Man is mortal - this is an obvious truth for all but the greatest optimists who want to live forever. People have developed many funeral rituals, created an entire infrastructure that is responsible for the last path of man. And fire plays an important role in this matter.
From the point of view of environmental friendliness, ethics and just personal preferences, cremation is the best way to dispose of human logs. When the body is already dead, it can be buried underground, but it is the fire that is given the sacred, cleansing effect, which helps the soul find its refuge in the abode of eternal grief.
Cremation from antiquity to the present day
Cremation comes from the Latin cremare - “burn” or “burn”. In ancient times, it was common even among primitive societies. According to one theory - this gave protection in the afterlife, and according to another - fire was a sacred phenomenon.
European cremation traditions were used in ancient Greece. In those days, it was believed that burning helps a departed in the other world. After this, the Romans adopted this tradition. And the ash remaining after the rite was stored in special places - columbaria.
In Christian times, in Russia, cremation was not very encouraged, since it belonged to pagan traditions. The classical method was used more - burial in the ground. In Western Europe, cremation was banned at one time. It was imposed by Charles the Great in 785. The veto lasted about a thousand years. And only in the eighteenth century, the tradition was revived, because the cemeteries could not cope with those who wanted to bury them. The proximity of burials to residential buildings caused epidemics and other troubles.
In 1869, a resolution was officially signed at an international medical conference calling for widespread cremation. Cremation today is a whole industry when there are not enough cemeteries and there is not enough land. In addition, it is hygienic, does not require a lot of expenses and is generally very efficient.
