What is a celebrant led Funeral? A traditional religious funeral is the wish of many people. Many others want to commemorate a life in a more personal way that may or may not have a religious tone. This is when a celebrant-led funeral is ideal: it will be designed from a secular framework with personalised components that allow individual beliefs to shine through – whatever they may be.
Benefits of a celebrant led funeral
As the world continues to change and populations diversify, more and more people are opting for the open, inclusive style of a celebrant-led funeral.
Some people find traditional funerals unhelpful in the grieving process. In fact, typical funerals largely fail to offer any significant psychological or emotional benefit. Mourners at such funerals often leave feeling sadder or more depressed than when they arrived.
The most important thing mourners value is to feel able to connect and commemorate the deceased through a lens personalised to their life.
Why celebrant led funerals are leading the way
Celebrant led funerals can offer the family members left behind a far more effective vehicle to celebrate the lives of their loved ones.
So why are they becoming more popular?
The answer is simple.
Every one of us is unique, and we feel that it is important to give individuals and families options to celebrate a loved one’s life using an approach that is more attuned to their beliefs. The recently released 2021 UK census data appears to add weight to this view by confirming for the first time that a majority of the population of the UK do not ascribe to any faith or religion.
There will always be a good number of people who don’t define themselves by a certain religion. Instead, some might choose to commemorate someones death with stories, videos, and music that really speak to how the deceased has touched the lives of others.
What a celebrant led funeral is all about
The point of a celebrant-led funeral is to craft a ceremony that helps the bereaved come to terms with their loss. By personalising the funeral, it can help mourners to gain some form of closure so they can begin to heal.
Everyone should have the chance to have their life and achievements celebrated and cherished by the people they cared most about. A celebrant-led funeral is almost a performance on a stage, paying tribute to all that the deceased meant, to their loved ones in the audience.
A celebrant-led funeral is a cathartic event: grief comes with death, but the sadness can be diluted at times with fond memories. It lets the bereaved reflect on their loss but also feel gratitude for the connection they had with them.
Celebrating the true meaning of life
Death makes us all reflect on the meaning of life. A celebrant-led funeral allows us to explore this; to think about what it is to be human; to love and care about others. It is an event that touches and resonates with all present.
It goes without saying that a funeral is associated with tears, but a celebrant-led funeral can subtly shift tears of sorrow into something a little more bearable. Mourners recognise the character of the person they knew in the way the ceremony has been carefully crafted and this helps transform the rawness of grief into a slightly lighter form.
In fact, this whole process starts from the moment you meet your funeral celebrant. Working with your celebrant to plan the funeral and talking to them about your loved one can be painful, but it can also help you grieve. As you recall memories you will feel a sense of pride that you shared your life with that person, and you will want to ensure the ceremony is one they would have approved of.
How do I become a funeral celebrant?
Helping people through one of the most difficult times in their life is a great honour. Being a funeral celebrant is rewarding and meaningful. This is why many people switch from a variety of other jobs in order to find a career that really matters.
There are many organisations around the world that will offer you the training to become a celebrant, but to become a good funeral celebrant there are certain qualities it is vital to possess:
- Be able to listen to people with thought and sensitivity
- Respect the wishes of others but also to take the lead with ideas if needed
- Possess the ability to write clearly
- Be confident speaking in front of groups of people
If you are interested in becoming a funeral celebrant you can access our training brochure by clicking the image below.
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