Any death is hurtful, and even though death is the ultimate truth, it is not quite easy to accept and receive without getting hit. As death is inevitable, but life is much bigger than death, the life of the deceased and their good nature must be relished. And while paying this homage, we take the help of two ceremonies: a wake and a funeral. Even though they are very similar and include common characteristics, they are two separate rites.
Key Takeaways
- A “wake” is a gathering of family and friends to view or watch over the body of a deceased person before the funeral.
- A “funeral” is a ceremony or service to commemorate a deceased person’s life and provide closure for the family and friends.
- The main difference between a “wake” and a “funeral” is that the former occurs before the latter.
Wake vs Funeral
A wake is a gathering where family and friends come together to offer condolences and pay their respects to the deceased. A funeral is a more formal ceremony to honor and celebrate the deceased’s life. It may include religious or cultural rituals, speeches, music, and readings.
Wake is like a gathering arranged after the death of a person. It is also called visitation, and in this ceremony, the close friends and family of the late person get a chance to see him/her for one last time. Wake is always arranged before the funeral.
The funeral is a formal as well as a religious gathering where a few rituals get to follow. It comes after the day of the wake, and it is meant to pray for the dead’s salvation of the soul and also to show respect towards the dead. Disposition of the body is part of the funeral.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Wake | Funeral |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Wake is a visitation by the close family for paying homage that happens before the funeral. | A funeral is part of the religion, this ceremony is to dedicate honour to the dead person. |
| Take place | A wake always happens a day before the funeral. | A funeral happens a day after the occurrence of the wake. |
| Purpose | Wake is for the family to see the dead person and say their goodbyes. | A funeral is a religious and formal way to show respect to the dead and his body. |
| Type of event | Wake is a kind of social event. | A funeral is a religious event. |
| Rituals | Wake does not include any rituals as it is informal visitation by the close family and friends of the dead person. | Funeral, being part of religion, includes rituals that have a structure and graveness. |
What is Wake?
A wake is a social ceremony. It is a visitation or a gathering that gets arranged after a person’s death. This visitation is organized by the deceased’s family for the purpose of paying respect. It takes place a day before the funeral. Mostly it takes place in the house or some in the funeral home, with and the dead body also exists there for the people to see the dear person for one last time.
In a wake, people rejoice the departed person, his/her achievements, and glory. It is a celebration of that person’s life. In some places, it is known as viewing. Formerly, the term wake referred to a vigil or prayer. The concept of wake goes back to the tradition of waiting for the dead person to wake up again. This is why it takes place before the funeral.
What is a Funeral?
The funeral is part of the ritual that includes customs, rites, and traditions. The burial of the dead’s body happens in this ceremony, and it happens with family and friends. This is the last goodbye to the late person. The funeral customs depend on that culture’s practices, and they are not fixed. The customs differ from culture to culture, group to group.
Not only religious but funeral has a legal significance as well. The funeral is a place to mourn for the dead and show support to the rest of the dead’s family. A funeral always comes after the wake. Things like the afterlife and reincarnation are related to this ceremony.
Main Differences Between Wake and Funeral
- Wake is a visitation to the dead person and family by close friends and family to pay homage to the deceased person for one last time. On the other hand, a funeral is part of a religious ceremony.
- Wake is a social ritual, whereas a funeral is part of a religious ritual.
- Wake is supposed to happen or take place before the funeral, and the funeral always comes after the wake without any exception.
- Wake is a personal and informal ceremony that does not include any rules or rituals to follow, but a funeral is a religious thing with rituals.
- In the wake, people share memories regarding the deceased person. This share is very personal, and rituals have nothing to do with it. But the funeral is for the peace of the soul.
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/016001769501700307
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/20558053
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
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