Margaret of Spain, Empress of Austria, in Mourning, 1666; note the children and servants in mourning dress behind her.

Mourning is in the simplest sense synonymous with grief over the death of someone. The word is also used to describe a cultural complex of behaviours in which the bereaved participate or are expected to participate. Customs vary between different cultures and evolve over time, though many core behaviors remain constant. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (628x900, 108 KB) Summary The Empress Doña Margarita de Austria in Mourning Dress, 1666, by Juan Bautista Martinez del Mazo. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (628x900, 108 KB) Summary The Empress Doña Margarita de Austria in Mourning Dress, 1666, by Juan Bautista Martinez del Mazo. ... Margaret of Spain in Mourning Dress 1666 by Juan Bautista Martinez del Mazo. ... It has been suggested that Anticipatory Grief be merged into this article or section. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Wearing dark, sombre clothes is one practice followed in many countries, though other forms of dress are also seen. Those most affected by the loss of a loved one often observe a period of grieving, marked by withdrawal from social events and quiet, respectful behavior. People may also follow certain religious traditions for such occasions.

Mourning may also apply to the death of, or anniversary of the passing of, an important individual like a local leader, monarch, religious figure etc. State mourning may occur on such an occasion. In recent years some traditions have given way to less strict practices, though many customs and traditions continue to be followed.

Social customs and dress

Continental Europe

Mourning jewelry

Catherine de' Medici as widow, c. 1560s

Mary Queen of Scots in deuil blanc c. 1559 following the deaths of her father-in-law, mother, and first husband Francis II of France.

The custom of wearing unadorned black clothing for mourning dates back at least to the Roman Empire, when the Toga pulla made of dark-colored wool was worn during periods of mourning. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (845x1181, 163 KB) This image was copied from wikipedia:de. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (845x1181, 163 KB) This image was copied from wikipedia:de. ... Jewelry (the American spelling; spelled jewellery in Commonwealth English) consists of ornamental devices worn by persons, typically made with gems and precious metals. ... Image File history File links Catherine_de_Medicis. ... Image File history File links Catherine_de_Medicis. ... Catherine de Medici (April 13, 1519 – January 5, 1589) was born in Florence, Italy, as Caterina Maria Romola di Lorenzo de Medici, the daughter of Lorenzo II de Medici, Duke of Urbino, and Madeleine de la Tour dAuvergne, countess of Boulogne. ... Image File history File links Mary_qos_mourning. ... Image File history File links Mary_qos_mourning. ... Mary I of Scotland; known as Mary, Queen of Scots Mary I of Scotland (Mary Stuart or Stewart) (December 8, 1542 – February 8, 1587), better known as Mary, Queen of Scots, was the ruler of Scotland from December 14, 1542 – July 24, 1567. ... Francis II (French: François II) (January 19, 1544 – December 5, 1560) was a King of France (1559 – 1560). ... Motto Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent. ...

Through the Middle Ages and Renaissance, distinctive mourning was worn for general as well as personal loss; after the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of Huguenots in France, Elizabeth I of England and her court are said to have dressed in full mourning to receive the French Ambassador. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... The Renaissance (French for rebirth, or Rinascimento in Italian), was a cultural movement in Italy (and in Europe in general) that began in the late Middle Ages, and spanned roughly the 14th through the 17th century. ... 19th century painting by François Dubois The St. ... In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Huguenot was applied to a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of France, historically known as the French Calvinists. ... This article is about Elizabeth I of England. ...

Women in mourning and widows wore distinctive black caps and veils, generally in a conservative version of the current fashion.

In rural areas of Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece widows will wear black for the rest of their lives. The immediate family members of the deceased will wear black for an extended period of time.

