A small devotional book or a blessed reminder specific to the ritual is one thing, but burying valuable or antique family icons is quite another. Sacred images are meant to support the living in prayer. Burying them is often a mistake: it deprives the home of a spiritual treasure and exposes the image to degradation.

8) Sharp objects or tools

Knives, scissors, needles, trade tools (hammer, scalpel, instruments).

Sometimes this is done for “protection” or to represent identity (“he was a carpenter, let him have his tools”). But the soul is not defended with metal: it is accompanied by prayer.

9) Letters and notes “for them to read”

Many people write farewells, apologies, or final messages and place them inside. It’s understandable… but true communication isn’t on paper, but through prayer, remembrance, and acts of love.

If you have unfinished words, you can whisper them in front of the coffin or at the cemetery, and transform them into prayer: that has more spiritual meaning than burying a message.

10) Esoteric or occult objects

Talismans, runes, zodiac signs, “protections,” red thread, “charged” objects, amulets bought from supposed “healers.”

This is incompatible with the Christian faith and can bring spiritual confusion. Saying goodbye doesn’t need “magical defenses”: it needs faith, respect, and prayer.

So… what should accompany the person?

In a dignified Christian farewell, the essentials are:

A cross (according to the tradition of each community)

A small prayer book or appropriate image for the rite, if applicable

The elements of the religious ceremony (according to the minister and the family)

And for the living, the most important things happen outside the coffin:

Daily prayer

Requesting a memorial Mass/service according to local practice

Charitable works in their memory

Supporting the family in their grief

Why are these mistakes made? Almost always for three reasons:

Lack of knowledge: inherited customs are repeated without knowing their origin.

Grief: the mind seeks to “do something” to soothe the anguish.

Superstition: faith is confused with mechanical rituals.

And that is what should be calmly addressed: faith does not operate through objects, but through love, prayer, and truth.

Tips and Recommendations

Talk as a family beforehand (when possible): making it clear that you don’t want money, jewelry, or personal belongings in the coffin prevents conflicts and guilt later.

If it’s already happened and things have been placed in the coffin, don’t live in fear: focus your energy on what does help: prayer, service, charity, and family support.

At the wake, avoid turning the farewell into a “museum of belongings.” A dignified farewell is sober and humane.

If the family has doubts, the wisest course of action is to consult a trusted religious leader from their community.

Instead of spending money on objects to “bury,” consider doing something better: helping someone in need in memory of the deceased. This comforts the living and honors the one who has passed.

Saying goodbye to a loved one isn’t about “equipping” them for the afterlife, but about accompanying them with faith and letting them depart unburdened. What sustains the soul isn’t material possessions: it’s prayer, love, mercy, and hope. And what heals the living is not clinging to things, but learning to let go peacefully.

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