Funerals

Ok, so I know its never all that great to talk about funerals, but its wearing on my body. Here funerals are quite different. The stake patriarch died on Tuesday and was also in the ward. Now with Christian in the bishopric there are a lot more responsabilities. The bishopric has really taken a hand in all the preparations for the funeral service, and of course I´m there to support in whatever needs to be done. Especially since the patriarch´s wife and 2 daughters are good friends of the family and have always been soooo kind to me.

So what´s so different about funerals here in Peru?

1. There´s a thing called a "velorio". That means that the day that one dies all the family and friends go and "pay their respects" by sitting around the coffin all night long until the early morning. So, yesterday night and the night before we stayed until 12am Tuesday night and almost 2am Wednesday night. I´m exhausted. I can´t even imagine how tired the family is. In these "sittings" generally they serve some kind of soup or crackers and a drink. Its really quite costly. Anyways, we stayed so long mainly because the bishopric needed to be there to make sure everything went smoothly and to close up the church building.

2. After the funeral service everybody walks behind the car with the coffin for about 5 blocks stopping all traffic. Then, everybody gets on a bus to go to the cemetary.

3. The burial ceremony is about the same, just a lot of catholic traditions unless you talk to the coordinators first. Oh, and generally they let the family members and close friends throw a handful of dirt and say a few words over the coffin once it is in the earth.

You know its interesting, but while living in Peru I´ve gone to/participated in 4 funerals. Today is the funeral service and burial. Just a note about Brother Villavicencio. He was a great man with a kind, loving spirit. He always had a smile on his face and thought of everybody individually. I feel privelleged to have known him.