Unusual Cremation Procession During The Corona Pandemic In Spain

JAKARTA - Every 15 minutes, a hearse stops in front of the La Almudena crematorium, Madrid, Spain. Edduar, a Catholic priest, would walk out of the building every time the hearse came. He will welcome family members who come to pay their last respects.

Slightly different from the norm, under national regulations any final reverence for the body can only be attended by a maximum of five people or fewer, better. Later, the car driver opens the trunk to reveal the coffin.

The mourners, who were the nuclear family, kept their distance from each other, even from the coffin. I want to hug each other and give each other strength because their loved ones are gone forever. However, social distancing must still be enforced. Some of the people present were wearing masks and gloves.

Reporting from CNN, Mass is only done in five minutes. Father Edduar sprinkled the coffin which had been sealed with holy water before officers appeared to take him into the crematorium. Then, after that it was over. There is no conveyance of impressions as long as the deceased is still alive. There's no time for goodbyes.

When the hearse leaves, a few moments later another hearse will arrive. Meanwhile, the previous family will carry out a short ceremony during the cremation process which results in the release of thick smoke from the crematorium chimney.

Such is the mourning process under the COVID-19 emergency in Spain. This sight is considered strange, considering that Madrid has the largest cemetery in Western Europe, which is a very wide hill filled with tombstones. The cemetery has survived times of famine, civil war and the Spanish flu.

"You can see it on their faces, the pain is excruciating," said Pastor Edduar,

Not only did they lose loved ones, they also had to say goodbye to very few other people. One member with his cellphone told another extended family and friends that they were having mass before the cremation. Still, this isn't a process anyone would want

If they want to do funeral mass as usual, that cannot be done considering the churches in Spain have been closed. Additionally, only a handful of crematoriums have a priest at this time.

"I try to get close to them. I tell them that I am with them and they are not alone. Sometimes it bothers me. I cry," Father Edduar said.

Father Edduar also has a risk of contracting the virus. Remembering when they do the blessing process, they don't wear masks or gloves.

"It may sound a little strange, but at this historic moment, I consider it a privilege ... my life is for the people, to be with them at this crucial time," said Father Edduar.

Spain is one of the countries worst affected by COVID-19. This country is second only to the United States with a total of 141,942 cases, as many as 14,045 were declared dead and 43,208 people were successfully cured. Madrid is known to be the center of the spread of COVID-19. As many as 40% of deaths from COVID-19 in Spain come from Madrid.

Due to the insufficient space for storing bodies to accommodate the bodies of the victims, two ice boxes are now being used as temporary morgues. Funeral officials said they buried two or three times as many bodies as usual.