After the funeral
Practical matters to be dealt with after the funeral
The administrator of the estate must find out about the life, health, and accident insurance the deceased
had. It is also worth asking whether the deceased’s workplace or trade union provides financial support
for funeral arrangements. Also, any company that paid a pension to the deceased should be notified of the death.
An inventory of the estate must be carried out within three months of the death. For that, some official
documents are required on the deceased and the heirs.
Possession and maintenance of graves
Matters pertaining to the possession of a grave plot and its maintenance can be arranged with the central
registry of the Parish Union of Helsinki. The term of the exclusive right of burial is 25 years. The holder of
rights to the burial right does not own the actual grave plot; the agreement is similar to a rental contract
that can be extended after the expiry date.
The ashes placed in the Kallio church urn vault are held there for 25 years, after which they will be interred in
a grave carved in the rock under the church.
There are strict rules on who may be buried in a grave, even with permission from the holder of the exclusive
burial right. The decision on who may be buried in the grave must be made within a year of the reservation
of a new burial plot, with the right extending primarily to family members. Detailed rules have
been drawn up in order to avoid disputes over graves, which can sometimes become very awkward.
The care of the grave
The care of the grave is the responsibility of the holder of the exclusive burial right. A grave must
be kept in good condition. This maintenance can be done by the right-holder, or the work can be given
to the cemetery foundation for one or two years at a time. Maintenance for a grave can be ordered
from the central registry or cemetery offices. In the areas where a decision has been made on uniform
maintenance, the graves will be looked after for a fee confirmed separately. The Parish Union looks after
gravesites in memorial groves without separate grave plots.
More information about the care of the grave is available from the central regisrty.
Headstones
A headstone or a monument erected on a grave must comply with the cemetery regulations. Before
purchasing a headstone, you should contact the cemetery to learn about any restrictions the cemetery
has imposed on memorials.
In the Kallio church, attendants look after the urn and the condition of the memorial plaque.