What are the regulations for organizing a State Funeral?

Regulations on organizing the National Funeral are implemented according to Decree 105/2012/ND-CP, dated December 17, 2012, of the Government on organizing funerals for officials, civil servants and public employees.

Titles held State Funeral

Article 5 of Decree 105/2012/ND-CP stipulates the titles of the positions that are allowed to organize the State Funeral, including:

1. Officials holding or leaving one of the following positions when they pass away will be given a State Funeral:

a) General Secretary of the Central Executive Committee of the Party;

b) President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

c) Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

d) Chairman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

2. The Politburo decides to organize a State Funeral for other high-ranking officials who have made great contributions and merits to the revolutionary cause of the Party, State and People, and have great prestige domestically and internationally.

Notice of National Funeral

Article 6 of Decree 105/2012/ND-CP stipulates the announcement of the National Funeral as follows:

The following agencies jointly issued a statement on the State Funeral:

1. Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam;

2. National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

3. President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

4. Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

5. Central Committee of Vietnam Fatherland Front.

State Funeral Committee and Funeral Organizing Committee

Article 7 of Decree 105/2012/ND-CP stipulates the State Funeral Committee and the Funeral Organizing Committee as follows:

1. The Politburo decides to establish a State Funeral Committee, consisting of 25 to 30 members representing the Politburo, the Central Executive Committee, the National Assembly, the President, the Government, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, central organizations, agencies where the deceased worked or is working, and representatives of the leaders of the province or centrally run city where the deceased was born or was born.

a) The State Funeral Committee is responsible for directing the organization of the State Funeral according to the provisions of this Decree;

b) The Head of the State Funeral Committee is the General Secretary of the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam or the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

2. The Politburo decided to establish a Funeral Organizing Committee, consisting of 15 to 20 members representing ministries, departments, and branches at the central level, the hometown or birthplace of the deceased, and representatives of the deceased's family.

a) The Funeral Organizing Committee is responsible for assisting the State Funeral Committee in managing the agencies that are members of the Funeral Organizing Committee and the agencies participating in organizing the State Funeral according to the provisions of this Decree;

b) The Head of the Funeral Organizing Committee is a Deputy Prime Minister.

Time, funeral rites

Article 10 of Decree 105/2012/ND-CP stipulates the time and rituals of mourning as follows:

The duration of the National Funeral is 2 days. During this time, all agencies and offices nationwide and Vietnamese representative agencies abroad will fly flags at half-mast, with mourning bands (1/10 the width of the flag, the length of the flag, and only fly the flag to 2/3 the height of the flagpole, using black cloth to tie the flag so it does not fly), and no public entertainment activities will be organized.

Place of State Funeral and Burial

Article 11 of Decree 105/2012/ND-CP stipulates the place of holding the State Funeral and the burial place as follows:

1. The State Funeral will be held at the National Funeral Home No. 5 Tran Thanh Tong, Hanoi (if held in Hanoi); Funeral Home of Military Hospital 175 or Funeral Home No. 25 Le Quy Don, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City (if held in Ho Chi Minh City).

2. Burial at Mai Dich Cemetery, Hanoi; Ho Chi Minh City Cemetery or cremation, electric burial, burial in hometown or other local cemetery according to the family's wishes.

Funeral

Article 14 of Decree 105/2012/ND-CP stipulates the funeral ceremony as follows:

1. The Funeral Organizing Committee arranges the visiting delegations in the following formation: 2 soldiers carrying wreaths in the lead, followed by the Head of the delegation, behind and to the right of the Head of the delegation is the visiting officer, the members of the visiting delegation walk in two vertical rows.

2. The Funeral Organizing Committee organizes the reception and arrangement of foreign delegations, diplomatic missions, consular agencies, representative agencies of international organizations in Vietnam and other foreign agencies and individuals who wish to visit and register in the condolence book.

3. After the visit, the Head of the delegation signs the condolence book.

4. During the visit, the Military Band played the song "Soul of the Dead Soldier".

Organizing Funerals Abroad

Article 15 of Decree 105/2012/ND-CP stipulates the organization of funeral ceremonies abroad as follows:

1. At the same time as the National Funeral in Vietnam, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall instruct Vietnamese representative agencies abroad to receive Vietnamese and foreign organizations and individuals to pay their respects and register their condolences at Vietnamese representative agencies abroad.

2. Ceremony decoration:

a) The stage is decorated with a black background, the national flag hanging above has a mourning ribbon, a photo of the deceased and the white words "Deeply regretting comrade...";

b) The altar is placed in the middle of the room, under the altar is an incense burner; on both sides of the altar are placed two fixed wreaths;

c) Condolences table.

Memorial Service

Article 16 of Decree 105/2012/ND-CP stipulates the Memorial Ceremony as follows:

1. Participants in the funeral ceremony include: State Funeral Committee; Funeral Organizing Committee; family, relatives; representatives of agencies, units and localities of the deceased.

2. Location of delegations attending the funeral

a) The family stands on the left side of the funeral room (looking up at the altar);

b) Party and State leaders stand on the right side of the funeral room (looking up at the podium);

c) Delegations of ministries, departments, branches, other subjects, on-duty forces and military bands stand according to the arrangement of the Funeral Organizing Committee.

3. Memorial Service Program

a) The Head of the Funeral Organizing Committee announces the Memorial Service;

b) Military band plays the National Anthem;

c) The Head of the State Funeral Committee reads the eulogy and declares a minute of silence;

d) During the silence, the military band plays the song "Soul of the dead soldier";

d) The Head of the Funeral Organizing Committee declares the end of the Memorial Service.

4. At the same time as the Central Memorial Service, the local leaders of the deceased's hometown or birthplace organize a local Memorial Service.

Funeral

Article 17 of Decree 105/2012/ND-CP stipulates on funeral ceremonies as follows:

1. Participants in the funeral include: State Funeral Committee; Funeral Organizing Committee; family, relatives; representatives of agencies, units and localities of the deceased.

2. When transferring the coffin from the funeral home to the hearse and from the hearse to the grave, there is 1 officer carrying a photo, 1 officer carrying a medal pillow and 1 officer wrapped in a flag carrying a flag walking in front of the coffin; a working team consisting of 1 officer and 12 soldiers moves the coffin from the funeral home to the hearse, from the hearse to the grave; the Head and Deputy Head of the State Funeral Committee carry the coffin together (at the head of the coffin); family and other members walk behind the coffin.

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