Concept in Definition ABC

Since time immemorial, human beings have buried their loved ones. This ritual is very widespread throughout the world and through it the I respect the dead and in some religions burial indicates the belief in a life beyond physical death.

The acronym RIP is an abbreviation in Latin and corresponds to Requiescat in Pace, which usually translates as "rest in peace". In countries with tradition Catholic these acronyms are a farewell formula, specifically an epitaph that accompanies the name of the deceased along with the date of his death.

The word RIP can also be found in the obituaries published in the newspapers, although other abbreviations sometimes appear similar (DEP is one of the most common and means Rest in Peace, but there are also others, such as QEPD, which means That in Peace Rest).

It should be noted that RIP also appears on the tombstones of Anglo-Saxon countries with a Protestant tradition, which is explained because in English RIP is equivalent to the expression Rest in Peace, rest in peace.

The historical origin of the acronym RIP

The custom of to write epitaphs on tombs is very old and was started by the Athenians in Ancient Greece (the custom It consisted of writing the name of the deceased on the tombstone and was sometimes accompanied by some eulogy brief). However, the RIP inscription on tombstones began to become popular in the 18th century in Catholic countries such as Italy or Spain.

It should be borne in mind that at the mass for the dead, words of farewell were pronounced to pray for the soul of the deceased and at the end of them it was said Requiescat in pace followed by the word Amen. In this way, the acronym RIP had a double meaning: the idea that death meant a rest and the end of suffering on earth and, at the same time, At the same time, the consideration that physical death only affects the body and that at the end of time the body and the soul will become join.

Funeral terminology and alternatives to burial

Some archaeologists and historians have studied the remains and documents related to funeral terminology and its meaning. There are many terms that are part of the culture related to death, such as tomb, grave, headstone, epitaph, niche and many others. At the same time, the various ways of treating a corpse are studied in a discipline known as thanatopraxia.

Finally, it is worth remembering that the acronym RIP is related to burials, but in human history burial does not It has been the only funeral ritual to dispose of corpses, since some cultures have practiced and do practice cremation, immersion in the Water or the abandonment of the corpse in a remote place.

Photos: iStock - KatarzynaBialasiewicz / Martin Dimitrov