Applause at funerals?

May 21, 2005 3:20 AM

What's up with applause at funerals?

I was watching the BBC's coverage of the Pope's funeral, and was genuinely touched by the mourners applause when his coffin was brought out.

And then while reading about Nicola Calipari, the Italian Secret Service agent who died in Iraq rescuing journalist Giuliana Sgrena I noticed another reference to applause at a furneral.

So I understand from googling about that is this an Italian custom, but how common is it? Is it only for public or highly respected officials, or is this something one might experience at a smaller, family affair? And what's the origin?

posted by Mutant to Society & Culture (5 answers total)

Best answer: It's not really common (you wouldn't find people applauding at the funeral of a relative or friend) but sometime we use applause as an expression of admiration this is more common when the person isn't a family member but a respected notorious individual.

Calipari was highly appreciated because

1. he was a State servant (very underpaid in italy)
3. he died on his job to save a life (no amount of money can pay that obviously)

so he attracred a lot of sympathy expecially because both the right and the left parties commended his dedication and sacrifice and he received a lot of media attention...kind of firefighter/policeman in 9/11.


Therefore applause was a device to express admiration in the most understandable way that's not glamorous and incompatible with a funeral.
posted by elpapacito at 4:03 AM on May 21, 2005

I'm always rather unnerved by applause at funerals - it could so easily be misinterpreted as applauding the death rather than the deceased. Then again I'm not a great fan of clapping in churches full stop.
posted by prentiz at 9:06 AM on May 21, 2005

I think applause at a funeral service is only tasteful when you would have been applauding them anyway if they were alive (for a great accomplishment or effort).
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 10:43 AM on May 21, 2005

I am anti-death penalty on general principle, but those who applaud at funerals should be executed on the spot. one hopes nobody applauds at their funeral, then.

terrible, terrible custom. I am always appalled by it.
posted by matteo at 12:40 PM on May 21, 2005

I went to a memorial service recently and no one clapped. It was a little unnerving, but correct I suppose.
posted by anarcation at 1:17 PM on May 22, 2005