How Long is an Average Funeral Service?

How long is an average funeral service?

Every funeral is different. This makes it difficult to say how long an average funeral is. A funeral's length depends on the religion, culture and personal choices of the person who has died.

To give you a general idea of how long funerals are, the shortest ceremonies can be over in 15 minutes, while some religious funerals last 90 minutes or more.

The most common type of funeral in the UK is a Church of England funeral. These last around 45 minutes on average.

How long does a Catholic funeral last?

Catholic funerals tend to be a little longer than most other Christian funerals. This is because they often include a Requiem Mass (or Funeral Mass), which is a special religious service for the person who has died.

If there's a Requiem Mass, the funeral might last an hour or more. If not, the service could be over within 40 minutes.

How long does a Muslim funeral last?

Muslim funerals usually take between 30 and 60 minutes. You can expect the service to include prayer recitals, as well as readings from the Quran.

How long does a Hindu funeral last?

Hindu funerals tend to be quite short, compared to other religious funerals. They'll usually be over within 30 minutes, though this can vary depending on the wishes of the person who has died.

How long does a Jewish funeral last?

The length of Jewish funerals can vary a lot. Orthodox Jews tend to prefer simple services, which can take as little as 15 to 20 minutes. Other Jewish communities might allow for more readings and remembrances, which can increase the length to an hour or more.

How long does a cremation service last compared to a burial?

In terms of the main funeral service, there's no significant difference between the length of a burial and cremation funeral.

However, a burial funeral might include a separate graveside ceremony. This can increase the overall length of the funeral, especially if people have to travel to reach the burial site.

What affects how long a funeral service is?

The main things that affect the length of a funeral are:

Its location
The type of service
What's included in the service (e.g. readings, hymns, eulogies)
The budget you have for the funeral

When you’re planning a funeral, it's a good idea to discuss timings with your funeral director. They should be able to tell you roughly how long the funeral service will last.