The Vatican restated that the remains of the deceased belong to the entire Church and individualization of burial diminishes the Church’s role. It is best, the Vatican says, to place ashes of the cremated in a cemetery and not in a particular house.
With the increased number of cremations, the Vatican has released its cremation guidelines that say the church is not opposed to cremation, but instead prefers burial.
Scattering ashes at sea is not in line with the teachings of the Church because they marginalize the entire Christian community, the guidelines say.