Burial vs. Cremation in Romania – A Legal Perspective

Abstract

Burial practices touch the fundamental personal, cultural, religious and philosophical beliefs of each of us. In the light of the Romanian Cemeteries Act which was recently voted by the Romanian Parliament, since the current legal status of burial grounds and human cremation is somewhat unknown and given that death and any arrangement regarding this event is something most Romanian people try to postpone for as long as possible, this brief article attempts to offer a legal perspective on the deceased’s right to a funeral religious service and a peaceful rest. We will argue that both burial and cremation have their advantages and their drawbacks in relation with the deceased’s personal wishes and religious faith in the absence of a testamentary stipulation