A Wiccan Funeral Rite

The deceased should be wrapped in a cloth. His or her body will decompose quickly with this method. However, it may not be legally possible to be buried like this. If this is the case, then if the subject is being cremated, place the ashes in a hermetically sealed casket.

People should be encouraged to make their wills long before death specifying the style of their burial. It is extremely important for people whose families do not approve of their religious choice that they specify in detail these matters and appoint a Wiccan or a lawyer, not a non-Wiccan family member, as executor of the will. There are three parts to the ritual - parts one and three preferably to be performed in a hall and publicly, part two at the graveside. Only the closest friends, coven-mates and family should be at the graveside.

This ritual is for cases when the deceased was not comforted and assisted at the moment of death. Even under the best circumstances the spirit will sometimes remain partly tied to the body, in a state of greater or lesser awareness and confusion and pain, for a period of time unless assisted to journey on. And so the deceased is a primary guest at the funeral, because he or she may very well need to be there. In addition, the members of his or her family (and coven if applicable) and as well as friends can assist him or her in journeying on -- and themselves in grieving -- by acknowledging and blessing him or her.

The Ceremony


The Priestess and Priest, dressed in green and black respectively, shall conduct the ceremony. Their assistants, dressed in red and black, shall assist and act as ushers. The ritual space will be prepared as follows: cleared of any obstructions, with a candle at each of the cardinal points and two flanking the altar. The deceased should be laid out at the altar. Sweep and Cast the Circle as usual. As the mourners wait at the edge to the ritual space, the Priestess shall sweep out the Circle widdershins while concentrating and grounding. She shall then place the broom next to the altar, pick up the sword and cast the Circle widdershins while saying:

Priestess: "This is a place which is not a place in a time,
Which is not a time halfway,
Between the worlds of the Gods and of mortals."


Now, mourners can enter. The Priest and Priestess escort each other into the circle and then they will escort the mourners in until everyone is in the Circle, after which the Priestess takes up the sword and closes off the doorway left in the Circle through which people had entered. Call the directions widdershins, beginning with the West. The assistants should do this and the directions should have been assigned ahead of time.

West: "As the sun sets,
So our friend has left us.
The water of our tears like the salt water of the sea,
And like the water of our mothers' womb,
Blesses this Circle."

South: "As life is a day,
So our friend has passed into the night.
The fire of our life, the memories and courage,
The strength given to us by our friend,
Blesses this Circle."

East: "As all that falls shall rise again,
So our friend will be reborn.
The air we breath, this treasure of our life,
The compassionate caring we give each other,
Blesses this Circle."

North: "As the Earth forms us,
So our friend shall return to the earth.
Our Mother feeds us, and clothes us.
She gives us everything and in the end she takes our bodies back.
And earth blesses this Circle."


Next, the Priestess and Priest recognize the presence of the Gods in the Circle and specifically heighten their own awareness of the presence of the divine, acting from the divine part of themselves through the ritual. The Priest stands in the God Position and the Priestess stands in the Goddess Position as they speak.

Priest: "You are the Goddess, as are all women.
You give birth. You feed the children from your own body.
And You take them back for a new birth.
World without end, eternal creation."

Priestess: "And you are the God, as are all men.
You are born.
You live and You die, only to be born again.
All-Father, All-Destroyer, ruler of the land of the dead."

Together: "Birth and death. Over and over and over."


The Priestess turns and addresses the deceased:

"You are dead.
None should ever die alone.
I am here to help you with your death.
There is only love, the greatest Mystery.
I reach behind my fear.
I open my heart and my eyes in the light of this love.
Our lives are formed of many others and we form other lives in turn.
And when we are here with you after you die we honour your life.
There is only love.
The love of the Goddess gives birth to the universe.
The love of our parents gives birth to us.
The love of our friends and family sustains our life.
Kindness, love, and pleasure,
We are formed from these and we form each other.
When we die we leave them behind us.
You have left your family.
You have left sex, and even gender.
You cannot be a woman or a man and enter the other world.
You have left behind your body.
None who have bodies can pass into the other world.
The Goddess is taking you back now, the Great Mother.
Her womb is the Earth that will recieve your body,
Your body is a seed now, a seed of other lives.
In a sacred space we have gathered to honour you
And to give you some things to take on the journey with you."


The Priest then addresses the mourners:

"Please come up now if you can and speak to the departed.
Tell ___(name of deceased)___ whatever you need to.
Help in ___(name of deceased)___ journey into Summerland."


Addresses the deceased: "I will remember you at Samhain and bless."

The assistants will chant quietly, while everyone who wishes to comes to the main altar and talks to the deceased:

"We all come from the Goddess and to Her we shall return,
Like a drop of rain falling to the ocean,
We all come from the Horned One,
And through Him we are reborn in corn and grain,
Corn and grain, all that falls shall rise again."


After everyone who wants to pay their last respects has sat back down, the Priestess will address the deceased again:

"Journey on now, sister.
We will follow when we can.
May you be born again at the same time and in the same place
As those you knew and loved in this life.
May you know them again and love them again."


Now the deceased will be ceremoniously wrapped and the Circle closed. The Directions will be dismissed during the wrapping ceremony.

East: "The sun will rise again." South: "Life continues." West: "Love is all that we can be sure of." North: "Only the mother is eternal."

A pillar candle is lit, after the deceased is wrapped, and the crowd files out of the Circle. The ushers will direct people to the reception at which stories of noteable things done by the deceased and prayers are offered up.

While the well-wishers converse, the officiants, family and close friends will accompany the deceased to the crematorium or grave site.