High costs lead many Italians to choose cremation over burial

(CLO) The number of Italians choosing cremation instead of traditional burial when they die has skyrocketed due to cultural changes and especially high costs.

Italians have long had a tradition of burying their dead underground or in mausoleums, reflecting the influence of the Catholic Church. But cremation is now the preferred method.

In 2023, 252,075 people were cremated in Italy, accounting for 38% of all deaths, a sharp increase from less than 3% in 1995 when the funeral association Utilitalia SEFIT started collecting data.

Panorama of Rome War Cemetery. Photo: Reuters

“Regular visits to cemeteries are no longer a weekly or monthly activity because we now live in a society that is less interested in the afterlife,” said Alessandro Gusman, professor of cultural anthropology at the University of Turin.

Many Italians choose cremation because placing urns in cemetery niches requires less maintenance and saves time than traditional burials, easing the burden on relatives.

Cremation is generally cheaper than burial in terms of coffin and land costs. A cremation costs a maximum of 731 euros, most of which are offered by private companies, according to Italian health ministry regulations. Meanwhile, burials cost thousands of euros.

Another reason is to avoid the need to dig up graves and remove bodies from cemeteries. In Italy, this is mandatory in most cases after 10 or 20 years of burial. This is often traumatic for relatives who attend the event.

Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/chi-phi-cao-khien-ngay-cang-nhieu-nguoi-y-chon-hoa-tang-thay-vi-chon-cat-post319524.html