Trappist monks fill the hours between
the death and burial of their brother
with prayers and blessings.

Transferring of the Body

If the monk has suffered a debilitating physical illness or if the funeral must be postponed in order to allow time for relatives to arrive, the body will need to be taken into town to be embalmed and returned to the monastery for burial. When this happens, the entire community gathers to receive the body when it arrives. The abbot and several other monks bring their dead brother's remains inside the cloister for a simple ceremony consisting of blessings and prayers prior to processing into the church.

Immediately following death, the body is washed and clothed in a clean habit. In most cases this is all the preparation that is needed prior to the funeral which takes place within 24 to 48 hours. The monks then gather for a short ceremony of prayers and readings during which time the abbot blesses the body before it is transferred in a procession from the infirmary to the church.