These notes are contributed by a former Funeral Co-ordinator for the Anglican Church of Cyprus, with many years’ experience of arranging expat funerals in Cyprus for church goers and non-church goers (the majority) alike as well as repatriations to UK. There is much useful advice and information in what follows whether the deceased and family was/are practicing church goers or not.
Expat Funerals in Paphos
Few of us are at our best when someone close dies, especially if it is sudden. That is why a number of reputable local undertakers and the Anglican Church of Paphos offer a comprehensive funeral service for expatriates. The experienced teams from these organisations can help you with all the elements involved in organising and holding a funeral and burial from the moment that a loved one dies, or even before, if they experience a debilitating illness.
FAQs about funerals in Cyprus
Here are some of the questions people ask most frequently (FAQs) about funerals in Cyprus:
What is the first thing I should do?
Contact one of the reputable local Undertaker Firms or someone involved in the Church’s funeral ministry:
Undertakers:
Angel Guardians – Maureen Watt – (former Atlantic Insurance Co building) – 00357 96 783112
Galini Funeral Services – Demetra – 00357 99 463918
Archangel Funeral Services – Andri – 00357 25 748181
Anglican Church of Paphos :
Jacky Cotterill - Funeral Co-ordinator 00357 99 838245
Helen Smith - Funeral Administrator 00357 26 953044/00357 99 212627
What if a loved one dies at home?
If the death is sudden and unexpected, call the police. If it is expected, call the deceased’s doctor. Depending on what the police or doctor say, then call for an ambulance.
Warning: when local ambulances are involved, unfortunately and despite complaints, there is still circumstantial evidence to suggest that a number of ambulance drivers carrying a deceased expat are in the habit of phoning ahead to a local undertaker so that its representative will be at the hospital ready to meet the next of kin, while still probably in a state of distress and/or shock. Such an undertaker is unlikely to be on the recommended list, and, despite such persuasive argument that they are, “Approved by the British High Commission/Anglican Church” and that they can, “Arrange a burial grant from the UK Government”, neither is likely to be true and it is suggested that next of kin should not get involved with them.
What if the death occurs in hospital?
The General Hospital and private hospitals have their own mortuaries, so the deceased can be transferred there and stay there as long as necessary. Once an undertaker has been appointed the body can be transferred to that company’s premises. In some circumstances a post-mortem may be required, but next of kin will be guided through this and all other formalities by the undertaker or church coordinator. Once the cause of death has been established a Cause of Death Certificate will be issued by a pathologist or doctor and the original of this important document will be needed by the undertaker or coordinator in order to obtain for the next of kin as many original Death Certificates (a completely different document) as may be required.
Is there a time limit?
No, you may take as long as you need to organise the funeral befitting the deceased. Recommended undertakers have proper storage facilities albeit for a modest daily charge.
Will someone help us find and liaise with an undertaker?
Yes, if required the church funeral coordinator team, who are familiar with all the undertakers in Paphos and work with them regularly, will offer advice and take the next of kin through the whole process during a visit as soon as possible after the death has occurred.
Will the Church team help with the paperwork and Registration Formalities?
Absolutely – the undertaker and/or experienced Church coordinator team will obtain the required Death Certificates and deal with all the registration formalities with both government departments and Immigration.
Is it necessary to have a priest to conduct the funeral or burial service?
There are essentially three types of funeral service:
- · a simple graveside funeral, in which case there is no legal requirement to have a priest.
- · a church funeral service, with the coffin brought into the church, followed by a short service at the graveside, both of which would normally be conducted by a priest
- · a memorial service, usually in church and held some time after the funeral, again normally conducted by a priest, if the service is in a church.
Long experience of funerals suggests that the bereaved and those attending a funeral find the presence of a presiding priest helpful in terms of providing comfort and a degree of closure for next of kin and friends. Without a priest there tend to be a lack of structure and awkward silences during what is a significant and memorable event for those attending and especially for the next of kin.
Does the Anglican Church have a church and minister to do the funeral?
Yes, the Anglican Church has the use of three churches, Ayia Kyriaki in Kato Paphos and one each in Tala and Polis, plus several priests and Readers qualified to conduct funeral services. The presiding priest or Reader would make a visit to the next of kin to learn about the deceased and to discuss the content of the funeral service. He or she would be sensitive to any wishes the deceased may have expressed prior to death and to the wishes of the next of kin. The lack of history of involvement with worship or church life would be no obstacle to involving a priest or Reader, who would tailor the service accordingly.
May we design a funeral to suit the deceased and our family?
