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Keywords: death attitudes, history, cremation, Romanian Orthodox Church, crisis of the burial places
Abstract:
In Romania, the topic of cremation copes with several distinctive issues compared to western states (e.g. existence of a sole crematorium which operates for 20 million inhabitants). On the contrary, the most critical problem of the Romanian Death System is given by the crisis of the resting places in urban area that could be resolved by accepting and developing the cremation as an alternative solution. The article's goal is to analyze different attitudes towards death in Romanian space, having as a reference point the issue of cremation. The issue of cremation is also analyzed from the historical and social point of view. The main conclusion is that the Orthodox Church's position and its influence in Romanian society represent the most natural justification of the presented situation. The paper reveals a lesser degree of secularization in Romanian society compared to other European countries, a simple fact that could explain the specificity of the Romanian practice regarding death issues and cremation.
Introduction
In recent decades, the growing popularity of cremation throughout the world has led to an increase in scientific interest surrounding the topic. Research has highlighted, for example, the historical factors that have supported the development of this practice in certain contexts.1 On the other hand, the implications and significance of the expansion of the cremation movement, both in society and on an individual level, have also been emphasized (such as modernization, professionalism, medicalization, individualism and choice, pluralism, and globalization).2
The development of cremation has not followed the same path in all European countries. In this context, Romania has several specific characteristics in terms of cremation. For example, with a population of 20 million, Romania only has one functional crematorium, despite the fact that the Romanian funeral system faces many problems which could be solved by expanding this practice. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to examine attitudes towards cremation in contemporary Romania as an element of more general attitudes towards death.
Historical overview of cremation in modern Romania1
Cremationist ideas entered Romania in the second half of the nineteenth century due to the efforts of members of the Romanian elite, represented mostly by doctors. They supported the cremation...