What Is A Crematorium?

Many families who choose a cremation may not know what a crematorium is and how the cremation process works. With no-fuss funerals rising in popularity, there are plenty of questions family members may have about how a cremation is conducted.

Getting the funeral arrangements right is essential. Rather than opting for a traditional funeral service, a family may choose a direct cremation for a loved one. Family members who are used to having traditional funerals may be apprehensive about how a crematorium works and their role in cremating a loved one.

In our latest blog, we will answer the most common questions around crematoriums and their role in the cremation process.

What the crematorium is

To put it simply, a crematorium is a building where a person is cremated. Crematoriums can exist as a standalone venue or as an extended facility to a funeral home or cemetery. The size of crematoriums can vary from having a single cremator (also known as a retort) to having a facility capable of dealing with high volumes of cremations.

What happens at the crematorium on the day of the funeral?

Most families don’t know what happens at the crematorium on the day of a funeral. Family members may have lots of questions to ask the funeral director prior to the funeral so they can understand how the cremation process works.

The format of the funeral day involves the coffin being brought into the chapel, followed by the mourners in procession. The coffin will be placed on the catafalque, before mourners sit down in their seats and the cremation service begins.

Once the committal of the body has taken place, the coffin may be obscured from view. There are various methods for doing this, which can vary from crematorium to crematorium. Closing the curtains around the catafalque, the coffin being withdrawn via a gateway and the coffin being lowered into a committal room are a few methods used.

However, the most common committal method used is curtains. Mourners will leave the crematorium once the service has finished.

What is a committal at a crematorium?

As part of any cremation at a crematorium, there is a committal. It’s a short ceremony that can be separate or part of the main funeral service itself. The funeral committal can be personalised to create a special farewell for your loved one.

The location of the committal for a cremation usually takes place at a crematorium. This part of the funeral is an opportunity for mourners to say goodbye to your loved one before the coffin is removed from view. Mourners could celebrate the life of the deceased by reading poems or prayers while the officiant recites the official committant words.

What is the temperature of a crematorium?

The temperature of a crematorium when a loved one is cremated in a cremation chamber can reach between 800 and 1000 degrees. Due to the high temperatures the chamber generates, the heat disintegrates the body of a deceased person into the basic chemical compounds of gases, ashes and mineral fragments.

What happens when the curtains close at a crematorium?

Once the curtains close at a crematorium, the coffin disappears discreetly from view and is taken away from you. It can also signal the end of the service and the point at which the loved one’s coffin is taken by crematorium staff to be cremated. The idea behind closing the curtains is to symbolise closure for a family with the deceased person.

Distinct Cremations are committed to ensuring your loved one receives a dignified send-off in one of our crematoriums across England, Wales and Scotland. No matter where you are based in those three countries, you can arrange a cremation at a crematorium that’s local to you.

If you have any more questions around our crematoriums and our prepaid cremation plans, contact one of our customer service specialists. They’ll be happy to help answer any queries around how the process of cremation is done at a crematorium that’s local to you and much more.