Christians treat the corpse of a dead person respectfully and lovingly, realizing that God has called him to the resurrection of the dead. It is a traditional part of Christian funeral customs for the remains of a dead person to be buried in a dignified manner in the earth and for the grave to be decorated and tended. Today the Church also accepts other funeral arrangements (for instance, cremation), as long as they are not interpreted in a way contrary to the belief in the resurrection of the dead. (Catholic Youth Catechism, question 394) |