Of course: the undertaker and/or funeral ministry team would help co-ordinate every detail of a service and burial including church venue, readings, a minister, music, flowers, pall bearers, burial in a cemetery, charitable donations etc. There would be opportunities for next of kin and/or friends to give readings of prose or poetry and/or a eulogy or summary of lifetime experiences and achievements of the deceased.
Where can burials take place?
There are several cemeteries in the Paphos & Limassol districts and a British Cemetery at Erimi. The undertaker and/or the Church’s funeral ministry team will help with organisation of the purchase of a plot in a cemetery in consultation with you. Burial normally takes place in the village or town where the deceased lived, but several cemeteries are already full or nearly so and help may well be needed to locate and procure a burial plot.
Is cremation possible in Cyprus?
Not at the moment, but arrangements can be made to repatriate the deceased to UK for cremation and then, if required, have the ashes returned to Cyprus in a suitable casket for interment here.
What about arrangements for repatriation and its costs?
There are a number of reputable undertakers and companies that can meet all the legal and practical requirements for repatriation, which include embalming and provision of a sealed coffin. The undertaker and/or coordinator can readily put the next of kin in direct touch with such a company or companies so that alternative prices can be obtained. There is at least one international company that can make the entire arrangements including the necessary undertaker services in UK, while other companies limit themselves to the necessary services in Cyprus and road/air transport to a UK airport of choice. It is then up to the next of kin to make the arrangements direct with a UK undertaker to collect the coffin and complete the burial or cremation services.
The cost of repatriation varies depending on weight, distance and the extent of services to be covered; an average cost would lie in the range of approx €3,500 to €5,000. There have been reports that next of kin of a relative who has died while on holiday in Cyprus have been charged as much as €25,000 for repatriation services, so clearly caution is needed in the selection of one of the reputable companies that do this work.
Do we have to wear black to the funeral?
That is the custom in Cyprus, but it is not required. Given the heat in summer, it is appropriate to wear lighter clothing, but out of respect, it is suitable for women to cover their shoulders for a church service.
How much does a local funeral cost?
The costs vary widely depending on what you choose, distances, coffin, plot price and the other options varying from a simple graveside burial service conducted with or without a priest to a church funeral with pall bearers, a cortège to the cemetery and a burial service followed by a wake with catering provided. The undertaker and funeral co-ordinator would inform you of all the costs involved and discuss them with you so that you may decide, but as a very rough guide an approximate budget would be in the range €2,000 to €3,500 including an average coffin and plot cost.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
- · Don’t rush into any decisions, especially when you are newly bereaved and in distress.
- · Similarly, don’t sign any documents especially any in a foreign language you do not understand, even if you are put under pressure – wait until you have the help of the coordinator or recommended undertaker.
A FEW OTHER RELEVANT (FINANCIAL) CONSIDERATIONS
- · Have in mind that local bank accounts in the name of the deceased are frozen for all transactions (other than for disbursement of bona fide substantiated funeral costs) until probate is completed, and in Cyprus that can take a matter of years rather months. So take financial advice on steps to be taken to ensure that the survivor has access to money after decease of his or her partner. A joint bank account will not normally be frozen for more than the few days it takes to change the name of the account, PROVIDED THAT the account was set up prior to the death for EITHER TO SIGN (not BOTH TO SIGN).
- · Make a WILL covering local assets, especially if immoveable property in Cyprus forms part of the estate of the deceased. The Will should be drawn up by a reputable lawyer and should not contradict any Will drawn up covering assets outside Cyprus. The lawyers involved in both Wills (and it could be the same lawyer) should be made aware of the existence of the other. The reason why this is important is that the laws of Intestacy (no Will) in Cyprus differ from those in UK, and, depending on a number of factors, there could be unfortunate and unintended consequences for the surviving partner in the absence of a Will e.g. the child of an earlier marriage of the deceased might be found to have property inheritance rights over and above those of the surviving partner.
- · Experience suggests that it is sensible for both partners to be registered for local tax, even if one of them has insufficient income to have any local tax liability. This is especially the case if, say, the surviving partner has entitlement to all or a proportion of the deceased’s occupational pension from abroad. If the surviving recipient has no local tax registration he or she may find that tax will be deducted in the country of origin of the pension until such time as the UK or other tax authority is satisfied that the recipient has a tax registration number in Cyprus.
- · If the deceased had entitlement to a UK State Pension the survivor or next of kin should advise the UK Pension Service of the death as soon as possible after it has occurred in order to avoid having to repay post-death payments later. This can normally be done quickly and efficiently by phone call to the UK Pension Service. All other pension providers and any life policy companies should similarly be promptly informed.
- · To go into these and other relevant matters arising in the aftermath of a death in more detail it is recommended to take professional financial and legal advice.