Wake (ceremony) in the context of "Irish folklore"

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⭐ Core Definition: Wake (ceremony)

A wake or visitation is a social gathering associated with death, held before a funeral. Traditionally, a wake involves family and friends keeping watch over the body of the dead person, usually in the home of the deceased. Some wakes are held at a funeral home or another convenient location. The wake or the viewing of the body is a part of death rituals in many cultures. It allows one last interaction with the dead, providing a time for the living to express their thoughts and feelings with the deceased. It highlights the idea that the loss is borne by the whole community and is a way of honoring the deceased member. The emotional tone of a wake is sometimes seen as more positive than a funeral due to the socially supportive atmosphere and the focus on the life rather than the death of the deceased.

In many cultures a reception is held to celebrate the life of the deceased after the funeral rather than before it.

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👉 Wake (ceremony) in the context of Irish folklore

Irish folklore (Irish: béaloideas) refers to the folktales, balladry, music, dance and mythology of Ireland. It is the study and appreciation of how people lived.

The folklore of Ireland includes banshees, fairies, leprechauns and other mythological creatures, and was typically shared orally by people gathering around, sharing stories. Many tales and legends were passed from generation to generation, so were the dances and song in the observing of important occasions such as weddings, wakes, holidays, etc.

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Wake (ceremony) in the context of Funeral home

A funeral home, funeral parlor (funeral parlour in the UK) or mortuary is a business that provides burial, entombment and cremation services for the dead and their families. These services may include a prepared visitation and funeral, and the provision of a chapel for the funeral, memorial service/service of remembrance or celebration of life.

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Wake (ceremony) in the context of Lying in state

Lying in state is the tradition in which the body of a deceased official, such as a head of state, is placed in a state building, either outside or inside a coffin, to allow the public to pay their respects. It traditionally takes place in a major government building of a country, state, or city. While the practice differs among countries, in the United States, a viewing in a location other than a government building, such as a church, may be referred to as lying in repose. These rituals are in effect a more formal and public wake or funeral viewing. Lying in state may precede a state funeral, or it may be the public honor preceding a private funeral.

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Wake (ceremony) in the context of Eulogy

A eulogy (from εὐλογία, eulogia, Classical Greek, eu for "well" or "true", logia for "words" or "text", together for "praise") is a speech or writing in praise of a person, especially one who recently died or retired, or as a term of endearment.

Eulogies may be given as part of funeral services. In the United States, they take place in a funeral home during or after a wake; in the United Kingdom, they are said during the service, typically at a crematorium or place of worship, before the wake. In the United States, some denominations either discourage or do not permit eulogies at services to maintain respect for traditions. Eulogies can also praise people who are still alive. This normally takes place on special occasions like birthdays, office parties, retirement celebrations, etc. Eulogies should not be confused with elegies, which are poems written in tribute to the dead; nor with obituaries, which are published biographies recounting the lives of those who have recently died; nor with obsequies, which refer generally to the rituals surrounding funerals. Roman Catholic priests are prohibited by the rubrics of the Mass from presenting a eulogy for the deceased in place of a homily during a funeral Mass.

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