New and somewhat bizarre legislation has been passed in France giving for the first time legal status to the ashes of a deceased person and making it unlawful to keep the ashes of the deceased privately or at home. This part of the legislation may be particularly distressing for some people who may find it hard to part with the ashes of a loved one soon after cremation.

Many people prefer to keep the ashes of a loved one at home until such time that they feel able emotionally to let go or are physically able to visit the place where they wish to scatter the ashes and to some extent the new law seems intent on controlling what should be a hugely personal decision made only by the loved ones of the deceased at a time that is right for them.

From now on relatives wishing to scatter ashes themselves at a later date will have to pay for the ashes to be housed until such time that they can or are ready to do so. Another practice relatively common in some cultures is to keep part of the ashes in a keepsake pendant, presumably this too will be unlawful.

The new law gives four options in which ashes can be housed or disposed of; in a garden of remembrance, a tomb, a columbarium or scattered in a place that the deceased person requested before their death, this request however must be made to the local mairie at the birth place of the deceased before the ashes are scattered.

Under the new legislation all communes with a population of more than 2,000 inhabitants will have to provide a cinerary where ashes from cremation can be disposed of.

Other parts of the legislation are supposed to be aimed at reducing the cost of a funeral in France and bring stricter controls to the qualifications and training of funeral directors.

Tell us what you think about the new legislation by using the comment form below.

Quote this article on your site