Funeral ceremony organization

Types of ceremonies we organize

• Traditional Orthodox ceremony — wake, church service, cemetery burial, memorial
• Catholic ceremony — Catholic church service, burial or cremation per tradition
• Protestant or Neo-protestant ceremony — service at place of worship, burial or cremation
• Secular civil ceremony — no religious service, with master of ceremonies, speeches, moments of reflection
• Cremation ceremony — at crematorium, short farewell + later memorial
• Ceremony for repatriations — adapted after the deceased arrives in Romania

Romanian Orthodox funeral traditions — a guide for family abroad

If you grew up outside Romania or haven't attended many Orthodox funerals, some of the customs may be unfamiliar. This section explains them plainly, so you know what to expect and can take part without uncertainty.

The wake (priveghi): after the deceased has been prepared and placed in the casket, the family holds a wake at home or in a chapel for one or two nights. The casket is open. Candles are lit at the four corners. Relatives, neighbors, and friends come throughout the day and evening to say a final goodbye. There is no fixed schedule — people come and go. The priest may come once or twice during the wake nights to lead a short prayer (parastas). This is not mandatory but common. Expect the house or chapel to be full of people, some of whom you may not know.

Coliva: this is a dish made from boiled wheat mixed with walnuts, honey, and powdered sugar, shaped into a mound and decorated with a cross on top. It is prepared by the family and brought to the church. It represents the body returning to the earth and the soul's hope of resurrection — drawn from the Gospel image of a grain of wheat. The priest blesses it and distributes it after the service. If you are in charge of organizing from abroad, a family member in Romania typically makes or orders the coliva.

Colaci (ritual breads): these are round braided breads, usually handed to attendees at the wake or at the cemetery after the burial. They are given as an act of remembrance. Each loaf is typically accompanied by a candle. The number and size vary by family tradition.

Other customs you will see: mirrors in the home may be covered during the wake period — this is a folk tradition, not a church rule, and not all families observe it. Attendees are often given a small cloth — a handkerchief or white towel — as a token of remembrance. In some families, a candle is placed in the deceased's hands in the casket. None of these are compulsory Orthodox rites; they are regional and family customs that have merged with religious practice over centuries.

The service (slujba): held at the church, it lasts 1 to 2 hours with the full liturgy (prohod). The priest chants, there is incense, and close family typically stand near the casket. At the end, each person in attendance kisses the icon or cross held by the priest, and approaches the casket for a final goodbye before it is closed. The procession to the cemetery follows.

The eulogy — how to prepare it

A eulogy is not a standard part of Romanian Orthodox funerals in the formal sense — the priest leads the service — but family members often add a few words, and in secular or mixed ceremonies a eulogy is the central moment. If you are asked to speak, or want to, keep it simple.

Three ideas are enough: who this person was (in one or two sentences — not their CV, but the essence of them), one concrete memory that shows something true about them, and a brief thanks to the people who came. Sixty to ninety seconds is the right length. Longer and you lose the room; shorter and it feels unfinished.

Who may speak: anyone who wishes to. In traditional ceremonies, the eulogist is often a son, daughter, or close colleague. There is no rule. If you are calling in from abroad and want to be present remotely for this moment, tell us in advance — we can arrange for a phone or video call to be held near the casket or at the graveside. For the floral arrangements at the ceremony, browse our funeral wreaths and flower arrangements.

Organizing the ceremony in 10 steps

These are the practical steps from the moment of death to the end of the ceremony. If you are coordinating from abroad, almost all of these can be handled by phone or WhatsApp — you do not need to be in Romania for the planning phase.

1. 1

   Call us. We take the details and assign one coordinator to your case — this person stays with you through to the end. You can reach them by phone or WhatsApp at any hour.

2. 2

   Set the date and time with the parish. We contact the church, speak to the priest, and confirm a slot that works for the family's schedule — including time for relatives flying in.

