Funeral for a non-member of the church

Everyone has the right to a grave

Under the Burial Act the Evangelical Lutheran parish or parish union must provide a grave to everyone whose home municipality is in its area, regardless of church membership. Parish cemeteries are general cemeteries. On request a grave must be given in a separate non-denominational area. In Helsinki new urn graves are given, among other places, in the non-denominational area at Honkanummi. Burying a deceased who was not a church member therefore needs no special arrangements: the grave is booked in the same place as for members, at the Helsinki parish union's burial services, and we make the booking for you. By law the deceased's own conviction and wishes must be respected in burial, cremation and the handling of the ashes. If the deceased did not want a church blessing, none is held. If they wished for one, it can be held even though they did not belong to the church.

Grave fees are the same regardless of membership

The law says that the basis of the fees charged for the grave, the burial and grave care must be the same for everyone entitled to be buried in the cemetery. Church membership therefore does not change the price of the grave or the burial. The home municipality does matter: a Helsinki resident pays less in Helsinki than someone from elsewhere. For a Helsinki resident the cremation at the parish union's crematorium costs 260 euros, and it is included in our 950 euro price; the fee for a non-resident is 500 euros, and the 240 euro difference is stated before you order. See the guide Cremation in Helsinki for a non-resident. The fees for placing the ashes are the same for a Helsinki resident whether member or not: the burial act 150 euros, an urn grave 180 euros, a memorial grove or scattering area 90 euros and the Hietaniemi columbarium 300 euros. The parish invoices these, and they are not included in our price; we tell you them in advance.

What costs more: the chapel

The difference arises from the use of a chapel. The chapels at Helsinki cemeteries charge 400 euros on weekdays and 630 euros on Saturdays for the ceremony of a deceased who was not a church member; for members the chapel and the parish hall are free. In Espoo a non-member is charged 458 euros for the Espoo funeral chapel and 560 euros for the Kellonummi chapel. The pastor's service is free for everyone, including non-members. The chapel fee is not included in our prices, and we tell you it before anything binds. The chapel fee can be avoided by holding the ceremony elsewhere: at home, in a restaurant, outdoors or at the grave when the urn is lowered. With direct cremation no chapel is needed at all, unless you want a short farewell moment before the cremation; that is agreed when the collection is arranged. In other words, a non-member's funeral is not more expensive if the ceremony is held somewhere other than a parish chapel.

A blessing is possible on request

A non-member can be blessed if the relatives or others arranging the funeral request it. The deceased's own will about a blessing must be respected in both directions. The blessing is officiated by a pastor who meets the family beforehand; the pastor's service is free. The ceremony lasts about half an hour, and it can be held in a church, a funeral chapel, a hospital chapel, at the grave or in another agreed place. The blessing can be held at the coffin before the cremation or at the urn after it. The package Cremation with blessing costs 1,950 euros and includes the chapel booking, the officiant or speaker and the bearers; the chapel fee for a non-member is invoiced in addition. In Helsinki blessings are held from Tuesday to Saturday, usually within 2-3 weeks of the death. We agree the time with the parish for you.

Options for a civil ceremony

If no blessing is wanted, the ceremony can be held without a pastor. It has no set form, and it can be built to resemble the deceased. Below are the most common choices. An outside speaker has no fixed price; we agree the speaker with you and tell you the price in advance. We also tell you which option suits the form of funeral you have chosen.

• Leader: a civil celebrant, a relative or a friend.
• At the coffin: a cemetery chapel (chapel fee 400 or 630 euros in Helsinki) or the grave; a coffin ceremony in a private venue is unusual and must be checked separately.
• At the urn: easier to arrange; home, a rented room, a restaurant, outdoors or the grave when the urn is lowered.
• Programme: music, speeches, poems and silence; laying flowers; thanks to the guests.
• Memorial gathering: coffee or a meal after the ceremony or separately; our arrangement service 290 euros, see the guide Memorial gathering without a blessing.
• The package Cremation with blessing, 1,950 euros: the chapel booking, the officiant or speaker and the bearers are included.

Direct cremation often fits naturally

Direct cremation often suits a non-member, because it contains no church rite and needs no chapel. Direct cremation costs 950 euros and includes collection and transport in the Helsinki region, a cremation coffin, dressing, all documents and permits and the cremation at Malmi or Honkanummi including the 260 euro cremation fee for a Helsinki resident. A short private farewell moment before the cremation is possible. You can hold the memorial gathering where and when you wish, and place the ashes within a year. Direct cremation is not, however, the only right way. If you wish for a ceremony at the coffin, we arrange it. If you wish for a coffin burial, the package Coffin burial costs 1,890 euros; a coffin grave for a Helsinki resident costs 690 euros from the parish, and new coffin graves are given only to Helsinki residents. The price is always fully visible before anything binds.

Placing the ashes and the graves

A non-member has the same options and the same prices as members, with one exception: the locker in the urn vault of Kallio church is offered only to members of Helsinki parishes. The prices below are for a Helsinki resident, and the 150 euro burial act comes on top of each option. The parish invoices these separately, and they are not included in our price. More in the guide Collecting the urn and placing the ashes.

• Urn grave 180 euros for 25 years; also in the non-denominational area at Honkanummi.
• Memorial grove 90 euros; the family can take part; the 170 euro name plaque is optional.
• Scattering area 90 euros; the verger scatters the ashes without the family.
• The Hietaniemi columbarium 300 euros for 25 years; the urn must be non-biodegradable.
• Family grave: the 150 euro burial act, once the grave right is checked and 25 years of the lease remain.
• Outside a cemetery with the landowner's permission, without a memorial; the Helsinki sea areas west of Harmaja and north-west of Rysäkivi.
• Coffin grave 690 euros, only for a Helsinki resident.

Who decides about the funeral

Under the Burial Act the arrangements may be handled by the spouse or cohabiting partner and the closest heirs, unless the deceased explicitly wished a certain person to handle them. If none of them does, another close person may, and ultimately the home municipality. Disputes are settled by the district court of the home municipality. The deceased's own conviction and wishes must be respected: if they said they did not want a church blessing, or the opposite, that they wanted one, the wish decides, not the relatives' own membership. That is why it pays to write wishes down in time; see the guide Funeral testament and agreeing in advance. When you order from us, we ask about your relationship to the deceased and whether you know the deceased's wishes. We then proceed according to them and confirm everything by phone before anything binds.

What we handle and the next step

We handle the booking of the grave with the burial services, also in the non-denominational area, the cremation and the documents, the chapel booking if one is needed, and the itemisation of the parish fees in advance. If you want a blessing, we agree it with the parish; if you want a civil ceremony, we help you plan it and find a speaker. Church membership need not be established before you contact us; we ask about it because it only affects the chapel fee. All prices are shown before anything binds. Call us or start online; nothing is binding until we confirm the arrangements by phone. You can proceed at your own pace, at any hour, and ask us anything along the way.

Frequently asked questions