Funeral rituals in the area of Jūžintai (from mid-20^th c. to 21^st c.)

Rimutė Garnevičiūtė

The changes in Catholic funeral ritual tradition from mid-20^th c. to 21^st c. in the area of Jūžintai and their possible reasons have been discussed in the paper. The basic source of the data used here is the material of new field investigations. The changes in funeral rituals were determined by living needs as well as historical and socioeconomic conditions. The rituals were changing and some of them gradually disappearing at the start of the 21^st century due to the fact that the funeral spaces moved to the tenemental premises in the town of Rokiškis. Participation of the community in seeing off the deceased is ensured by the unchanged funeral rituals in the Jūžintai church.