3. 3

   Confirm the location of the wake: at home, in a chapel, or at a church hall. We prepare the space — casket pillars, candles, floral arrangements, assistance throughout.

4. 4

   Choose the type of service: full Orthodox service with prohod (1.5–2 hours) or a shorter service (about 1 hour). We relay the family's preference to the priest.

5. 5

   Arrange flowers: wreaths from the family and any institutional wreaths. We coordinate receipt and placement, including wreaths sent by people who cannot attend.

6. 6

   Confirm the burial plot or cremation booking. If the family does not already have a plot, we arrange a new concession — this step should happen in the first 24 hours.

7. 7

   Prepare the coliva and colaci. If no family member in Romania is available to make them, we can arrange them for you, from a trusted local supplier.

8. 8

   The funeral procession: hearse leads, family cars follow. In Bucharest the drive to the cemetery typically takes 20–40 minutes. Premium packages include a funeral limousine.

9. 9

   The burial or cremation. The priest conducts the final prayer at the graveside. For cremation, the farewell ceremony takes place at the crematorium chapel before the process begins.

10. 10

    The memorial meal (pomana): organized at home, a restaurant, or the cemetery chapel. We deliver the food package and set up. Guests are given colaci and a candle as they leave.

What the ceremony costs

Ceremony coordination is our work — planning, logistics, being present at every step. Certain costs are paid directly by the family to third parties (priest, church). The table below gives an honest picture.

Steps of organizing a traditional ceremony

Wake — at home or in chapel, 1-2 nights. Open casket, relatives and friends come to say goodbye, candles lit at the 4 corners. We provide furniture (refrigeration cover, casket pillars), candles, initial floral arrangements, throughout assistance.

Church service — we coordinate with parish priest (or family-chosen church), set the time, prepare casket for transport. Family decides service type: short (1h) or complete (1.5-2h, with prohod).

Funeral procession — convoy from church to cemetery. Hearse in front, family cars behind, possibly funeral limousine (Premium packages). Typical distance in Bucharest: 5-15 km, may be more in provinces.

Burial — at cemetery, in presence of priest and family. Grave digging, casket lowering, burial ritual, earth sprinkling. Takes 30-60 minutes. The coffin models choice is made at the first meeting.

Memorial meal — organized at home, restaurant, or cemetery chapel. Traditional food package (koliva, breads, wine, cooked food), for guest count agreed with family.

Coordination with church and priest

The family may choose the traditional parish church (where the deceased was baptized or married) or a new, geographically more accessible church. We contact the priest, set the service time, coordinate with cantors and deacons.

Priest's fee for the service is paid directly to the church, generally 100-300 RON (depending on service duration and church traditions). This is not included in our packages — it's a direct family-church relationship.

For special cases (violent death, complex autopsy, suicide, etc.), some churches apply strict rules regarding the service — we consult with the priest beforehand and facilitate dialogue with the family.

Floral arrangements and decor

• Flower wreath — in standard package (3 tiers) or premium (5 tiers with roses and chrysanthemums)
• Casket bouquet — placed on the casket, optional
• Cemetery arrangements — flowers placed at the grave after ceremony
• Chapel or church decor — optional, with large candles and altar flowers
• Wreaths offered by institutions or friends — we coordinate receipt and placement
• White or black veil on casket (per tradition) — included in package

Food package (memorial meal)

The memorial meal is an old Romanian tradition — meal offered to relatives and close ones after the ceremony, as a sign of respect and remembrance. Contains religiously significant elements: koliva (boiled wheat with nuts and honey), special breads, wine, plus cooked food.

We provide food packages per chosen package: Essential (6 food-and-tableware packs for the memorial meal), Traditional (12-16 people, complete), Premium (24+ people, elaborate gastronomy with professional catering). For 40-day and yearly memorials after the funeral, see our the memorial calendar page.

Meal location: family home, cemetery chapel, or reserved restaurant. We coordinate delivery and setup.