Greek Cypriot funerals in the UK

Greek Cypriot funerals follow the ancient, sung rites of the Greek Orthodox Church, and they bring together family, church and community. This guide explains the Trisagion, the funeral service, koliva, the memorial services and mourning customs, with practical tips for arranging a funeral in the UK. Families differ in how closely they follow tradition, so always ask.

Key points

• Greek Cypriot funerals follow Greek Orthodox rites: Trisagion prayers, a sung church service with an open coffin and a final kiss.
• Burial is the Orthodox tradition. Speak to the priest before considering cremation.
• A meal of consolation, often called makaria, follows the burial.
• Koliva, blessed boiled wheat, is shared at memorial services.
• Memorials are held on the 40th day, around six months and at one year, and often yearly after that.
• Customs vary by village, generation and family.

What makes Greek Cypriot funerals distinctive

Most Greek Cypriots in the UK are Greek Orthodox, served by churches of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain. The community is especially large in North London. At New Southgate Cemetery, Greek Orthodox families accounted for 53.9% of burials between 2014 and 2018 where a religion was recorded, according to the cemetery’s conservation plan. It notes that Greek Cypriot families prefer earth graves in sections alongside other members of their community, often with kerbed memorials and crosses.

In Cyprus, funerals traditionally take place very quickly, often within a day or two. In the UK, registration and church and cemetery availability usually mean a longer wait, which can be hard for families used to the speed of home.

Before the funeral: the Trisagion

The Trisagion (“Thrice-Holy”) is a short service of prayers for the person who has died. It is usually sung at the funeral home or church on the evening before the funeral, again on the day, at the graveside and at memorial services. It ends with the words “May your memory be eternal”.

The person usually lies in an open coffin, and family and friends come to pay their respects, often lighting a candle or kissing an icon.

The funeral service

The funeral takes place in church and is sung by the priest and chanters. It includes:

Orthodox services are traditionally sung without instruments. Many mourners hold lit candles during parts of the service. See our Orthodox funerals guide.

Burial or cremation?

Burial is the Orthodox tradition, rooted in the Church’s teaching on the resurrection of the body. If a family is thinking about cremation, they should speak to the priest before making any plans, because it may affect whether a church funeral can take place. See cremation vs burial.

Makaria: the meal of consolation

After the burial, family and friends gather for a meal, often called makaria, at a restaurant, hall or the family home. Fish is traditional, often with bread, olives, brandy and Cypriot coffee. Many families simply serve coffee and biscuits after church as well.

Koliva and memorial services

Koliva is boiled wheat, usually mixed with ingredients such as sugar, nuts, sesame, raisins and pomegranate seeds, then decorated with icing sugar and a cross. The family brings it to church to be blessed at memorial services and shares it afterwards. The wheat recalls the seed that dies and rises to new life.

Many families also remember the dead on the Saturdays of Souls, special memorial Saturdays in the Church year.

Dress and mourning

• Funeral dress: black or dark, modest clothes. Some women cover their hair in church.
• After the funeral: close family often wear black and avoid celebrations for at least 40 days, and sometimes for a year.
• Older traditions: some widows of older generations wore black for many years, sometimes for life. Many younger families today mark mourning more lightly.

Common words of comfort are “Memory eternal” (“Eonia i mnimi”) and “Life to you” (“Zoi se sas”).

Grave visits

Families often visit graves regularly, tidy them and may keep a small oil lamp or candle lit. Cemetery rules on lamps, flames, kerbs and photographs vary, so check before you choose a grave or memorial.

Costs

The main costs are usually:

• a purchased grave, often in a Greek Orthodox section, and later a kerbed marble memorial;
• church fees or donations for the priest and chanters;
• the makaria meal;
• koliva and refreshments for each memorial service;
• repatriation, if burial is in Cyprus.

In England and Wales, the Funeral Expenses Payment may help with a funeral in Cyprus only in limited circumstances. GOV.UK lists funerals in the UK, the EEA or Switzerland as eligible, but for a funeral outside the UK the rules are narrower and usually depend on your own or your partner’s work or residence status, so check with the Bereavement Service before relying on it. See help paying for a funeral.

Burial in the UK or in Cyprus?

Many families now bury in the UK, close to children and grandchildren. Others want their loved one buried in their home village. From England or Wales, your funeral director gives notice to the coroner (Form 104), and you shouldn’t book flights until permission is given. They will also work with a funeral director in Cyprus. See our repatriation guide.

Practical tips for arranging the funeral in the UK

• Contact the priest early to agree dates for the Trisagion, funeral and memorials.
• Choose a funeral director experienced with Greek Orthodox funerals, ideally with Greek-speaking staff.
• Choose a cemetery with a Greek Orthodox section if that matters to your family, and check its memorial rules.
• Order koliva from a family member or a Greek or Cypriot bakery in good time.
• Offer a livestream for relatives in Cyprus.

Next steps

• Find funeral directors near you and cemeteries.
• Read funeral etiquette and condolence messages.