Funerals by faith
What happens at the funeral
Two kinds of people read a page like this. Someone arranging a funeral for the first time, who needs to know what is expected of them. And someone who has been invited to one and is quietly worried about getting it wrong. Both are welcome here.
Sikh funerals
How long a Sikh funeral takes: about 30 to 60 minutes at the crematorium, cremation usually within three days, and the rites ending on the tenth day.
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Muslim funerals
How long a Muslim funeral takes: salat al-Janazah runs about 5 to 10 minutes, burial follows as soon as possible, usually within a day, and what to expect.
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Jewish funerals
How long a Jewish funeral takes: a service of about 20 to 30 minutes, burial within a day where possible, then shiva for seven days and sheloshim for thirty.
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Catholic funerals
How long a Catholic funeral lasts: a Funeral Mass of about 45 to 60 minutes, 15 to 20 minutes more at the committal, and a Vigil the evening before.
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Orthodox Christian funerals
How long an Orthodox funeral lasts: about an hour, much of it standing, plus the trisagion beforehand and memorials on the third, ninth and fortieth days.
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Protestant funerals
How long a Protestant funeral lasts: usually the crematorium’s 30-minute slot, longer in church with hymns, and what changes between Anglican and free church.
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Hindu funerals
How long a Hindu funeral takes: about 30 to 60 minutes at the crematorium, cremation usually within a day, and thirteen days of mourning after it.
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Buddhist funerals
How long a Buddhist funeral lasts: about 45 to 75 minutes of chanting and reflection, with observances continuing for up to 49 days in some traditions.
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Humanist funerals
How long a humanist funeral lasts: about 20 to 30 minutes in a standard crematorium slot, or longer on a double slot, with no prayers or hymns.
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Not the tradition you were looking for?
These guides describe what happens. If what you are really asking is what a tradition believes about death, and what it says comes after it, that is answered separately, one question at a time, across every faith side by side.
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