This custom serves as a interval of visitation, usually held earlier than a funeral service. Throughout this time, family and friends collect to supply condolences to the bereaved, pay their respects to the deceased, and share recollections. The physique of the deceased might or will not be current, relying on cultural and spiritual preferences, in addition to sensible issues associated to the time elapsed since dying and the chosen technique of disposition.
The observance offers essential social help throughout a time of grief. It permits mourners to collectively acknowledge their loss and start the therapeutic course of. Traditionally, these gatherings usually served a sensible objective, permitting time for distant kinfolk to reach and take part in closing farewells. In addition they provided a chance for communal mourning and the reaffirmation of social bonds inside a neighborhood diminished by loss.