White mourning

The colour of deepest mourning among medieval European queens was white rather than black. This tradition survived in Spain until the end of the fifteenth century, and was again practiced by the Spanish-born Belgian Queen Fabiola of King Baudouin's funeral. It was the custom for the Queens of France to wear deuil blanc or "white mourning"; this is the origin of the white wardrobe created by Norman Hartnell for Queen Elizabeth, later the Queen Mother, in 1938, when Elizabeth was required to make a state visit to France while in mourning for her mother. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... The wife of King Baudouin I of the Belgians (1930-1993), Doña Fabiola Fernanda María de las Victorias Antonia Adelaida de Mora y Aragón was born at Madrid, Spain on June 11, 1928, the third daughter of Don Gonzalo Mora Fernández Riera del Olmo, Marquis of... Baudouin of Belgium King Baudouin, (also spelled Boudewijn, Balduin or Baldwin) Albert Charles Leopold Axel Marie Gustave, (7 September 1930 - 31 July 1993), reigned as King of the Belgians from 1951 to 1993. ... Sir Norman Bishop Hartnell, KCVO, (b. ... Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, later Queen Elizabeth (Elizabeth Angela Marguerite; 4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002), was the Queen Consort of King George VI of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 1936 until his death in 1952. ... Queen Mother is a title reserved for a widowed queen consort whose son or daughter from that union is the reigning monarch. ...

United Kingdom

Nowadays there is no special dress or behaviour required for those in mourning and even the wearing of black at funerals is in decline. Traditionally however there were strict social rules to be observed.

By the 19th century, mourning behaviour in England had developed into a complex set of rules, particularly among the upper classes. Women bore the greatest burden of these customs. They involved wearing heavy, concealing, black clothing, and the use of heavy veils of black crêpe. The entire ensemble was colloquially known as widow's weeds (from the Old English "Waed" meaning "garment"). For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions between individuals or groups in societies or cultures. ... Clothing protects the vulnerable nude human body from the extremes of weather, other features of our environment, and for safety reasons. ... Veils as articles of clothing, worn almost exclusively by women, are intended to cover some part of the head or face. ... Old English (also called Anglo-Penis[1], Englisc by its speakers) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ...

Special caps and bonnets, usually in black or other dark colours, went with these ensembles. There was even special mourning jewelry, often made of jet or the hair of the deceased. The wealthy could also wear cameos or lockets designed to hold a lock of the deceased's hair or some similar relic. Jewelry (the American spelling; spelled jewellery in Commonwealth English) consists of ornamental devices worn by persons, typically made with gems and precious metals. ... A sample of jet Jet is a geological material that is not considered a mineral in the true sense of the word, but rather, a mineraloid derived from decaying wood under extreme pressure, thus organic in origin. ... A relic is an object, especially a piece of the body or a personal item of someone of religious significance, carefully preserved with an air of veneration as a tangible memorial, Relics are an important aspect of Buddhism, some denominations of Christianity, Hinduism, shamanism, and many other personal belief systems. ...

Poor orphans depicted wearing a makeshift black armband to mourn for their mother (Work by F.M. Brown), 1865

Widows were expected to wear special clothes to indicate that they were in mourning for up to four years after the death. To remove the costume earlier was thought disrespectful to the decedent, and if the widow was still young and attractive, suggestive of potential sexually promiscuity. Those subject to the rules were slowly allowed to re-introduce conventional clothing at different time periods; stages were known by such terms as "full mourning", "half mourning", and similar descriptions. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Work (1852-1865) is a painting by Ford Madox Brown, which is generally considered to be his most important work. ... The Last of England, 1855 Ford Madox Brown (April 16, 1821 – October 6, 1893) was an English painter of moral and historical subjects, notable for his distinctively graphic and often Hogarthian version of the Pre-Raphaelite style. ...

Friends, acquaintances, and employees wore mourning to a greater or lesser degree depending on their relationship with the deceased. In general, servants wore black armbands when there had been a death in the household. A servant is a person who is hired to provide regular household or other duties, and receives compensation. ...

