Dying in spain..
 

This is not run of the mill question and appologies to anyone who may have just lost a loved one. Me and the missiz have just got back from a sunday morning walk and while we were out we came across the local cemetary. So as you do we had a respectfull nose around. Now as most of you will know the spanish bury their dead in purpose built 'walls', but as we were nosing we came across a couple of empty chambers with the fronts open and to our surprise the chambers are only about 4 feet deep, 'errr, how do they get you in there?' i said. Now i know the spanish are not renouned for their height but most of them are more than four feet tall ! . Also over the last six months that we have been here we havn't seen a funeral cortege anywhere. Don't want to be morbid or morose but sometimes curiosity just gets the better of you, especially as cremation is not so popular, just have visions of the body being crammed in and the front bricked up, job done.

anyone?

Re: Dying in spain..
 

Hello zads

What I am going to say may not be to your liking and I am sure there will be others that will tell you different but here goes. My friend is Spanish and both her parents have died her father many many years ago in Cadiz and she does not have memories of that but when her mother died she was placed in the same chamber as her dad and she told me that when they put her in they had to push very hard and she could her the bones crunching and cracking until she fitted in. Now how true this is I do not know as I have never attended a funeral here in Spain but her brother did confirm this story when I spoke with him. By the way in the case of my friends parents they were placed in strong white sacks (sure they have a name) no wooden coffins were used although they were in coffins for transporting.

Re: Dying in spain..
 

Those brit builders eh they were told 6 foot long They would skimp on Jordens Bust Size :p


Here is some info http://www.spnfuneralplans.com/deathprocedures.html


<Please do not cut and paste other peoples text as it breaches copyright, just put the link in>

Any way Mrs Posh has just swore at me though the open window to get off the something computer and to join her poolside for light refreshment and feta salad washed down with a blushed Cava. Ahhhhhhh remember there are no pockets in shrouds.You can't take it with you. I want an illegal build 7 foot long no cracking bones here thank you. Posh and company Funeral Directors We are the last to let you down................Getit :rofl::rofl:

Re: Dying in spain..
 

I always presumed that these chambers were a similar size a grave so this is news to me. What happens if the people are cremated? Do the ashed live in a pot in the chamber or is there a separate place for them?

As you say this subject can be very upsetting for people but we all do need to know what happens and what to do when someone dies.

Rosemary

Re: Dying in spain..
 

That would bring a whole new meaning to 'chamber pot' now wouldn't it?;)

Re: Dying in spain..
 

The white sacks would be "Shrouds" just as Christ had when taken down from the cross. In Spanish it seems to be Sudario but could be mortaja with amortajar being the laying out and wrapping.

The above ground burial chambers are often owned by the local authority and are only rented out per annum and when the decendants stop paying the remains are removed and the niche re-let. Or they may have a fixed time limit on the rental period. The bones are removed to an "Ossuary" crypt (bone store) at a local church. Due to cost cremation is becoming much more popular in Spain and most larger local authorities now have crematoria.

PS I think an above ground bone store were called a "Charnel House" in medieval England.

Re: Dying in spain..
 

I'm sure poshnbucks intended to credit their source:

http://www.andalucia.com/living/funerals.htm

Re: Dying in spain..
 

We have been to the funeral of one of the villagers who died. Couldn't see them put him into the wall as it was not right to push in front of his family and neighbours, but can say that the bricklayer was there with his bricks and cement and as soon as Emilio was put in the niche the front was bricked up, even while the family were still there mourning!

I did feel that it would have been more sensitive to wait until the family had left, but obviously things are done differently here.

Some weeks later a marble plaque appeared with his name, dates of birth and death and a religious text on it, and a place for the ubiquitous plastic flowers.

I did notice that none of the occupied niches in this tiny cemetery were dated earlier than 2002.

Re: Dying in spain..
 

There is more info in Age Concern link in Free Beer.

Re: Dying in spain..
 

I think this is a really interesting thread.
The cultural differences suurounding death and dying across the world are fascinating. Or perhaps I'm just morbid?:unsure:

Re: Dying in spain..
 

Fascinating but aren't you glad you are not Indian where "Sutti" is practised.

Re: Dying in spain..
 

Not familiar with that:o

And perhaps I should edit my last post as I just love hearing about different rituals in diff places, hence my looking at this thread!

Re: Dying in spain..
 

Sutti is when a wife shows her devotion to her dead husband by jumping onto his funeral pyre......they say it still happens in remote parts of India

Re: Dying in spain..
 

And when they pull her off she's " sooty"

Re: Dying in spain..
 

.The latest ones we saw were 1999/2000. nothing after that. And to confuse matters even more, there were a couple of 'walls' where the chambers were at least seven feet deep. Could these be for the more 'well off ' folk and they are laid to rest as we would be, as in a coffin. Also, there were umpteen chambers with two names on, mr and mrs, and these were the four foot ones. Do they then open up the grave and squash in mr or mrs died last?

Re: Dying in spain..
 

:eek:

Much as I love my husband, there are definitely limits!

I didn't think much of being entombed in a pyramid either!

Re: Dying in spain..
 

The wife on the funeral pyre bit was often less than voluntary.

Me, I want to be cremated, and have half my ashes sprinkled around my fruit trees in Spain, and the rest at the low tide mark at Conil.

Re: Dying in spain..
 

Yes it does, friends mum was popped in with dad and there is even room for her in there I believe her twin sister who died when she was just three years old is with her parents and I think they thought she would like to be with them. She has declined the offer as she has a hubby of her own, her brother though has said he is having no one in with him, he wants some peace and quite after nearly 55 years of marriage.

