Are Catholics the Only Ones Who Call It a Wake?

I'm Lutheran and we call them visitations/viewing. That sounds so much better than "going to see the dead guy in the box".

Ya know my ex could tell you the exact difference between visitation and a wake, alas I hate talking to him so we will never know....

I am Catholic and we call it visitation because it is held at a funeral home, if it was at someone's home, it would be a wake. Perhaps this is midwestern, who knows...well me ex but we have established I ain't calling him. :)

His family owns funeral homes if you were wondering. I suppose I could call my son but he could care less so he would have to ask his dad and he likes talking to his dad slightly less than I like talking to him.......

I think it's regional. I've heard both. And locally we have a lot of Jewish friends who further sit shiva and people visit them then.

ETA: The luncheon is generally called the "reception" and either held at the church, funeral home, or at a relative's house and if it's between the funeral and burial or after the burial depends on the family and service.

We refer to the reception after the funeral as a wake. The reception is either in the funeral home, the church or a family members home. I know it is not traditionally what a wake is, but that's all we do. We usually cremate, so there is no viewing.

I always thought a "wake" was more of an Irish Catholic term...I am Catholic, but Polish, and we just called it visitation - never a wake.

I grew up in a Jewish family, so we didn't have wakes. However, in my adult life, in the areas where I've lived, what Catholics, Protestants, Episcopalians did before the funeral would be called either a wake or a viewing. Many people do invite the mourners at the funeral to a lunch afterwards (often at a restaurant). My Episcopalian husband refers to this as the "after party."

I think it can be a regional thing as well.

I grew up in Iowa, and we never called it a wake. It was always a visitation... even the Catholic ones.

When I moved to Illinois I noticed that people here always called them wakes, no matter what the religion.

My protestant family always calls it a wake. However, I wonder if that's more of a Chicago thing (where I grew up) than a religious thing. I never hear the term "wake" here, and it seems like in the south it is referred to more as the 'calling,' 'viewing' or 'visitation'.

No. I prefer the term "visitation," but my dad is a lifelong Lutheran and he uses the term "wake." I agree with you--I've always viewed those terms as interchangeable and is as you've described the afternoon/evening or morning before the funeral. I've never heard of the lunch or social gathering after the services referred to as a "visitation." Maybe it varies by region of the country?

We refer to the after 'party' as a wake. We don't do a general or public viewing - only to identify the body if necessary. We never ever have open coffins. We're Anglican.

It is more of a regional term, but the regions that use it are predominately Catholic.

The word "wake" comes from the Irish, but the wake and visitation mean the same thing. The usage if probably regional, based on the responses so far.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wake_(ceremony)

My Lutheran family calls it a visitation and it is typically the night before the funeral.

I'm an Italian/German Catholic from Chicago. I grew up in a traditionally Irish and German neighborhood and it was called a wake the night or two prior to the funeral. The funeral consisted of going to the funeral home the morninig of the burial for a very brief service where the guests and family view the deceased one last time before they close the casket. Then a procession to the church for the Catholic Funeral Mass and a last procession to the cemetary for another brief service at the grave-site (unless the ground was frozen - which then would take place in the cemetary's chapel).

After the burial a luncheon can take place at the home of the family or a restaurant's banquet room.

It seems these days many are opting for a morning Wake that only lasts a few hours before the procession to the cemetary.

I'm a Catholic, and I have lived in Chicago for all of my 58 years. Until recently, I never even heard the term "visitation". The "wake" would be the one or even two nights before the burial. The "funeral" was the entire burial service beginning in the morning, at the funeral home, church, driving past the deceased's last residence, and finally ending at the cemetery. And the "thank you luncheon" was the collection of all of the guests from the funeral, that could stay for the family of the deceased, a little longer.

Never called it a wake. Visitation here.

I have heard the word "wake" used this way lots of times; the word i'm less familiar with in terms of funerals, because i'm not catholic, is "mass" to describe the memorial service, which is what i'd be more likely to call it. I do really like the mass cards though - it's a very nice way to remember your loved ones.

Haha, I had visions (so sorry) of our Irish heritage and the 'wakes' we had. Lots of visiting going on-but yup, we call it a wake.

Here Christians hold wakes. And when referring to a wake, you ask when are the visitation hours.

In response to Jo W., we don't (secretly) refer to the luncheon as the after party but rather the going away party.

I am not Catholic, but I know a lot of people who use the term "Wake" for the times before the funeral. I have also heard this called the "Viewing". Actually calling it The Viewing was the most common when I was growing up. I went to more than my fair share of Viewings. Visitations, as I recall, were usually after the funeral, as a time for comfort with the family of the deceased. This may also be a regional thought, I grew up in Southern Ohio.