Mourning was worn for six months for a sibling. Parents would wear mourning for, "as long as they feel so disposed." A widow was supposed to wear mourning for two years and was not supposed to enter society for twelve months. No lady or gentleman in mourning was supposed to attend balls. Amongst polite company the wearing of simply a black arm band was seen as appropriate only for military men (or others compelled to wear uniform in the course of their duties); wearing a black arm band instead of proper mourning clothes was seen as a degradation of proper ettiquette and to be avoided.^[1]

Formal mourning culminated during the reign of Queen Victoria. Victoria herself may have had much to do with the practice, owing to her long and conspicuous grief over the death of her husband, Prince Albert. Although fashions began to be more functional and less restrictive for the succeeding Edwardians, appropriate dress for men and women, including that for the period of mourning, was still strictly prescribed and rigidly adhered to. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and the first Empress of India from 1 May 1876, until her death on 22 January 1901. ... Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (Francis Charles Augustus Albert Emmanuel, of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha branch of the House of Wettin) (26 August 1819 - 14 December 1861) was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... The Edwardian period or Edwardian era in the United Kingdom is the period 1901 to 1910, the reign of King Edward VII. It is sometimes extended to include the period to the start of World War I in 1914 or even the end of the war in 1918. ...

The rules were gradually relaxed and acceptable practice for both sexes became to dress in dark colours for up to a year after a death in the family.

United States

Mourning dress, circa 1867
Museum of Funeral Customs

Mourning generally followed English forms. In the antebellum South, with social mores that rivaled those of England, mourning was just as strictly observed. The sequence in the book and film of Gone with the Wind in which Scarlett O’Hara scandalizes the attendees at a ball by accepting Rhett Butler’s invitation to dance, despite the fact that she is in mourning for her late husband, accurately reflects the social customs of the time. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (800x1200, 963 KB) Summary Womans mourning dress (1867-1869): silk bodice and skirt with black fringe, white lace cuffs, and white guaze collar, Museum of Funeral Customs, Springfield, Illinois, 2006. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (800x1200, 963 KB) Summary Womans mourning dress (1867-1869): silk bodice and skirt with black fringe, white lace cuffs, and white guaze collar, Museum of Funeral Customs, Springfield, Illinois, 2006. ... Museum of Funeral Customs Early embalming fluid The Museum of Funeral Customs is located at 144 Monument Ave. ... Gone with the Wind is a 1939 film adapted from Margaret Mitchells 1936 novel of the same name. ... A ball is a formal dance. ...

Victorian mourning could be quite expensive. At the end of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Dorothy explains to Glinda that she must return home because her aunt and uncle can not afford to go into mourning for her.^[2] The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) is a childrens book written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W.W. Denslow. ... Doctor Who character, see Ace (Doctor Who). ... Glinda depicted on the cover of Glinda of Oz Glinda (or Glinda the Good Witch) is a fictional character in the Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. ...

The loss of the male head of the family had serious ramifications for American Indian widows; mourning among some tribes included the act of cutting off of a finger.^{[citation needed]} An independent origin and development of writing is counted among the many achievements and innovations of pre-Columbian American cultures. ...

Africa

Bark cloth, a rough traditional fabric, was worn in some communities to denote that family members were in mourning.^{[citation needed]} White garments are also used; following the advent of Christianity, black garments were worn, following European custom.^{[citation needed]} Bark cloth may refer to: Tapa cloth, a cloth made from the bark of the Paper Mulberry Tree. ... “fabric” redirects here. ...

Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, an edir (or iddir) is a traditional community organization in which the members assist each other during the mourning process. Members make monthly financial contributions forming the Edir's fund and they will be entitled to receive a certain sum of money from this fund, the rate of which varies based on how close the deceased is to the Edir member. The purpose for such payment is to help cover the funeral and other expenses associated with the death. In addition, female members of the Edir take turns to do the house work like preparing food for the mourning family and people coming to comfort them. Usually, the male members take the responsibility to arrange the funeral, erect a temporary tent to shelter guests who come to visit the mourning family. Edir members are also required to stay with the mourning family and comfort them for three full days.

