Pagan Burial for Modern Times
All Participants should have:
v one glass, of mead, or of a good wine, or any significant drink.
v One white candle
The Narrator is usually a close friend of the deceased, or a respected figure.
Speaker one and Speaker two are usually drawn from the next of kin, or a partner and best friend of the deceased.
Opening invocation:
Direach, me fein is mo anam chara, Direach go dti an tir taingiri
Direach , mo ghra, mo solas chroi, direach go dti an hy-brasil
An ghriain sa speir, nar dhroim le ghaoith
Is tusa ag suil in aidhid liom, direach do dti
An Tir nAmarach
(trans)
Directly (straight) I and my soul friend, directly to the Land of Promises
Directly my love, the light of my heart. Directly to Hy-brasil
The sun in the sky and at our backs the wind
And you with me, directly to
The land of tomorrow
(the land of promise, and Hy-brasil are saced isles of Irish traditional philosophy, )
Narrator:
In ancient times, our fore fathers would bring to the sacred place, some token of the dead * and with ceremony place this among the tokens of the ancestors, sheltered by the sacred stones, buried in the womb of Eriu (1) and aligned with the universe itself. In their
smple faith and untarnished natures lie the secrets of the world: that the past is our comfort, the present is our business and the future is our hope.
In returning the body to the earth, they reaffirmed our connection with she who gave us life. In the sacred rite (i.e. of placing part of the person among the ancestors), they bridged the gap between our ancestors and the otherworld, and this world in which we live.
By being buried with the clan, in the sacred places, part of the rites and ceremonies of their people, each soul that passed helped to reaffirm the claim of their clan to that land, to that history and heritage of their people which they built and defended in life.
In a strange way this both an assertion of tribal unity and personal expression….the individual personality celebrated for all its eccentricity and uniqueness as part of the larger society.
In this day, remote and unconnected as we have become from the rhythm and power of our Mother, we yet try to recreate that sense of life in death: we come here to celebrate the life of our departed friend and to affirm ourselves as a family, united in our love for them, and in the belief that we will meet again, that they have not left us but have rather gone on ahead. In another time, in another place, we will once again share our lives with them.
Rite 1 The naming of the dead
Any who wish may take part in Rite 1, The naming of the Dead. Rite 2 The celebration of the life and Rite 3 The invitation to Return
The Parts named as Speaker 1 and Speaker 2 are usually reserved for the Chief Mourners, who have the right to speak first ( Partner, Parent, sibling or friend) - everyone else speaks after them saying the same formula and adjusting as appropriate. This formula can be rewritten as suits the mourners and the circumstances but the first sentence of each should be kept.
Speaker 1:
I am ________, and I am come to name the dead. I name them as my (insert relationship as appropriate e.g. friend, lover, sister etc). The name of the dead is ______: this is the name they bore in life. I knew them by this name (2) and I call them now - _______.(calls name of the dead)**
Speaker 2:
I am -----------, and I am also come to name the dead. I name them as my (insert relationship as appropriate e.g. friend, lover, sister etc). The name of the dead is______: this is the name they bore in life. As _____(speaker 1) has said, I affirm it to be: the name of the dead is ----------: this is the name they bore in life. I knew them by this name and I call them now-_______(calls name of the dead)
After this anyone who wishes may repeat and reassert the name of the dead using a formula above..
Narrator: This is ______(name of dead) and we have borne witness to their place in
Life as in death. Now let us hear of their exploits
Rite 2: The celebration of Life
Speaker 1:
I am come to remember the life of ______. I remember them as my (insert relationship ) and there are things I loved and miss about them. I loved them for etc(here the speaker relates whatever part of the life or personality of their departed they wish to remember and celebrate .this is the time to remember any particular incidents, kindnesses, stories, interests, achievements, this can be as long or brief as feels right for each person )
Speaker 2: as above
Anyone else: as above
Narrator:
In the life of our friend there were many moments of Joy, and of love. They had their sorrows but they carried them as lightly as they could. They went bravely into battle and calmly into dispute. They were slow to anger on their own part and quick to defend their neighbour. They were part of our family in this life and in the next we will meet with them again.
Rite 3: the invitation to return
At this point each mourner takes their glass of mead (or wine or etc) raising them in a toast.
Speaker 1:
_________(name of dead) , thank you for sharing your life with us and thank you for being part of our family/family of friends/community. Some of us you have met before, and some of us were souls you encountered for the first time. All that have gathered here hope that we will meet again, in the otherworld (3) or in our next life on earth. We beg you to remember us, not to let our memory grow dim; remember and take an interest in us from your side, remember us and recognize our souls when next we meet.
(drinks from glass)
Speaker 2:
__________,(name) you are gone before us. Thank you for sharing your life with us. We will meet again, remember my soul as I will remember yours, so that we will recognize each other.
(drinks)
Everyone else: as speaker 2.
Narrator: it is come now that we must take leave of our friend. We bless this element of earth ( or wind ) that takes the last remains: we honour the sound of the breath of life and the touch of the soft caress of nature: we honour the fragrance of life and warmth of the sun. Receive and honour our friend and may the spirits of this place recive them.***
Rite of Interment:
A)If a conventional grave, in a cemetery or burying ashes:
Narrator:
Each of us has brought today a token. Some have brought items that you loved in life, gifts that you gave, something you wrote. Some have brought flowers and some have brought photos. In this way do we symbolize the acts of our ancestors who brought the dead to their sacred places and who buried each generation among their ancestors.
Each person places their token in the grave, saying a few words with each if they wish.
B) scattering of the ashes
Narrator (lighting fire or producing preburnt ashes)
Each of us has chosen a token for you; some items that you loved in life, gifts that you gave, something you wrote, flowers or photos too. They have been burnt (are being burnt) so that they will bring something of your community of friends to your resting place. We mingle these ashes with your own, to symbolize the acts of our ancestors who brought the dead to their sacred places and who buried each generation among their ancestors. We can no longer bring your bones to the sacred place, but we construct around this temple of our love, and tokens of the community around you.
Leavetaking:
Speaker 1:
We have feasted together for the last time, and we will talk together in this world no more. We are destined to part but between two souls who love there can be no true parting. I carry you with me always, and I bless your name, ________.
Speaker 2:
Between two souls who love there can be no true parting. I carry you with me always and I bless your name, ________
Everyone else: as speaker two.
The closing of the grave (4)
Everone lights their white candles.
Narrator:
As our ancestors came to bury their dead so have we: by honouring our dead as they did, we establish our place in the world and in the hearts of each other. As we do for our departed friend, we hope will be done for us. We bless the spirit of -------, and wish them all the rewards of their life.
Everyone: as we do for our departed friend so we hope will be done for us. We bless the spirit of --------, and wish them all the rewards of their life.
The candles are left to burn on the gravesite or taken away with each person , if the later then they can be relighted on the next Samhain at the feast of the dead to invite your departed friend.
Footnotes
* in ancient times, bones or skull but unless you’re very very lucky nowadays a personal item suffices.
** These two formuli assert the name of the departed one: speaker one gives us their name and speaker two confirms it. This brings back to mind the traditional role in celtic times of the Druids and Bards, who would recall the departed’s geneology at this juncture to “prove” their right to be honoured. It also calls the spirit to witness that it is being honoured and remembered.
*** in other words earth wind rain (water) and fire
1 Eiru or Danu can be replaced by any suitable earth mother name , e.g. Gaia
2 a nickname or pet name can be inserted here
3 Otherworld, can be replaced by suitable name: e.g. summerland, heaven, hades,
