What is a committal service?

• A. A service performed before cremation to sell plots.
• B. A post-burial party.
• C. A service only for the bereaved's immediate family.
• D. A ceremony held at the gravesite or crematory to commit the body to the ground or cremation.

Answer: (D)

A committal service is the final ceremony in the disposition process, held at the gravesite or crematory, in which the remains are formally committed to their final resting place—earth for a burial or the crematory for cremation. It typically occurs after the main funeral service and focuses on entrusting the body to its final disposition. The ceremony may include prayers, readings, a moment of silence, and a closing blessing, with the officiant announcing that the deceased is committed to the earth or to cremation. It can be attended by mourners beyond just immediate family and is distinct from a post-burial gathering or a sales or marketing meeting about plots.