Wearing Black for mourning?

Question

Two questions really . . .

How long do you wear it for? (This was a close Uncle)

When did this tradion start?

(Whatever you know is appreciated.)

Answer 1

As this is your uncle the proper length of public mourning (ie wearing dark clothes and not moving on) is 2 months. The death of any of the following would lead to the corresponding length of mourning:

Uncles and aunts: 1 month deep mourning then 1 month half mourning
Grandparents:3 months deep mourning. 3 months half mourning
Siblings: 3 months deep mourning then 3 months half mourning
Parent:deep mourning - 9 months. Half mourning - 3 months.
child: deep mourning-9 months. Half mourning -3 months.
husband or wife: 2 years deep mourning then 2 years half mourning
Great aunt or Uncle:3 weeks deep 3 weeks half
1st cousin:2 weeks deep 2 weeks half

If you are married you would be expected to mourn for his relatives as if they were your own. The same is not true vice versa and would be up to the husband to decide how long he should mourn for your family.

Full mourning is wearing dull black (no reflective or shiny black) from head to toe at all times. Keeping curtains closed and covering mirrors. No going to balls or parties. Everyone in your household should, at the very least, wear a black band around the top of the arm even if not related to the deceased or just working for the household (this doesn't mean visitors have to wear dark bands).

Half mourning is a relaxation of the rules. Black and white should be worn while in public. Curtains and mirrors can return to the normal state, and other members of the household can return to normal if they wish and have permission from the head of the household. Going to balls and parties is permitted. You should still be grieving however.

This dates from the victorian times and is generally not followed nowadays. If you would like to know more you can contact me at [e-mail]. Sorry about being so long but i believe it should be done properly.

I am sorry for your loss.

Answer 2

The idea behind dressing in a color (black, white in the Orient) for mourning is to signal to society that you should not be expected to join in normal activities because you are grieving your loss. It generally applies more to losing a spouse than to other losses, to protect the grieved person from being taken advantage of. These codified into wearing the color for a specific period of time in the late 1900s and early 20th century in the West. Such rules are really not followed anymore, so you should do what you think is best. I personally think that being attuned to your own needs for distance and space to grieve is at the heart of the matter, not the social obligation.

Answer 3

definite mourning is for public demonstrate in Egypt, they even sometime employ women persons to hysterically cry in a funeral. it really is all a demonstrate of disappointment to what the society evaluate general. maximum of Egyptians in Australia are Coptic Christians and that i do not understand their traditions. notwithstanding i'm 100% positive they're often Coptic i will indicate out the egytpian Muslim traditions. Muslims aren't from now on inspired to coach disappointment after death. Mourning is in basic terms 3 days and would't bypass 4 months. also some says that wearing black cloths isn't loved after death. So truly wearing black isn't loved for Muslim women persons yet nevertheless truly some Muslim Egyptians do it. Religiously they don't look required to position in black and actually they're discouraged to placed on black after death. the undeniable truth that they placed on black is often an Arab/western present day lifestyle yet no longer Muslim lifestyle. the idea is that Muslims could accpet death and do not coach rejection to it.

Answer 4

When my brother passed away unexpectedly at a young age, I chose to wear his favorite color, green. I can sympathize with the black tradition though. It is a sign of mourning and respect. Queen Victoria never stopped wearing black after Prince Albert died. She outlived him by 30+ years! Unless your culture dictates otherwise, I think black is appropriate for the funeral/religious services and then stopped. Unless you are deeply grieved and want to continue with the black.

Answer 5

In our culture there is no longer a set time for wearing mourning colors (traditionally black or something else somber) so it is left to the discretion of each person.

I lost my 5-month-old daughter 2 months ago. I wore dark colors in the first couple of weeks after her death and now I am dressing "normally" again, especially since we are in the Easter season and the Ressurection is a joyous thing.

Black has traditionally been the color of choice in the earliest Christian times, and this is found in other cultures, too, simply because black is symbolic of death and the somber color makes us reflect on the bitterness of physical death.

In the Catholic Church there are actually liturgical colors to match different occasions - black for requiems and Holy Friday (day of Christ's death), white for joyous feastdays, purple for penitential seasons and so forth.

My sympathies for your loss.

Answer 6

The day of the funeral is long enough.

Widows would wear black for a long time while they were mourning their late husbands.

Answer 7

Wear it for the day of the funeral.

After that you should wear normal clothes.

Answer 8

If you're Chinese you wear white. What's in a colour? He's dead, what's he wearing?