Funeral ceremonies during and after the pandemic
On June 28 and 29, 2021, the I Thanatology Seminar – “Funeral Ceremonial during and after the pandemic”, organized by ABT – Associação Brasileira de Thanatologia, represented by Dr. Paulo Coelho, President of the Association.
The event was conducted by Dr Paulo Coelho and the master of ceremonies, André de Oliveira Machado, who did it with a lot of “care and excellence”.
In this event we had the participation of several speakers addressing various subjects, extremely relevant to the funeral sector and also to society as a whole, which will be the greatest beneficiary not only during the period in which Covid-19 has a great impact on the lives of all people, but especially in the post pandemic moment.
The topics addressed were:
1 – Death doulas and end-of-life care. Speakers – Ana Portillo e Tatiana Santana – AmortSer
The work of Death Doulas consists of providing emotional and spiritual support to people with little time to live and welcoming them so that they have a dignified death and their choices are respected.
The sensitivity of the explanation of the lecture was of paramount importance. Much has been said about the “new normal” that we need to adapt to, but above all, it is important to remember that, in the face of this scenario, we continue to maintain our essences as human beings. Especially for those who have a family member going through the process of dying, which is generally a very difficult time, having the opportunity to rely on the Death Doulas during this process can certainly be much more comforting.
The most touching thing was the “state of presence” approach, the need not to feel alone, the “eye to eye” connection, the “outstretched hands”, the best direction and especially the affection, the welcoming that is overflowed in the act of such special care that makes the loved one have an end of life with their wishes respected and honored.
2 – Importance of the Funeral Ceremonial during and after the pandemic. Speaker – Professor Ricardo Péculo
We were honored to have the contribution and participation directly from Argentina, of our master and specialist in funeral ceremonial, who addressed the importance of keeping wakes and farewells, especially in cases of wakes for reasons other than Covid-19, as tributes are not It has economic as well as emotional value.
It is the sensitive moment that the family needs to close a life cycle and is part of the process of mourning, thus avoiding future traumas that may occur due to this rupture. Important explanation, validating the family’s pain and respecting the tradition of the wake.
3 – Virtual Ceremonies – Welcoming and inclusion that generate good opportunities. Speakers: Alexandre Oliveira e Denílson Rocha – Adiaŭ
Virtual ceremonies are a technological solution that bring together everyone who cannot attend in person, allowing all important people in life to participate in the farewell ceremony, in this time of support and welcome.
The speakers clearly demonstrated how technology is of great importance to the bereaved family, bringing several cases of use and transformation in the lives of people who were able to participate in the virtual ceremonies.
For managers of companies in the mourning segment, complete information was presented on how the service can positively impact the experience of the families that make up its customer base, adding a lot of value to the service provided and also generating new business opportunities by nurturing the relationship. with a large number of people who cannot attend the ceremonies in person.
4 – Ceremonies of farewells and posthumous tributes, which approach. Speaker: Stael Veiga – Movimento “vidAMORte”
Lecture addressing the purpose and importance of having the specific clarity of our cause and what moves us every day in this noble mission of welcoming bereaved families and honoring loved ones with simple and genuine actions.
Important approach in times of social isolation. With the pandemic, farewell ceremonies continued, both in person and online, and it was necessary to innovate with other formats to keep families close. It is important to emphasize how important it is to keep this rite so sensitive. It is the last opportunity the family has to say goodbye to their loved one.
Farewell ceremonies bring families closer together through personalized tributes to the loved one, through reunions. Reconciliation, forgiveness, and even emotional healing often take place, this of course depends on the ambience provided for the families. It brings society closer to facing the discussion of the theme “life and death”, based on positive experiences rescuing affective memories. It immortalizes a lighter moment, making families feel welcomed and comforted, thus helping in the elaboration of mourning.
The event was a success! We had several representatives of the funeral sector, fully involved in matters of homage, humanization and reception.
It is important to emphasize that we are in a moment of great opportunity to make a positive difference in this generation with simple and accessible attitudes; from a perspective of unique humanization. A moment that will remain in human history, where our mission is to inspire other Institutions in the sector, through a genuine purpose of caring for other people and transforming the moment of pain into love, transforming the environment from “death” into “life “.
We invite you to be part of this “Move”. It will be transformative for each of us, as individuals and professionals, for the funeral sector, and especially for society.
Below is the list of speakers:
– Associação Brasileira Tanatologia /
ABT – (51) 9163 4680
– Tatiana Barbieri Santana –
AmorTSer – (51) 8276 6792
– Ana Portillo –
AmorTSer – (51) 9866 9455
– Professor Ricardo Péculo – (54) 9 11 6685 8622
– Alexandre de Oliveira –
Adiaŭ – (37) 8851 1227
– Stael Veiga –
Movimento vidAMORte – (27) 98814 0190
– André Machado (
Locutor e Mestre Cerimonialista) – (51) 98474-3906
Text written by Stael Veiga
