The History of Flowers at Funerals (2024)

FAQs

The History of Flowers at Funerals? ›

The belief stems from the tradition of giving two flowers during military funerals. One flower was for the fallen soldier, while the other flower was for God. According to written records, people first started using flowers at funerals to mask the scent of a decaying body.

Ralph Solecki, who excavated Shandiar Cave in Iraq in 1951, found evidence of the first funeral flowers. He discovered several burial sites that would later be recorded as the world's oldest form of religious activity. This took place over 62,000 years old to be more exact.

This traditional color choice represents honor, peace, and innocence. Pink is considered a respectful color choice, used to express gentleness and sympathy. Red flowers symbolize love, as well as beauty and strength. Purple represents dignity and respect, as well as a regal presence.

For wakes, funerals, and memorial services, flowers can help say what we find difficult to express and serve a dual purpose – expressing sympathy, care, and love for the living, and symbolizing grief, respect, or honor for the deceased. Flowers are symbolic, supportive, and consoling. They are your final tribute.

The practice of leaving flowers at graves began thousands of years ago when the ancient Greeks would honor fallen warriors. They believed that if the flowers rooted into the ground and grew from the gravesite, it was a sign that the fallen had found peace.

The earliest dates of gifting flowers go back to the time of Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and the Roman Empire. These three societies often used flowers in religious traditions. They based their personal use of flowers on their beliefs. The Greeks used them as props for storytelling.

One more common type of funeral arrangement is the wreath, which is documented as having been used in ancient Greece. A symbol of continuity, the funeral wreath represented the circle of eternal life.

Funeral flower etiquette dictates that you always address funeral flowers to the funeral parlor, with an instruction informing the funeral home personnel that the flowers are for the funeral of the name of the decedent. You can also take funeral flowers to the grave – especially if you're a family member.

The most traditional funeral flowers center around the lily. The lily can be a powerful symbol of the spirit of a loved one that offers hope and encouragement to a grieving family. White is a good color to send for a faith-based or religious service.

The lily is the flower most commonly associated with bereavement, specifically when it's white in color. White lilies symbolize innocence, the rebirth of the soul, and purity. Additionally, the Oriental lily signifies sympathy, and the stargazer lily symbolizes eternal life.

Why are hands crossed in caskets? ›

Body positioning. Burials may be placed in a number of different positions. Bodies with the arms crossed date back to ancient cultures such as Chaldea in the 10th century BC, where the "X" symbolized their sky god.

In a burial, the body of the deceased is lowered into the ground. Throwing dirt on a casket is an action to honor a loved one's return to nature. This idea can bring a lot of solace to the bereaved in a time of grief. The earth that is the birthplace of the person lost ends up as their ultimate resting place.

Flowers are a language of love and empathy in this time of mourning. Whether with an arrangement or bouquet, you can say what needs to be said without having to find the right words yourself. You also bring a combination of various flowers. Another traditional gift to bring to a funeral is sympathy cards.

*Lily - Associated with beauty, purity, and rebirth, the lily is often used on graves of unmarried women or on graves of couples, as they are also a symbol of marriage. The lily is often used to represent the Virgin Mary, and St.

Most Christians do put flowers on their loved one's graves. Some sects might not, but they are in the minority. Nothing in the Bible prohibits a gesture of respect, remembrance and/or mourning to those who died.

Purity: The pristine appearance of white roses signifies the unblemished nature of the deceased's soul. Innocence: White roses symbolize the innocence and peace restored to the departed after their passing.

The modern tradition of tossing the bouquet began to emerge in the 14th century when the bouquet was seen as a symbol of good luck. At the end of the wedding ceremony, the bride would toss her bouquet to her guests, with the belief that the person who caught it would be blessed with good luck and happiness.

Funerals can be traced to the dawn of mankind, with every culture having some form of ritual for the dead. Many of these rituals are religious in nature and vary greatly from area to area and from one religion to another. Neanderthal bodies have been discovered dating back to tens of thousands of years BC.

The graves dated back 45,000 years. When opening the graves they discovered ancient pollen. The presence of pollen indicated that even 45,000 years ago people used flowers to send off their loved ones. The tradition of flower giving is much older than we think.

President Poincaré decreed that all graves in France should be decorated with flowers to honour the war dead. Since few flowers are in bloom during November, the still-flowering chrysanthemum became the flower of choice. The tradition spread from Armistice Day to Toussaint as well.