Before, during and after the cemetery

Before, during and after the cemetery AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF GREEK BURIALS & BELIEFS Panagiotis Pentaris Lecturer, Faiths & Civil Society Unit Goldsmiths, University of London [email protected] @NotisPentaris

Outline Context Methodology

Findings & Reflections Outcomes

Death in the Pre-modern Greece Afterlife and ceremonial practices The Underworld, Hades, and the Afterlife

Death: Reward for the deceased Evil event for social life and family life

Death and the Greek Orthodox Church Death as ‘collective faith’ (Mystakidou et al. 2004-2005) Death as an accomplishment – eternity versus sins of earth

Heaven or Hell Grief and the ‘passing’ of the deceased Catharsis - Socrates

Methodology Constructionism (Burr 1995) Ethnography

Case study – Crete Before: 2 visits During: 1 visit After: 1 visit

Hermeneutics

Before the cemetery Funeral announcement / public Black attire

Open invitation

‘evil spirit’ Preparing for the wake: Preparing the body:

 Dressing up the body  In coffin – on table  Crossed hands & tied white ribbon  Religious icon

 Candles around head  Coins in pockets

Covering mirrors and shiny surfaces Wake – open casket – wreaths and casket lid

Boiling corn

Leaving the deceased’s house Cortege Priest & two children

Pouring water & breaking glass

At the Church Open casket Relatives’ position

Embracing wailing & mourning Ceremony & ‘kissing the deceased’ Receiving sympathies and condolences

At the cemetery Open grave Casket and flowers

Gifts Priest spraying with oil Soil

Wailing

After the cemetery Eating to forgive O kafes tis parigorias [ο καφές της παρηγοριάς]

Friends and family visiting for three days Boiled corn & offerings Remembering After three days – offerings and boiled corn to the grave After nine days – offerings and boiled corn to the grave 40 days ceremony 90 days ceremony 1 year ceremony

Outcomes •Greek Orthodox Church – highly religious burial practices and beliefs •Public wailing and grieving

•Open and public funeral •The deceased is subject to forgiveness by the bereaved •Superstitions or religious beliefs?

•Remembrance practices linked to the soul’s peace

Thank you References Mystakidou, K., Tsilika, E., Parpa, E., Katsouda, E. & Vlahos, L. (2004-2005). Death and grief in the Greek culture. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying, 50(1), 23-34. O’rourke,D. (2007). Mourning becomes eclectic: death of communal practice in a Greek tragedy. American Ethnologist, 34(2),387-402. Pentaris, P. (2012). Death in the Modern Greek culture. Hawaii Pacific Journal of Social Work Practice, 5(1), 126-131.

Panagiotis Pentaris

Lecturer, Faiths & Civil Society Unit Goldsmiths, University of London [email protected] @NotisPentaris