This custom serves as a interval of visitation, usually held earlier than a funeral service. Throughout this time, family and friends collect to supply condolences to the bereaved, pay their respects to the deceased, and share reminiscences. The physique of the deceased could or might not be current, relying on cultural and non secular preferences, in addition to sensible issues associated to the time elapsed since loss of life and the chosen technique of disposition.
The observance offers essential social assist throughout a time of grief. It permits mourners to collectively acknowledge their loss and start the therapeutic course of. Traditionally, these gatherings typically served a sensible goal, permitting time for distant kin to reach and take part in closing farewells. In addition they supplied a chance for communal mourning and the reaffirmation of social bonds inside a neighborhood diminished by loss.