Sacrament of Sacrifinale

Sacrifinale (a portmanteau of Sacrificio Finale, or final sacrifice) is the funeral ritual practiced most commonly in the Empire of Valais.

Execution

The last rites are usually completed within a day of death. While practices vary among sects, generally, his or her body is washed, wrapped in white cloth, if the dead is a man or a widow, or red cloth, if it is a woman whose husband is still alive, the big toes are tied together with a string and a Tilak (red, yellow or white mark) is placed on the forehead. The dead adult’s body is carried to the cremation ground near a river or water, by family and friends, and placed on a pyre with feet facing south.

The eldest crematore then bathes himself before leading the cremation ceremony. He circumambulates the dry wood pyre with the body, says a eulogy or recites a hymn, places sesame seeds or rice in the dead person’s mouth, sprinkles the body and the pyre with holy oil, then use sandalwood paste to draw five lines signifying the Pentatheon on the forehead of the deceased. Prior to lighting the pyre, an earthen pot is filled with water, and the lead mourner circles the body with it, before lobbing the pot over his shoulder so it breaks near the head. Many of the lutto then place objects of remembrance beside the body, especially things of special significance to the person while they were living.

Once the pyre is ablaze, the lead lutto and the closest relatives may circumambulate the burning pyre one or more times. The ceremony is concluded by the lead crematore piercing the burning skull with a stave (bamboo fire poker) to make a hole or break it, in order to release the spirit.

All those who attend the cremation, and are exposed to the dead body or cremation smoke take a shower as soon as possible after the cremation, as the cremation ritual is considered unclean and polluting. The cold collected ash from the cremation is later consecrated to the nearest river or sea.

In some regions, the male relatives of the deceased shave their head and invite all friends and relatives, on the tenth or fifteenth day, to eat a simple meal together in remembrance of the deceased. This day, in some communities, also marks a day when the poor and needy are offered food in memory of the dead.

Participants

• Crematori. These are the tradesmen who prepare bodies for Sacrifinale and conduct much of the ritual. It is a trade for people of low birth, usually Volgare, but it is still on honored profession and usually passed down generationally within a family or clan.
• Lutto. These are the family members or mourners who carry the body to the Uscita grounds and join in the chants to send the spirit to Paradise.

Observance

Cremation ground

The cremation ground is called Uscita (the place of leaving) in Lingua Santa, and traditionally it is located near a river, if not on the river bank itself. Those who can afford it may go to special sacred places to complete this rite of immersion of ashes into water.