State & Official mourning

Main article: National day of mourning

State mourning, or in the case of monarchies, court mourning, refers to displays of mourning behavior on the death of a public figure or member of a royal family. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For the comic series, see Monarchy (comics). ...

The degree and duration of public mourning is generally decreed by a protocol officer. It was not unusual for the British court to declare that all citizens should wear full mourning for a specified period after the death of the monarch, or that the members of the court should wear full- or half-mourning for an extended period. On the death of Queen Victoria, (January 22, 1901), the Canada Gazette published an "extra" edition announcing that court mourning would continue until January 24, 1902, and directing the public to wear deep mourning until March 6, 1901, and half-mourning until April 17, 1901. For other uses, see Monarch (disambiguation). ... Victoria Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819–22 January 1901) was a Queen of the United Kingdom, reigning from 20 June 1837 until her death. ... is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The Canada Gazette is an official publication by the government of Canada that publishes all laws and Orders in Council issued by the government. ... is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 107th day of the year (108th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

The black-and-white costumes designed by Cecil Beaton for the Royal Ascot sequence in My Fair Lady were inspired by the "Black Ascot" of 1910, when the court was in mourning for Victoria's son, Edward VII. Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton (January 14, 1904 – January 18, 1980) was an English fashion and portrait photographer and a stage and costume designer for films and the theatre. ... Ascot Racecourse is a racecourse, located in the village of Ascot in the English county of Berkshire used for thoroughbred horse racing. ... My Fair Lady is an Academy Award-winning 1964 film adaptation of the stage musical, My Fair Lady, based in turn on the play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. ... Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King of the Commonwealth Realms, and the Emperor of India. ...

All over the world, states usually declare a period of official mourning after the death of a Head of state. The signs may vary but usually include the lowering or posting half-staff of flags on public buildings. Head of state or Chief of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchic or republican nation-state, federation, commonwealth or any other political state. ...

In contrast, in the United Kingdom, the Royal Standard is never flown at half-mast, because there is always a monarch on the throne. For other monarch’s standards, see Royal Standard (disambiguation). ...

On the death of the Emir of Kuwait in January 2006, a 40-day mourning period was declared. On Tonga, the official mourning lasts for a year; only afterwards is the royal heir crowned the new king. This is an (incomplete) list of emirs of Kuwait: The Sabah dynasty came to power in 1752, before the Bani Khalid tribe was ruling the region. ...

On the other hand, the principle of continuity of the state must be respected. The principle is reflected in the French saying "Le Roi est mort, vive le Roi!" ("The king is dead, long live the king!"). Regardless of the formalities of mourning, power must be handed on; if the succession is uncontested, that is best done immediately. Yet a short interruption of work in the civil service may result from one or more days of closing the offices, especially on the day of the state funeral. The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

Religions and Customs

Judaism

Main article: Bereavement in Judaism

Judaism looks upon mourning as a process by which the stricken can re-enter into society, and so provides a series of customs that make this process. Bereavement in Judaism (אבלות aveilut; mourning) is a combination of minhag (traditional custom) and mitzvot (commandments) derived from Judaisms classical Torah and rabbinic texts. ...

The most known and central stage is Shiva, which is a Jewish mourning practice in which people adjust their behaviour as an expression of their bereavement for the week immediately after the burial. In the West, typically, mirrors are covered and a small tear is made in an item of clothing to indicate a lack of interest in personal vanity. The bereaved dress simply and sit on the floor, short stools or boxes rather than chairs when receiving the condolences of visitors. English speakers use the expression "to sit shiva". This article is about Jewish event. ...

Christianity

The European social forms described above are, in general, forms of Christian religious expression transferred to the greater community.

