Cremation is one of the oldest funeral rites, with origins dating back to ancient times. Today, cremation is becoming increasingly common in our country. This is influenced by many factors – below we present the most important questions and answers that help dispel frequent doubts related to the cremation of the deceased.
- IS CREMATION COMPATIBLE WITH THE CATHOLIC CHURCH’S TEACHING?
YES. The Catholic Church’s former strict stance opposing human cremation is no longer valid. It is important to clarify the essence: the Church believes in the resurrection of the body. Cremation performed with the intention and belief that resurrection will not occur is incompatible with the Church’s faith. Essentially, it is about the intention, not the act itself. One must understand that a traditional burial does not prevent the body from turning to dust – cremation simply accelerates that process. The issue of resurrection is much more complex, and we cannot reduce it to the claim that a buried body can rise again, but a cremated one cannot. The only condition set by the Church is that the funeral ceremony must take place before cremation.
- IS CREMATION SAFE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND HUMANS?
YES. Cremation is the most ecological and safest method of burial. Advanced technologies used by our crematorium ensure that the smoke produced during cremation is completely harmless. Moreover, unlike burial in the ground, cremation does not interfere with the natural environment or pollute underground water. Cremation also reduces the amount of land required for a burial, helping to solve the problem of space shortage in Polish cemeteries.
- WHAT IS THE CREMATION PROCESS LIKE?
The deceased is cremated in a specially prepared ecological coffin (e.g., cardboard or wooden). The body is burned using hot air at a temperature of 800–1200 degrees Celsius. The entire cremation process takes approximately 2–3 hours.
- WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE ASHES UNDER POLISH LAW?
According to Article 12 of the Act on Cemeteries and the Burial of the Dead of January 31, 1959 (consolidated text: Journal of Laws 2011, No. 118, item 687 as amended), human remains may be buried in earth graves, brick tombs or catacombs, or sunk in the sea. Urns containing cremated remains may also be placed in columbaria (structures with niches for urns built into the wall).
- IS CREMATION MORE EXPENSIVE THAN A TRADITIONAL BURIAL?
NO. The average cost of cremation and burial of ashes in Poland is around 2,500 PLN. In comparison, a traditional burial costs about 4,000 PLN.