned everything upside down, we had familiar, long-established funeral traditions for many years. We would come to funeral homes to pay tribute to the deceased and express condolences to the grieving family. We attended religious services and gathered for a final farewell at the cemetery. Unfortunately, once restrictions were introduced, even close relatives did not always have the opportunity to say a final word to their loved one, and we had to look for new ways to express grief. Funeral homes providing funeral services had to adapt to the new conditions.

“Vilniaus laidojimo namai” invite you to review these changes, which are likely to be long-lasting.

The Pandemic and Virtual Funerals

Funerals exist to allow us to experience and process grief. All rituals are meant to ease our pain, receive condolences, and remain together in a moment of loss. But how can this be done when restrictions make gathering impossible? Virtual funerals became a solution.

Virtual funerals brought various challenges. Until then, such a special ceremony had never taken place remotely. It may have seemed that virtual funerals were impersonal, even inappropriate. After all, nothing can replace a hug or direct human connection. However, we discovered that virtual services can also be meaningful and include many of the elements we expect from traditional funerals. Technology makes it possible to listen to a priest’s sermon, see loved ones, and hear music — even from a distance. Many people learned to dress appropriately and prepare themselves respectfully, even for an online ceremony. We became so accustomed to video connections that, according to experts, virtual funerals may remain in the future, as they provide an excellent way to connect with distant relatives and restore a sense of togetherness that may have been lost not only due to the pandemic but also because of emigration.

Long-Forgotten Funeral Elements Revived

During the pandemic, people who experienced loss faced a dilemma: how to express condolences? How to comfort loved ones and relatives in a time of grief? Pandemic restrictions provided an opportunity to remember long-forgotten elements of mourning: condolence notes and written messages. In the end, even a sincere phone call means a great deal to someone experiencing loss. The tradition of sending flowers was revived — flowers have always been valued as one of the most meaningful ways to express emotions. A subtle bouquet or even a single flower can sometimes say more than a thousand words.

Although some people missed traditional funerals, others appreciated the advantages of small services. They offer a more intimate and personal way to say goodbye. Some clients noted that they experienced less social pressure. It is likely that small funerals will continue to grow in popularity and become a more common choice for those wishing to maintain modesty and privacy.

Double Grief

During the pandemic, doctors and nurses worked on the front lines to save every life, while funeral organizers were an invisible yet very important part of the chain. “Vilniaus laidojimo namai” ensured that even in the most difficult moments, when the strictest restrictions were in place, funeral staff worked to make sure that every family who lost a loved one had an opportunity, in one way or another, to say goodbye. “We were not concerned with statistics — we were thinking about each case, about each family facing loss,” say the employees of our funeral home.

The work of funeral home staff is not only to prepare the deceased but also to speak with every grieving family, many of whom were unable to properly say goodbye to their loved one. Often, families experienced double grief — mourning not only the loss itself but also the fact that they could not be present at the moment of death, see their loved one’s face one last time, or say the final, meaningful words. “Not only grief, but also anger and disappointment accompanied grieving families,” confirm the staff of “Vilniaus laidojimo namai.” The pandemic taught new life lessons and provided new psychological insights.

Cremation Became a More Frequent Choice

The pandemic increased the popularity of cremation. During the peak of the pandemic in India, crematoriums ran out of space, operated around the clock, and employees worked without breaks. In Hinduism, cremation is traditionally the most important part of funeral rites, as Hindus believe that the body must be destroyed for the soul to be released. In India’s capital, Delhi, funeral service workers had to build temporary pyres in parks in order to perform cremations. Reports indicated that trees in city parks were cut down and used as firewood. Families had to wait for hours before being able to cremate their loved ones.

Cremation became more common not only in India but also in developed countries. As governments introduced restrictions, cremation became a practical solution because it is a faster method of burial. At the beginning of the pandemic, fear of the virus spreading also encouraged people to choose cremation over traditional burial. Cremation provides greater flexibility. For example, in the United States, families chose to keep the remains of their loved ones until traditional funerals became safe again. In addition to practical benefits, cremation allows ashes to be scattered in several different locations. Today, many people no longer live in a single place, so this provides an opportunity to keep “a part” of a loved one in different locations.

In Lithuania, urns with ashes may be kept only in columbariums. Although clients sometimes express a wish to scatter ashes at sea or in another place meaningful to the deceased, unfortunately not all such requests can be easily fulfilled. It has been observed that more and more young people are choosing cremation. This may be related not only to the pandemic but also to changing religious beliefs and traditions.

Pre-Arranged Funeral Plans – A Solution for Planners

For some, the pandemic became a reason to begin difficult conversations with loved ones about how we would like to be buried. Daily reports of death statistics, and perhaps losses within close circles, encouraged people to speak openly about this difficult topic. Many of those who died from the virus did not have the opportunity to choose how they wished to be buried, leaving grieving families to bear both the emotional burden and the financial responsibility.

We cannot choose when or how we will die, but we can ease the burden on our families if we consider our own funeral arrangements in advance. In the event of a loss, loved ones are often so focused on funeral planning that they do not have the opportunity to grieve properly. And what if the funeral is sudden and unexpected? The solution is a pre-arranged funeral plan.

You can begin exploring options in advance and arrange a funeral that reflects your wishes and preferences. Regardless of whether you choose a traditional burial or cremation, you can plan all the details and even prepare a payment plan now — ensuring peace of mind for yourself and providing security and comfort for your family.