Roman Catholic funeral masses today use the liturgical colors white or gold rather than the pre-Vatican II black, as a sign that the funeral represents a Mass of the Resurrection and, in that sense, is an occasion for joy.^{[citations needed]}

Christian Churches often go into mourning symbolically during the period of Lent to commemorate the sacrifice and death of Jesus. Customs vary among the denominations and include the covering or removal of statuary, icons and paintings, and use of special liturgical colours, such as violet/purple, during Lent and Holy Week. It has been suggested that Cuaresma be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... Holy Week (Latin: ) in Christianity is the last week of Lent. ...

In more formal congregations, parishioners also dress according to specific forms during Holy Week, particularly on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, where it is still common to wear black or sombre dress or, as mentioned, the liturgical color purple. The Last Supper - museum copy of Master Pauls sculpture, from the main altar in St. ... Good Friday is the Friday before Easter (Easter always falls on a Sunday). ...

Islam

Main article: Islamic_funeral#Mourning

Mourning is observed in Islam by increased devotion, receiving visitors and condolences, and avoiding decorative clothing and jewelry. A lithographic painting depicting a muslim funeral procession in India, circa 1888 Islamic funeral or funeral rites in Islam is about specific rites followed in Islam for burying the dead. ...

Loved ones and relatives are to observe a 3-day mourning period^[3]. Widows observe an extended mourning period (Iddah), 4 months and 10 days^[4] long, in accordance with the Qur'an 2:234. During this time, she is not to remarry, move from her home, or wear decorative clothing or jewelry. It is requested that this article, or a section of this article, be expanded. ...

Grief at the death of a beloved person is normal, and weeping for the dead is allowed in Islam^[5]. What is prohibited is to express grief by wailing ( Bewailing refers to mourning in a loud voice), shrieking, beating the chest and cheeks, tearing hair or clothes, breaking things or scratching faces or saying phrases that makes a Muslim lose faith^[6].

Directives for widows

Qur'an prohibits widows to engage themselves for four lunar months and ten days, after the death of their husbands. According to Qur'an: A widow is a woman whose spouse has died. ... In lunar calendars, a lunar month is the time between two successive similar syzygies (new moons or full moons). ...

Islamic scholars consider this directive a balance between mourning of husband's death and protection of widow from censure that she became interested in re-marrying soon after her husband’s death.^[7] This is also to ascertain whether a lady is pregnant or not.^[8]

Hinduism

Death is not seen as the final "end", but is seen as a turning point in the seemingly endless journey of the indestructible "atman" or the soul through innumerable bodies of animals and people. Hence Hinduism, prohibits excessive mourning or lamentation upon death, as this can hinder the easy passage of the departed soul towards its journey ahead. The Atman or Atma (IAST: Ātmā, sanskrit: आत्म‍ ) is a philosophical term used within Hinduism and Vedanta to identify the soul. ...

Hindu mourning begins immediately after the cremation of the body and ends on the morning of the thirteenth day. Traditionally the body is cremated within 24 hours after death, however the cremations are not held after sunset and before sunrise. Immediately after the death an oil lamp is lit near the deceased and this lamp is kept burning for three days. Hinduism associates death with ritual impurity for the immediate blood family of the deceased, hence during these mourning days, the immediate blood family must not perform any religious ceremonies (except funerals), must not visit temples or other sacred places, must not serve the sages (holy men), must not give alms, must not read or recite from the sacred scriptures nor can they attend social functions like marriages, parties etc. Hence the family of the deceased is not expected to serve any visiting guests food or drink, and it is customary that the visiting guests do not eat or drink in the house where the death has occurred. The family in mourning are required to bathe twice a day, eat a single simple vegetarian meal and try to cope up with their loss. On the day on which the death has occurred, the family do not cook, hence usually close family and friends will provide food for the mourning family. White clothing (the colour of purity) is also the colour of mourning and many will wear white during the mourning period. White clothing has significance in many religious faith traditions. ...

