The time between when someone dies and their funeral is dependent on the religion or personal circumstances.
For instance, in a Catholic funeral in Ireland, the funeral normally takes place 3 days after the person has died. However, the tradition in Jewish funerals is to hold the funeral 24 hours after the person has died.
Personal circumstances will also be a factor. Many Jewish funerals may not happen within the traditional 24 hours due to the fact the family may be waiting for other family members to arrive from other parts of the world. 
Below are some examples of what you can expect from each type of religious funeral.
Table of Contents:
Catholic Funeral
Catholic religion: When can you expect the funeral to take place?
For most Catholic funerals, the funeral will take place 3-5 days after the person has died. Catholic funerals will happen before the burial or the cremation.
Before a Catholic funeral you can also expect for there to be a lying in repose to take place two days before the funeral and for a removal to occur the day before the funeral.
Lying in repose is optional for each family and it is a personal choice depending on the family on whether this is made public or is a private affair. It is where the body of the deceased is available to be seen before the removal or funeral. This is normally for close friends and family members.
The removal is usually held at a funeral home or can sometimes happen within the deceased or the family members home. The removal is where you can offer sympathies to the family and where prayers are usually said before the day of the funeral. It is common for the decade of the rosary to be said. These are usually open to anyone who knew the deceased.
The funeral will usually be held in a Catholic church with the burial or cremation taking place straight after. The burial can happen within the Church grounds or the body will need to be transported to another cemetery.
Length of a Catholic funeral: The funeral itself will normally last 45-60 minutes. If the funeral does not have a Requiem Mass then the funeral may only last 30-40 minutes.
Protestant religion: When can you expect a funeral to take place?
For most Protestant funerals, the funeral will take place 3-5 days after the person has died. Protestant funerals will happen before the burial or the cremation.
Protestant funerals usually have a visitation period prior to the funeral service either at the person’s home or at a funeral home. This can either be an open or closed casket. It allows personal time for friends and loved ones to pay their respects.
Depending on the traditions of the family or sometimes the country a removal may take place, however, unlike Catholic funerals, it is not always the done thing.
The funeral service is usually held in a church or funeral home with the burial or the cremation taking place afterwards. The burial can happen within the Church grounds or the body will need to be transported to another cemetery.
Length of a Protestant funeral: Every funeral is different, however a Protestant funeral can take around 30 minutes.
Jewish religion: When can you expect a funeral to take place?
A traditional Jewish funeral occurs within 24 hours of the time of death.
However, many modern Jewish funerals may take longer due to the family waiting for other relatives and family members to be able to attend the funeral.
Jewish funeral services can take place in a variety of places, including a synagogue, funeral home or at the graveside.
Depending on the beliefs of the Jewish family, the deceased family member will be buried or cremated. For Orthodox Jews the funeral will consist of a burial as they believe the body should remain intact and for reformed Jews then the funeral may consist of a cremation.
Due to the quick nature of Jewish funerals, it is unlikely there will be any removal or visitation of the body before the funeral.
Length of a Jewish funeral ceremony: Jewish funerals usually take around 20 minutes, although some may be up to 60 minutes.
After the funeral there will be a period of mourning for the family. During this period, shiva, the family will stay home for seven days. The deceased’s family will receive guests and together they will recite the Mourner’s Kaddish and reflect upon their loss.
Muslim religion: When can you expect a funeral to take place?
Islamic law states that funeral arrangements must start immediately after the death of a loved one. The funeral of a Muslim person will take place within a few hours of the person dying. Most communities will try to bury the body within 24 hours.
This means there is no viewing, wake or visitation of the deceased and mourners must attend their mosque’s prayer room to offer religious prayers.
The funeral is typically held outside the mosque, in a location such as a prayer room, community square, or courtyard, where members of the community may gather and pay their respects and pray. Funeral prayers are led by the Imam, the holy leader. Attendees form at least three lines: men, then children, and women in the back.
After the prayers, the body is moved to the burial ground. Some Muslim communities will allow women and children to attend the burial, however traditionally only men are allowed to attend the burial of the deceased.
There will be no cremation at a Muslim funeral as Muslims believe there will be a physical resurrection of the body on Judgement Day. Therefore, no cremation will take place.
Length of a Muslim funeral ceremony: The prayers for a Muslim funeral ceremony will usually last 30-60 minutes.
Hindu religion: When can you expect a funeral to take place?
A Hindu funeral will normally take place 24 hours after the person has died. During this time the deceased will stay at home and friends and family will come and pay their last respects.
Hindus believe in cremation so the body will be cremated 24 hours after the person has passed.
The body will be moved to a crematorium where the person will lie in an open casket where people can come and pay their last respects. However it is important not to touch the body. A Hindu priest and senior family members conduct the cremation ceremony (mukhagni). Traditionally, the mukhagni is only attended by men, however modern Hindu funerals allow women to attend.
The day after the funeral is when the ashes will be scattered either over a sacred body of water or in a location the deceased loved.
Duration of a Hindu funeral ceremony: Normally the funeral ceremony will last around 30 minutes.
Buddhist religion: When can you expect a funeral to take place?
In Buddhist religions the funeral will usually take place on the 3rd or 7th day. However the total mourning period for a Buddhist funeral will last 49 days. In Buddhism the belief is that rebirth happens after 49 days. Therefore, the mourning period will last 49 days.
In Buddhism the body will be left untouched for 4 hours after the person has passed. In Buddhism it is believed that this time allows the soul to leave the body.
It is uncommon for the body to be left in a state of repose for people to visit and a memorial service or wake will often happen after the funeral. Respects for the deceased will be paid on the day of the funeral. When mourners arrive at the funeral, they should proceed to the altar to pay their respects by placing offerings next to the casket and slightly bowing with their hands in prayer.
A Buddhist funeral is normally a simple ceremony which happens at a temple, funeral home or person’s home. The funeral and cremation will happen on the same day.
Duration of a Buddhist funeral ceremony: Usually a Buddhist funeral ceremony will last 45-90 minutes.
Non-Denominational: When can you expect a funeral to take place?
Non-denominational or humanist funerals can take place at any stage and arrangements for a funeral will be made depending on the family of the deceased or the deceased’s last wishes.
In many cases a person may have left final wishes on how they would like their funeral to take place or the family of the deceased may use their own family traditions for the funeral.
This means a funeral can take place within 24 hours – 7 days of a person dying.
It will be a personal choice of the family of the deceased whether they will have a removal or a wake before the funeral.
If the person who has died is not religious, it is likely the funeral will take place at a funeral home or in a crematorium. No prayers are likely to be read and instead family members will read out personal memories or their own version of prayers for the deceased.
Depending on the wishes of the person who has died or their family the body will either be buried or cremated.
A non-denominational funeral can last anywhere between 30 – 60 minutes.
Personal Circumstances
The above time frames for funerals are based off traditional funeral types. Personal circumstances may affect the time frames given above. For instance, people may want to wait for other family members to be able to attend the funeral, they may have to wait a few days for people to return from other countries or get time off work.
The person who has died may also have had personal last wishes that may affect these timeframes. For instance, my own mother wanted to be left for 5 days before any funeral arrangements were made and this was specified in her will.
If you are unsure about when your loved one’s funeral will take place then reach out to a close family member or check funeral announcement websites that will provide you with information on when a funeral will take place.
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