Funeral Services

Funeral

A funeral is a ceremonial occasion held in a church, chapel, or at the graveside. It is recommended that the funeral be held within 1–4 weeks of the death.

Thanks to our family business and the broad scale of our operations, we are highly flexible, and any day of the week works for us as the funeral day. We operate every day of the year and take care of all transportation and arrangements entirely according to your wishes and schedule.

The funeral venue and time are booked by calling the parish, either by the family or by the funeral home.

The course of the ceremony is largely determined by the deceased's religious conviction or non-membership in the church. When the deceased was a member of the church, the ceremony is called a blessing service, whereas the corresponding ceremony arranged for someone who did not belong to the church is called a farewell ceremony.

A person who did not belong to the church may, at the wish of the family or the deceased, also be buried with church rites. In that case the parish charges the estate a rental fee for the use of the premises. The priest and cantor are free of charge.

Blessing service

The blessing service is the traditional and most commonly used form of funeral in Finland. A priest and a cantor are booked for the blessing service. The priest handles the speeches of the ceremony and sees to the order of its course, while the cantor takes care of playing the hymns. The family and the priest always agree on the details of the ceremony's course either in person or by phone at an agreed time, well before the funeral day. The blessing service is always made individual through the priest's speech, the order of the program, and the choice of hymns and music/performers. The blessing service lasts on average 45 minutes.

Example of the course of a blessing service:

• 1. Opening music: The cantor or a musician plays the organ or an instrument.
• 2. Laying of flowers: The closest family members begin, after which the other guests lay their flower tributes beside the coffin family by family. During the laying of flowers, the family observes a short moment of silence, during which a memorial verse may also be read.
• 3. Opening hymn: A shared hymn (usually 1–3 hymns are sung during a blessing service).
• 4. Introduction and prayer: The priest begins the service.
• 5. Scripture reading: Selected passages.
• 6. Speech: The priest speaks about the deceased's life.
• 7. The blessing: The central part of the service, in which the priest casts sand onto the coffin in the shape of a cross.
• 8. Prayer and the Lord's Prayer.
• 9. Closing hymn and closing words (invitation to the memorial reception).
• 10. Closing music: In a casket burial, the coffin is carried to the grave or to the car. In a cremation, the coffin is carried to the car, or the coffin remains at the altar to await transfer to the
• crematorium.

Farewell ceremony

If the deceased did not belong to the church, a farewell ceremony can be arranged.

The framework of the program can be very free-form. The program often resembles a blessing service, but without the church portion. Instead of a priest, the speaker at the ceremony can be, for example, a close family member or a civil celebrant. An organist often replaces the cantor.

Example of the course of a farewell ceremony:

• 1. Opening music: The organist or a musician plays music important to the deceased on the organ or an instrument.
• 2. Laying of flowers: The closest family members begin, after which the other guests lay their flower tributes beside the coffin family by family. During the laying of flowers, the family observes a short moment of silence, during which a memorial verse may also be read.
• 3. Farewell speech: A loved one or a civil celebrant reminisces about the deceased's life.
• 4. Musical performance or shared singing: For example, the deceased's favorite songs may be sung.
• 5. Closing words: A short summary, thanks for attending, and an invitation to the memorial reception.
• 6. Closing music: In a casket burial, the coffin is carried to the grave or to the car. In a cremation, the coffin is carried to the car, or the coffin remains at the altar to await transport to the crematorium. 

Priest or speaker

Priest and cantor

The family may decide on the priest and cantor for the ceremony. The family can request a family priest for the blessing service themselves, or have the funeral home take care of it. It is, of course, very common that, when booking the premises, an available priest and cantor from the parish are booked as well.

The priest calls the family well in advance of the blessing service and arranges a meeting with them. The meeting can take place by phone, on the church premises, or at the family's home.

It is good to bring the deceased's family and loved ones to the meeting, so that the priest gets a good picture of the deceased's life. At the meeting, the priest talks with the family about the deceased's life, and at the same time the course of the ceremony and the hymns are agreed upon.

Speaker and organist

The speaker at the ceremony can be a close family member or a professional speaker. A civil celebrant can handle the same functions as a priest, but without the church portion. A civil celebrant can also include singing in their speech if desired, and in general the program can be much more free-form and individual.

A professional speaker for the ceremony can be arranged through us as part of the overall funeral package. Here are the professional speakers we recommend:
https://www.hannulehtikangas.fi/

https://pro-seremoniat.fi/

Musician

In addition to the cantor or organist, you can, if needed, get a professional musician for the funeral through us: a cellist, flutist, violinist, pianist, or singer.
Professional musicians perform either alone or as a duo.

Thanks to our wide selection of professional musicians, we can offer an individual musical performance exactly according to your wishes. Based on your wishes, we can choose the musician according to, for example, music genre, gender, or age.

Solo

One musician (cellist, flutist, violinist, pianist, or singer), 1–2 pieces of music at the blessing, farewell, or memorial ceremony. Includes travel costs within the service area.

Duo

Two musicians (cello & flute, cello & piano, voice & piano, or violin & cello), 1–2 pieces of music at the blessing, farewell, or memorial ceremony. Includes travel costs within the service area.

Photography

At the family's request, a professional photographer for the funeral can be arranged through us.
The funeral's professional photographer captures the funeral discreetly so that the family can focus on grieving and saying goodbye to the deceased.
The photos can be received as a digital version, on a memory stick, or pre-arranged in a black-covered photo album.

Basic photography

Photography of the blessing, farewell, or memorial ceremony, a total of 20–30 photos.
Includes travel costs within the service area and delivery of the photos as a digital version by email.

Complete photography

Photography of the blessing or farewell ceremony and the memorial reception, a total of 50–60 photos.
Includes travel costs within the service area and delivery of the photos as a digital version by email.

Additional photography services

Photos on a memory stick and delivery of the memory stick to the family.

High-quality printing of the photos and arrangement in a black-covered photo album, and delivery to the family's home as a finished whole.

Order-of-service programs

The order-of-service program has the course of the ceremony written down, along with the shared songs (hymns) and any musical performances, which eases the family's grieving at the funeral and the memorial reception. This way the family does not need to look up hymns in the hymnal, and all attendees can easily follow and take part in the course of the ceremony. The program can be made individual, for example by using photographs of the deceased from different stages of life.

The order-of-service program is a beautiful and orderly product that remains with the family as a keepsake after the funeral. The program often also includes an invitation to the memorial reception and any additional information about arriving at the venue.

Production of the order-of-service programs

Includes: A professional graphic designer's drafts until the family is satisfied with the draft, printing in the required quantity, printing on premium white hardcover card stock, the printing may be in color and may contain symbols or images requested by the family, folding the programs ready for use, delivery to the funeral well in advance of the start of the ceremony, and travel costs within the service area.