Catholic Word of the Day: WAKE, 06-18-09

CatholicReference.net ^ | 06-18-09 | Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary

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WAKE

A watch or vigil. The term was originally applied to the all-night vigil in Anglo-Saxon times before certain major holidays. By the sixteenth century it was used of the holiday itself, and of the fair held to honor a local saint. In some countries, e.g., Ireland, a wake is the watch over the body of the deceased before burial. And more commonly a wake is the period, one or two days before the funeral, when mourners may visit the body of the deceased and offer their condolences to the bereaved. THe Church now provides for a liturgical service, if so desired, during the wake. It is called Vigil for the Deceased.

All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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Is this common in other churches?

The night before my husband's funeral we held a Rosary and many people voiced their personal testimonies about him. (All positive -- LOL! Bless his soul!)

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Catholic Word of the Day – not linked – but you can do a search to find them.

Proclamation	Consecration to the Sacred Heart	Nominalism
Rules of Conscience	St. John Lateran	Hermeneutics
Doctrinal Universalism	Good Friday	Our Father
Soul of the Church	Latin Cross	Book of Sentences
Paraclete	People of God	Bodily Resurrection
Cardinal Electors	Subsidiarity	Striking the Breast
Transfinalization	Ordinary	Titular Sees
Wake

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