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A vigil is a gathering held after a person’s death, typically before the funeral, to remember and mourn the deceased. The style and traditions vary depending on culture, with some being more somber and others celebratory. The term “wake” has unclear origins, but theories include guarding against grave robbers, preventing premature burial, and allowing the spirit to move on to the afterlife. The purpose of modern vigils is to provide comfort and support to loved ones and to help people accept the reality of death.
A vigil is a gathering of people held as a way to cope with the death of a friend, acquaintance or relative. Depending on the culture in which it occurs, one can be very low-key and morose or happy and hoarse. Typically, people keep one after a person has died but before burial. It is not clear exactly where the term comes from, although there are many theories based on different traditions and legends.
Synchronization
In most cases, people hold vigils within a week of a person’s death, as regulations often require a body to be disposed of quickly. They usually take place before the funeral, however. In the US, people sometimes schedule them for the same day as the funeral so people can go straight to the cemetery afterward, but depending on the circumstances, it’s also common to have one a day or two before the funeral. Exceptions are cases where the body cannot be found, as is often the case in cases of missing persons, and when someone is cremated. In these cases, the event essentially doubles as a funeral.
Modern purpose
The main reason for vigils in modern society is to give people a chance to come together and remember a person who has passed away. Through these events, loved ones can draw comfort from one another as they mourn and acknowledge the greater influence a single person had on the entire group. Those who attend usually pay their last respects to the deceased and often tell stories about their life. The process of going to one sometimes helps people accept the reality of death.
Stile
Revivals in the United States are often quite bleak affairs, as they deal with the loss of life. As with funerals, many people who go to them wear black or other dark colors. The style ultimately depends on the wishes of the deceased and loved ones, however, as well as the beliefs they hold. In some cases, for example, as in the Irish tradition, people turn them into virtual parties despite their mourning, celebrating the life of the deceased and the fact that he has passed on to a better place. These types might include prayer, happy music, eating and drinking, games, and even dancing.
Traditions in the world
In Ireland, when people want to keep a wake, they usually stop all the clocks in the house, which some experts say became a tradition because doctors lived far away, stopping the clock when the person died. It also showed that mourners could cry at their own pace. People also often cover up mirrors, following the superstition that if the dead person sees their reflection, their spirit will haunt the survivors or become trapped in the mirror. The women of the family usually wash and dress the deceased, often in white, and sing traditional dirges. While this is happening, according to the ancient Celts’ belief that death is a time of joy, the guests celebrate the deceased, providing a balance for the grief.
Traditions similar to those found in Ireland, complete with feasting and drinking, exist in Jamaica and among the Maori of New Zealand, as well as other cultures around the world. In the United States and Canada, these events are also known as visions, because it is customary for people to look briefly at the body of the deceased while saying goodbye. Unlike other areas of the globe, North American visions usually take place in funeral homes rather than the home of the deceased.
receptions
In some parts of the world, people who host vigils attend a reception, in part to thank the guests for taking the time to attend and pay their respects. The meals served are usually lighter unless only a few guests arrive, and the foods tend to be those that appeal to most people in the area. Sometimes, the hosts prepare all the foods from scratch, especially if they want to honor the deceased by cooking their favorite dishes, but in other cases, the hosts invite all the guests to have lunch or dinner at a public restaurant where they have reserved some space. While this is more expensive, it is often more convenient, as landlords are often very tired of making arrangements and suffering.
origins
Why people use the term “wake” isn’t exactly clear, but according to an urban legend, people used to drink alcohol from leaded glasses. They would pass out and others would think they were dead. Just to make sure the person was truly dead, friends and family would sit with the body to make sure the person didn’t come back to life. The general idea was to prevent anyone from being buried alive.
Some people say that these events got their name from the way a boat or other vessel leaves a trail when it moves through the water. For the survivors, the dead man is like the boat, moving on to the afterlife. Friends and family are left behind.
Another reason people call this type of gathering a “wake” could be because it was quite common for people to rob graves for items like rings and watches after a burial. In the 18th and 19th centuries, some scientists went even further and stole bodies for science, a practice which, despite its gruesomeness, greatly advanced the understanding of human anatomy. Additionally, wild and hungry animals sometimes disturbed the burial sites. Friends, family members, or hired people would guard where someone was buried for these reasons. In fact, the word “veglia” is linked to the Latin veglia, which means to watch over.
Yet another theory about the origins of the term is that by gathering together and causing an uproar with glee, the dead person could not truly sleep and go to the other world. These events, when done “party style,” were more for the benefit of the dead person, not the survivors. The more rowdy the guests became, the more likely they were to set a loved one off.
Some experts believe that the light-heartedness of the wake, in reversing the normal expectation of grief, is symbolic of the chaos the spirit must go through to get to the next life. This representation is confusing and prevents the spirit from returning to the world. Such “reversal” is evident in some African traditions, such as wearing the clothing of the opposite sex and allowing women to assume dominant roles that would not normally be acceptable.
