Q. 1. What do Catholics mean by a Christian burial?

A. 1. A Christian burial is the burial of a deceased person according to a Christian ecclesiastical rite. In the Catholic Church, it is called the "Catholic Burial Rite."

To qualify for a Christian burial, the deceased person had to live his/her faith in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church can refuse a Christian burial to a public sinner, including public apostates who are unrepentant. If the public sinner gives some sign of repentance before death, even if it is only a probable sign, such as the expression of sorrow for his/her stubbornness or the desire to see a priest, the Church can have some hope for his/her eternal salvation and consequently authorizes a Christian burial.

A christian burial includes:

Conveyance of the body to the church,
Ceremony in the church,
Prayers,
Mass for the Dead,
Absolution, and
Ceremony by the graveside.

The deceased are usually buried in a Catholic cemetary that is considered as holy land. In many places, Catholic cemetaries are located near Catholic Churches.