Strange Times

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By The Way , the cries for it to be dead, changes to these uncertain times

death is not a quiet whisper in Ireland. It is a slogan to a whole community.

The Dead are brought home and laid out in an open coffin in the "good room".

blinds are drawn.

A fresh white linen cloth will bells on a Table , a burning candle, snow, and maybe a photo on the top.

Grieving-file to the casket. You shake hands with The Family .

"I'm sorry for your trouble", they say.

callers coming to the house, loaded down with bags of ham sandwiches, cans biscuits, Victoria sponges baked.

Every last china teacup in the community dug up the cabinets. Cups of tea are delivered to.

No Church wedding

The Irish wake is a long social reunion.

deprived But this pandemic, families tradition.

Now, the new normal is often no wake, no Funeral , only a few prayers at the Cemetery .

Anne was buried Best, without a Church wedding after the die with Covid-19

In Fermanagh, Tom Best last saw his wife, Anne , when she was taken in an ambulance from your Derrylin home.

they had been married for 51 years. But she died last week with Covid-19 in the Isolation Ward of The Hospital . He couldn't be there.

It was not a Church wedding. Was buried in St. Ninnidh's Cemetery as a handful of mourners watching from a distance, and The Priest said prayers and The Undertaker Stand.

A single, White Rose on the casket of a dead tombs in the gloves.

Tom Best had to self-isolate. His heart was in the Cemetery , but he slowed up and down through the garden, held a photograph of his wife.

'I loved'

"It's just my heart breaking That I couldn't be there when she died or at The Funeral ," he told reporter Rodney Edwards, of the.

"I'm not going to break all The Rules and go and see them. I'm not going to do, because That would not be right. It would be selfish to all The People of Derrylin.

"It's heartbreaking. I don't think we had Something like That in Our Time , not in my 77 years.

"I loved you," he added quietly.

About Ireland, the main churches - Catholic, Presbyterian, Church of Ireland and Methodist rules for your priests, your Clergy , and their communities.

In some places, there is still room for a kind of wake or Funeral , it simply has to be much Smaller - The People must keep a distance.

municipalities are trying to find New Ways of expressing respect.

In the County of Kerry, as the older woman, Betty Ryan died, there was no waking up at her home and many members of the congregation were not in Church for your Funeral .

communities are trying New Ways to find, with the expression of their respect for The Dead

But they lined The Road to the Cemetery , respecting The Rules of social distancing and at the same time her friend and neighbor, who, by their quiet presence, as they laid to rest had been.

In the Catholic diocese of Clogher, That straddles The Border between Northern Ireland and The Republic , the policies were tightened.

There are no weddings, no baptisms and no Funeral masses for those who die - they will take place, when The Crisis is over.

compassion below, is a phone line

Clogher, Bishop Larry, Duffy said he was "sad" but That was also to the protection of life.

priests have not visited the awoken and the bereaved families are supported over The Phone .

When a child is sick and the parents-the ring of The Priest , then you will be asked to bless The Child must pray with a crucifix or with their own hand and the priests of the handset.

These are Strange Times .

Rev Dr. Frank Sella, a former Presbyterian moderator and minister of Bloomfield Presbyterian Church in Belfast is not, but he's involved in a case with Covid-19 yet, it will come.

It's only close family will be at The Funeral service at The Grave observation of the social distancing and The Hope of a celebration of the loved one's life at a later date.

But in the midst of The Suffering , he sees a power in The People .

Clergy say People find comfort in prayer, during This Time ,

"It's a pragmatism about The People here, because the problems - a small bank, of the resource in the foreground," He Said .

"I'm encouraged by The Network of support there is.

"family and neighbors in contact, either write letters or talk on The Phone . It's not ideal, but they are there. "

He can see a time in the after the pandemic is over, it is an emotional residue of Stress - Something to anticipate roles of The Churches and the Clergy and People of in care will.

"It's almost As If things are put on ice. I would imagine when this is over, will come to the fore. "

What would be the guideline, if a minister to a dying bed called?

"It would be the discretion a certain amount of pastoral," He Said .

'Major crisis'

Speaking on Radio Ulster's Sunday sequence, father Brian D 'arcy is talking about his struggle to support.

"Who would have thought, to pray That in a great crisis, someone not go to a Church to," he asked.

"Who would have thought That in a great crisis, there is no priest there to help them to die?

"Who would have thought That we have a memorial service for The People ?"

In the Catholic diocese of Clogher, there is no Funeral mass this will take place when The Crisis is over, the consolation of The Dead

compassion from the far end of The Phone was not easy, He Said .

"I've never had before to the comfort of persons in an intensive care unit by phone, and That 's all I can do at The Present time," He Said .

"How do you want comfort, if you can not see their loved one who died?"

has The coronavirus, deprived The People of the last contact, you will not see or speak or touch the person you love in their last hours or after.

"All of That is important for a healthy mourning," He Said .

The Company has long been a Family Affair for Hugh Dougal, Managing Director of O'Kanes Funeral Directors in Belfast.

He took the reins from his father, who worked through the Dark Days of The Troubles , when The People died suddenly, in bombings and shootings.

The Company , He Said , has always been about the "personal touch".

"With Covid-19 cases, we need to tell People That we can't talk to you In Person . Instead, you have to isolate yourself, and we need to speak with you over The Phone .

For those whose relatives die with corona virus in this pandemic, there can be No Comfort in a wake or Church ceremonies.

"your family will it go directly from the house to the Cemetery .

"It's not More Than 10 People at The Grave , and you have to stay five meters from The Grave , which will be cordoned off. You can't throw a spade full of earth-or even a Flower . "

churches were closed, because the Corona-Virus-pandemic

"O'Kanes refuse to never like the wishes of our customers," He Said .

"Now we must, and we can hear The Pain in her voice. "Why can't we?' Ask. But it is for your safety and for the safety of ourselves. "

The coffins of those who die must be sealed with a coronavirus. There is no viewing of remains, As Is customary.

not embalmed your body. Clothes are laid on the body of The Dead , they are not attracted.

"We understand That The People carrying The Coffin , because traditionally, you put your arms around each other and you can't do That , because of the social distancing.

"you drive behind The Hearse to the crematorium. But you can't go. You have to drive turn and way.

"It feels so barbaric, so strange. "

'most Difficult'

Most of all, it feels like The People are deprived of what is most valuable, when you are at the deepest point.

"The People are going through the hardest time of your life and you say no and no," He Said .

"it is Our tradition over the together and go over Old Times . "

At The Moment , it is not The Place to do it.

funerals, self-isolation, coronavirus pandemic, social distancing, religion

Source of news: bbc.com