Burial is commonly called interment. It is frequently has a considerable price tag and unquestionably the most pricey part of a funeral. In an ideal world, burial or interment arrangements would be made beforehand with a pre-planned funeral. Still, often, this is just not feasible. Now and then, a death can be out of the blue due to an accident or other situations. Other times, people basically prefer not to dwell on the topic of death or even think about it until the time comes.



Regardless of pre-planning, a traditional burial is very costly, not only financially, but also environmentally. As cemetery space becomes rapidly and increasingly more limited, many cities and even countries are reevaluating their cemetery systems in hopes of coming up with a plan that meets all needs.

Despite the cost, cemetery interment remains very popular and is the most common funeral practice. The reasons for this are because:

• In large part, this is due to the fact that many people prefer to adhere to the traditions that they know. If they come from a family that preferred in ground burial then they are that much more likely to use the same.

• Another reason for the continued popularity of interment is the fact that many religions and cultures still forbid or caution against cremation or other forms of disposition. Greek Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Orthodox Judaism, Parsees, Russian Orthodox Christianity, and Zoroastrians all forbid cremation. Each group has its own religious convictions about why they forbid the practice of cremation but primarily it is because the body and resurrection.

• Most Christian denominations have changed their stance on cremation, though some still have certain guidelines that must be followed to adhere to the laws of their faith. If you have questions, always check with your religious leader, should you have one, before making any plans.

In many countries, the beliefs about death haven't changed in centuries. Even in the United States, we still adhere to many rituals and funeral practices that were in place in the nineteenth century. Soon, however, circumstances will force us to reexamine these customs and traditions. Of course, no discussion of burial, can exclude the major, underlying influence of religion. Increasingly, however, those guidelines are changing as many other aspects of religious beliefs change with time.

Not only do religious entities put laws into affect, but, of course, our governments do. Most governmental guidelines regarding burial will be explained to you by your funeral director. You can also research them online on your own by searching for the laws of your state and region. This is an important step to take even if you feel that you know the laws of your area.

There are many mistaken beliefs concerning burial. Be certain to be informed. Still, prior to considering burial, check with your funeral director to make sure that you have or can get the correct burial permit (if considered necessary) to permit you to bury the remains of your loved one below ground.