General Chat

I found this thread really interesting too..........thanks Chris :))

xx

That is what frightened my mother Liz.

When she would not let me place my baby feet to the door.

As a matter of fact.... our bed faces the wall beside the door!
Do you think I'm okay?? ;-0)

Deanna X

So now I know why we don't win anything..feet hanging out of the door lol.. trying to arrange bedroom better.....

The wicker was lovely covered in heather.. as name of house is Heather combe...

Don't mean to sound horrid but that coffin was easier to look at, wooden ones just make you want to burst straight away.

Pat

Hi Chris

I find it very interesting too and at the moment am reading 'The English Way of Death, The Common Funeral Since 1450'. It is fascinating reading. As i go through the book i will be interested to see if there is any reference made to your question.
Cathy

I never thought when I asked this question that it would turn out to be so interesting - least I find it so!

To elaborate further on my explanation:

I retired at 60 and after a year was bored stiff. I decided to fulfil my dream and go to University. I wanted to read History and although I have no particular faith I knew that it is impossible to separate that subject from religion. Up to the First World War the church was influentual in all things nationally and locally. I therefore took History with Religion as my degree subject.

Many pagan traditions were absorbed into Christianity. Not only were churches built on the old pagan worshipping sites with the altar at the east, but many of the plants such as ivy, mistletoe and holly, revered by pagans, were also retained in churchyards and entered the folklore of Christmas.

In early times the most favoured burial part of the chuchyard was the east, followed by the south, then west. The north was not used until churchyards became full as the population expanded. In recent years most ecclesiastical and civil authorities have systematically vandalised our burial grounds, removing stones and using them as paving slabs or placing them around the perimeter of the graveyard. If you are lucky enough to find a churchyard with graves dating back to the 17th century which has escaped the "improvements" of these authorities, you usually find that the oldest graves are in the east and southern parts. In those burial grounds where professions are shown on the headstone you will often find that the local landowners, surgeons, lawyers and others with money and influence, are buried in the eastern part.

A fascinating subject, I could go on forever but I won't bore you,
................................happy new year everyone.

And it is too much like hard work to rearrange the bedroom. Perhaps I will go and sleep in the spare room.
Huia.

I havent either, Deb. A bit of bed moving soon to see if it makes a difference for Sat night's lotto draw.
(No not really, I am not superstitious.)
Huia.

I have friend who is a mortitian, funeral director. I'll be contacting him on Friday so will ask his opinion then.

Liz - my feet face the door when I'm lying in bed. No wonder I haven't won the lottery!

Deb

I had a friend whohad a wicker coffin - it was lovely but thery are very expensive.

There is a saying that it is bad luck to have your bed facing the door of the bedroom for similar reasons, i.e. your feet mustn't be pointing towards the door.
Lizx

I have just come in from a funeral . and blimey the coffin came in feet first, but was it because it was placed onto the stand for the crematation.??and don't like to say it went feet first...
It was a beautiful service , first time I have seen a wicker coffin.

Pat

Bernard is quite correct and so is Mandy's friend!


We lowley mortals are meant to be facing our God, and his servants are facing the congregation!

Jac

how strange never noticed

Carrying on from Mau's comment, the clergy are also buried facing the opposite way. A priest friend told me that this is so they can face their congregation (but he may well have been joking with the reason!).

Mandy :)

Bernard - that explanation makes sense to me.

This practice predates Christianity. It has its roots in the pagan tradition of sun worship, the sun being seen as the giver of life, (which even today on our planet is a fact).
The sites of our Christian churches were in pagan times places of worship and had altars facing the sun. When we converted to Christianity the altar was invariably placed in the East part of the building so that the congregation faced the sun.
The same applies with every ceremony in the church, including the funeral service, we always face the altar and therefore East and the practice of feet first for a coffin ensures that the corpse is also facing the altar and therefore the sun.

Priests are the exception,they are carried head first to signify their Holy position.

my dad always said

he didnt want to leave our home feet first

so i made them turn him round

Never had an occasion to think about it, as I never notice. Don't we discuss some weird subjects on the boards pmsl

xx

Coffin is usually carried feet first and folk-lore has it that the deceased cannot 'look back' and his spirit 'goes on and does not roam free' !

Burials at sea also have the coffin going feet first.