Burial or cremation

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THE FUNERAL CEREMONY AND TRADITIONS

The funeral service is among the oldest cultural practices in human history. The earliest traces of funeral rites date back to 300,000 BC. Based on archaeological findings, paleontologists have concluded that even in prehistoric times, the deceased were covered with flowers, which is interpreted as early evidence of a belief in the afterlife.

Over time, funeral ceremonies evolved into ritualistic or religious services where mourners gather to honor, sanctify, or commemorate the deceased. While funeral customs vary significantly across cultures, the central element remains the final disposition of the deceased, which typically occurs in one of two ways: BURIAL or CREMATION.

BURIAL, or INHUMATION, is the traditional practice today across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. It involves interring the deceased, placed within a casket or coffin, into a grave within a cemetery. Most burials take place in individual plots or family vaults, though members of certain communities may be interred in shared burial sites. Historically, high-ranking clergy and nobility were often interred in crypts, whereas individuals who took their own lives were buried in designated areas without religious rites. Fortunately, such practices have long since been abandoned.

CREMATION AND RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVES

Although cremation or incineration dates back to ancient Greece, the Romans, and Germanic and Slavic tribes, the Christian world considered BURIAL the only proper method of interment until the 19th century. This tradition was based on the practice of returning the body to the earth, modeled after the burial of Jesus Christ.

While it was once common for the deceased to be interred according to family tradition or wishes, in modern history, religious communities have clearly defined which types of ceremonies are appropriate for their members.

CREMATION (or incineration) began to re-emerge in Europe only in the mid-19th century, driven by urban overcrowding and the first hygiene and health regulations. Since 1985, Croatia has had one crematorium located at Zagreb’s Mirogoj Cemetery. The number of cremations has been steadily rising since then, primarily due to lower funeral costs and reduced maintenance fees for urn plots.

The entire process at the Zagreb Crematorium spans three days. It begins with a farewell ceremony, after which the casket—made of softwood without metal parts or coatings—is placed in a cooling chamber. The actual cremation takes place on the second day, lasting nearly three hours at temperatures between 800 and 1,000 degrees Celsius. The third day is reserved for the interment of the urn. Croatian law does not allow for the private possession of ashes; remains must either be interred within a cemetery or scattered in the Sun Path (Sunčana staza) rose garden. Scattering ashes in any other location requires a special permit.

The choice between burial and cremation is a personal one, yet many religious communities defined their stances long ago. In 1963, the Catholic Church sanctioned cremation, declaring it equal to burial, provided the remains are interred in consecrated ground and the liturgical rite is performed before or after the cremation. Protestants are also generally open to cremation. Conversely, it is traditionally forbidden in Jewish, Muslim, and Orthodox faiths—though the Serbian Orthodox Church has become increasingly tolerant of the practice for its members.

Cremation is most prevalent among Buddhists and Hindus. While Buddhists may choose between burial and cremation, Hindus exclusively cremate their deceased to help the soul leave the body. These involve solemn ceremonies where large funeral pyres are prepared, and the ashes are collected the following day into an urn to be placed in a river.