Re: Dying in spain..
 

My MIL say's she's going to Dance on my grave , so i'm being buried at sea.

Re: Dying in spain..
 

Fascinating. Clearly you have charnel knowledge. :rofl:

Re: Dying in spain..
 

:rofl:

Re: Dying in spain..
 

I want to be cremated and placed gently into the sea, not to fussed were as long as it is warm, I rather like the idea of the bay of Trafalgar it's one of my fav beaches in this area and I do believe it is about 11k from conil so I might see you around bil.

When my BIL died, my sister had his ashes devided into 4, one quater is in Gran Canary, a quater in Tenerife, a quater buired with the budgy that died the same month in a potted rose in the garden and the last quater is to be buired with her. She said he was always 4 sheets to the wind when he was alive so she thinks he would have liked what she has done.

Re: Dying in spain..
 

agreed - certainly answers a few things that I thought weird in a local cemetary where I used to live.

There was a cemetary opposite my primary school in Portugal, in there was a wall with name plaques on with pictures of the deceased next to the names - I'm assuming this was where their ashes are.

Others were as described as before but had a little glass box which flowers, photos and trinkets were placed - which I thought was a lovely touch.

The glass box in which a wooden coffin was laid in was a bit weird and it was slightly open, just a crack, until it was explained to me that that particular person wanted it that way as the thought of never seeing daylight again was more scary than death itself.

Fair enough.

Re: Dying in spain..
 

:rofl::rofl::rofl: that really tickled me!

Re: Dying in spain..
 

It's all a bit too scary though for some folk, isn't it?

The above links (Age Concern, SPN, andaluciadotcom) have given good information. May I include another one? http://jimenapulse.wordpress.com/200...ing-in-jimena/

I am more aware now of how important it is to make a (legally drawn) will and to tell someone of your wishes (regarding burial or cremation etc.) should you die suddenly. It would be better if you could put something aside towards the costs: be it an insurance plan, or a separate "funeral expenses" account in your bank with a letter of instruction to your bank manager on the event of your death. "If only..." How many times have those two words started a sentence, eh?

On the subject of interment in "nichos" which appear too small for the length of the deceased; well, an undertaker would know how this is done. But, who is brave enough to ask that question at that point in time? (I have my own theory.) The sealing of the niche, witnessed by the mourners, might help dispell worries about grave robbers.

Another point to add, el dia de los difuntos on the 2nd November is an important event in family life, when the plaques/headstones are polished and cared for by surviving family members.

Lastly (and apologies for going on so long), I found this link by Googling: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...being.weekend2
It helps answer quite a few questions many (myself included) are afraid to ask.

Carol

Re: Dying in spain..
 

I have asked my husband what he remembered and he said that Emilio was put in the wall in a coffin.

Re: Dying in spain..
 

Friend of mine died in Tenerife about 12 year ago.
His widow asked for a cremation,most unusual there I believe.
After a comedy of many errors we followed the procession up the M.way at a speed of no more than 20kph for all of 50km with traffic hurtling up behind us at 150kph or so.
We arrived at a large field with a small building on one side and a row of chairs outside.
In the middle of the field was a huge pile of heavy timber resembling tree trunks almost the size of a house with ladders all around it.
The coffin was hauled up onto the top and then workmen continued to stack even more large pieces of timber on top of it.
They then came with lots of buckets of some liquid,maybe kerosene and ran up the ladders throwing it right on the top in huge quantities.
It was then lit with a flaming torch on the end of a long pole.
The fire and flames were massive and for all we were a good way of, we were driven back even further with the intense heat.
We sat there in awe and amazement ,almost lost for words, for maybe 2 hours before leaving ,at which time the fire was as strong as ever.
I would think it could have continued burning for at least 2 more days after we left.
We were later told it was about the last of its kind on the island and the UK style cremation(which is what we had originally expected)would be the norm in future.

Re: Dying in spain..
 

Dam' fine show.

Quite the Viking funeral.

Re: Dying in spain..
 

Here in Tenerife, those little slots in the wall are rented for around 5 years I think, if the family did not realise this at the time & no longer pay for the rental, out the loved one comes & into a communal grave !ohmy:

So worth checking how long you have the site for.

Cremation is most popular here due to I suspect, digging the volcanic rock would be hard work, space is limited & cost.

Re: Dying in spain..
 

It seems to me that if you look at one area as an example "Madrid" and its heavy population how would it be possible to have a graveyard as is common over in the UK?
There simply would not be the room locally to do this and over the years graveyards fill up.
The only true fact of life is that one day we are going to die!
Everything in between is in a way irrelevant.
We are on this earth for the blink of an eye.
We are but grains of sand being swept around by the sea and blown around by the wind.
Enjoy every moment you can whilst you are here.Give not take, be happy and in truth does it matter whether we get cremated or buried? Once you are gone you are gone.
Sorry if this offends anyone but its purely my opinion.
As the Romans said when in Rome!
If people are living here and have made it their home we have to live by the natives ways of doing things?
If someone has very strong thoughts about it and so desired they could always pay and be transferred back to the UK for burial \ cremation and no doubts people do this and its down to personal choice.
I have enjoyed a lot reading this thread and feel its a very important issue however I am not planning on departing this planet for quite sometime!
Good luck to you all,
Superpot

Re: Dying in spain..
 

There's an old skipping rhyme which goes...

'Doctor, doctor, will I die?
Yes, my child and so will I.'