On the morning of the thirteenth day, a Shraddh ceremony is performed. The main ceremony involves a fire sacrifice, in which offerings are given to the ancestors and to gods, to ensure the deceased has a peaceful afterlife. Typically after the ceremony, the family cleans and washes all the idols in the family shrine and flowers, fruits, water and purified food is offered to the gods. Now the family is ready to break the period of mourning and return back to daily life.

Modern customs

Mourning attire became less customary after the mid-twentieth century, by which time it had already been determined that mourning was not to be worn in the business arena. It is still customary, though not as universal, to indicate mourning through somber, semi-formal dress, particularly at the funeral and among the family and close friends of the deceased. As such, men often wear a suit and tie, while a woman may wear a dark-colored, long-sleeved dress or pantsuit. The armband is still seen, but mostly amongst Irish, German, Austrian, and other northern- and central-European Catholic groups such as the Ancient Order of Hibernians. A few modern customs have evolved, for example the use of sunglasses in order to hide tear-swollen eyes. Mourning is used as a statement of respect, solidarity, commemoration, or protest by a particular group in an unusual circumstance. For instance: This article does not cite any references or sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses (RB2132 901L) Sunglasses are a visual aid, variously termed spectacles or glasses, which feature lenses that are coloured or darkened to prevent strong light from reaching the eyes. ...

• The wearing of black armbands by the Israeli Olympic team in 1976 to commemorate the attack on the team during the 1972 Olympic Games.
• A sports team may wear black armbands, or affix a black stripe to their uniforms, for a specified time period following the death of an owner, coach, teammate or (if the decedent is a high school student), classmate.
• A community wearing special-colored ribbons on a designated day or for a particular time period. For instance, the wearing of red, white and blue following the September 11th attacks.
• Observing a "moment of silence" and/or flying flags at half-staff following a death. This most frequently happens in conjunction with national periods of mourning (such as the death of a former or current Head of State or other notable leader).
• However, flags are sometimes lowered to half-staff in other circumstances, such as after the death of a high school student or noted local figure; such circumstances vary widely and are usually influenced by local customs.
• In all cases, when a flag is to be flown at half-staff or half-mast it is first to be fully hoisted and only then lowered half-way, never raised only to half-way and left there.
• Local-, state- and federal-uniformed employees who wear badges to place a black band around the badge when a fellow employee has been killed in the line of duty.
• The wearing of a black armband to protest an action by one's government that the wearer considers so atrocious as to warrant mourning for the loss of the decency/respect for human life/morals of their country. A circumstance in which this would occur would be a time when a person believes that their country has committed genocide, or made a decision that will jeopardize the future of their country.^{[citation needed]}
• A wedding ring, either the original or the dead partner's, may be worn for a period after the death.

The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp, 1920. ... The World Trade Center on fire The September 11, 2001 attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. ... Head of state or Chief of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchic or republican nation-state, federation, commonwealth or any other political state. ... A wedding ring or wedding band consists of a precious metal ring, in certain countries (UK, USA, Brazil) worn on the base of the left ring finger – the fourth finger (counting from the thumb) of the left hand. ...

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Mourning

• Burial
• Cemetery
• Cremation
• Death wail
• Month's Mind
• Requiem
• Wake (ceremony)
• Mourning ring
• Mourning sickness

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Castle Ashby Graveyard Northamptonshire A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. ... The crematorium at Haycombe Cemetery, Bath, England. ... The death wail is a keening mourning lament, generally performed in ritual fashion soon after the death of a member of a family or tribe. ... Months Mind, in medieval and later England, was a service and feast held one month after the death of anyone in his or her memory. ... The Requiem (from the Latin requiés, rest) or Requiem Mass (informally, the funeral Mass), also known formally (in Latin) as the Missa pro defunctis or Missa defunctorum, is a liturgical service of the Roman Catholic Church as well as the Anglican/ Episcopalian High Church and certain Lutheran Churches in... A wake is a ceremony associated with death. ... A Mourning ring is a finger ring worn in memory of someone who has died. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Mourning. ...

References