to think taking photos of someone in a coffin is the height of disrespect?

[SnoozingFox]

Totally understand that for Catholics this is a very sad time and many of them wish to pay their respects by filing past the coffin in St Peter's.

SO many people in footage just shown on the news taking photos on their phones. I mean. WTF?

Yes shameful

Cultural difference I think.

I think it’s a cultural thing.

Came here to say cultural too

Not the height. I can think of things that would be far more disrespectful

I work in a funeral home, it’s far more common then people think. Was with a family while they viewed their loved one this afternoon and they took pictures. It’s a comfort to many. People film the funeral too and take pictures of the coffin.

Edited to add, many won’t be filing past the coffin as an act of respect in Rome, there will be tourists who want to be rubber neckers too.

There are guards who could forbid phones if they thought this inappropriate

As a catholic we have our dead in the living room, give them a wee kiss and eat sandwiches and drink tea while leaning up against the coffin so I don’t think many catholics would view photos of a coffin as disrespectful.
I have film photos of the coffin on the walk to the cemetery of most older relatives, it’s not a new thing.

In what way?

Weirdest thing I saw was a Facebook post where someone checked in at a crematorium and tagged other people, including the deceased

If they post them on social media, is that cultural too?

Cultural differences. It’s a Catholic Thang.

Horrid. But then I cannot comprehend why anyone would choose an open coffin.

Not really.

I get that it's a "cultural thing" to have open coffins and to have a wake or sit vigil with the body. That is respectful.

Jostling for the perfect photo of the dead body lying in a coffin is just ... not.

Considering in earlier Catholicism people used to jostle literally to take a piece of the corpse, I think jostling for a great photo is a step up!

Casket viewings and funerals are often much more visual - and rowdier - in other cultures, quiet mourning and stiff upper lips is a particular feature of white Protestant Anglo Saxon death culture.

As the church were the first to release a photo, I guess they don't think so. It does seem odd to me.

I have a photo of my dad. No-one has ever seen it. It’s for me, to remind me how peaceful he looked after a long drawn out death. I wouldn’t
be taking photos of the pope or anyones funeral who might have had an open coffin (rare in UK).

At least they're not taking bits as relics.

A photo is fine, a selfie less so.

Watch the news, even worse is those attempting to take a selfie with the dead Pope in the background. Just wtf do they think they’re doing??

I've just seen the body in full technicolour, moving picture glory on the teatime news. I don't think it is particularly disrespectful, it's just something that will happen when you're the pope.

I have a photo of DH, it's for me only and not posted anywhere. His last days were painful and he looked like he was really hurting, in his coffin he looked at peace and dressed how he'd have wanted to be remembered. I took it just after I'd helped to dress him for his funeral.

I'm not catholic, but this is a part of my culture too. You should see our family photo albums. Jay's 1st tooth! Aw, Bea's wedding! And who could forget, Nan's funeral, remember the pie that Kip made?!

It is a cultural thing, and I am sure people would be stopped if it was not allowed.

Remember, back in Victorian times, taking photos of the dead was the norm.