Cremation of the body in Poland was, until recently, a relatively rare method of burial. Nowadays, more and more people express the wish to cremate their own body or that of their loved ones. This is due to evolving attitudes towards the act of final farewell as well as practical and economic reasons.
Due to the negative connotations of words like “crematorium” or “cremation” in our culture, the term “cremation” is often replaced with “incineration.”
We explain important issues as well as common misunderstandings related to this process.
Polish law permits the incineration of the body. A shortened death certificate issued by the Civil Registry Office and a cremation permit signed by the closest person organizing the funeral are required. Instead of a permit, a will of the deceased may be used, which allows expressing funeral wishes, including cremation.
If cremation concerns remains after exhumation, permission from the district sanitary-epidemiological station is also required.
The deceased should be prepared as for a traditional burial in a coffin. The body may be dressed in any clothing or wrapped in a special shroud. Synthetic fabrics should be avoided in the clothing. Metal objects or electronic devices, especially those containing batteries such as mobile phones or pacemakers, are not allowed. Keepsakes like alcohol, cosmetics, or lighters should not be placed in the cremation coffin.
A special coffin made of wood or cardboard, free of varnish and metal parts, is used for cremation. Sometimes a special shroud or an eco-friendly coffin made, for example, from wicker is used.
Before cremation, if not done earlier, a brief farewell ceremony is held for the closest family, ending with the coffin being placed into the cremation chamber.
Contrary to movie or literary depictions, the coffin is not burned in flames. The cremation occurs through very hot air at temperatures between 800 and 1000 degrees Celsius. The duration depends on factors such as the coffin material, type of cremation furnace, and the weight of the deceased. The entire process, including cooling the ashes, takes about 2 hours.
After cremation, remaining bone fragments are crushed in a special device, and the ashes are respectfully transferred into an urn.
According to current Polish regulations, the urn with ashes must be buried in a cemetery—in a grave or special columbarium. It is not permitted for family members to keep the urn or scatter ashes in places like forests, meadows, or the sea.
Although not all representatives of the Church have a positive view on cremation, the Church does not prohibit it in any way. Funeral masses may be held either with the coffin or the urn, as well as farewells at the cemetery.
Cremation in no way diminishes the dignity of the deceased, and for practical reasons, it is likely to become an increasingly chosen form of burial.
The regulations concerning the transport of bodies in Poland are governed by law. Usually, the formalities are handled by the funeral home based on a power of attorney granted by the person organizing the funeral. In special cases, such as transport over a distance exceeding 60 kilometers or international transport, additional permits and documents are required.
Exhumation involves the removal of a body or remains of a deceased person from a grave. It is most often carried out for a specific purpose related to forensic examinations or to relocate and reinter the remains in another place.
Spopielenie zwłok nie wzbudza już takich kontrowersji jak kilkanaście lat temu. Coraz więcej osób, szczególnie w dużych miastach decyduje się na tę formę pochówku. Jednak niektórzy zdecydowanie preferują tradycyjny pochówek.
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