Non-religious funeral
A dignified farewell without a religious framework, or with elements from several traditions: a secular memorial service, the municipality's funeral hall, a grave of your choice.
Without religious affiliation
A non-religious funeral is a funeral without a church, mosque or other religious framework. In Switzerland it has long ceased to be unusual: according to the Federal Statistical Office, in 2022 34 percent of the population aged 15 and over belonged to no religious community — for the first time the largest group. For many families, then, the question is what a farewell looks like that honestly suits the person who has died.
The answer is almost always simpler than feared. The municipality's funeral hall (Abdankungshalle) is open to everyone, regardless of church membership. Instead of a pastor, an independent celebrant or a family member speaks, you choose the music yourself, and the interment takes place at the cemetery, in a communal grave or in nature.
Just as often we accompany families in which different faiths come together, or in which the deceased did not believe but the relatives do. There are good forms for that, too. What a memorial service generally involves and costs is explained under memorial service and farewell.
Process
What did the deceased believe, or consciously not believe? Are there written wishes? Who in the family has which expectations? The form of the ceremony follows from this conversation.
The municipality's funeral hall, a hall, a restaurant, a garden or a place in nature. We clarify availability, fees and the rules of the venue.
An independent celebrant, someone from the family or circle of friends, or several people one after another. We arrange celebrants and coordinate the contributions.
Favourite music, recorded or live, candles, photos, flowers or a memory table. Elements from a religion also have a place if they mean something to the family.
Urn grave, earth grave, communal grave or natural burial: the grave type does not depend on a religious affiliation. We obtain the municipality's conditions and organise the interment.
We are on site, keep to the order of proceedings and take care of all the organisation, so that you can concentrate on the farewell.
In detail
If you do not belong to a religious community and would like a secular ceremony, write it down. In the canton of Zurich the funeral is primarily guided by the wishes of the deceased; if there is no declaration and the relatives cannot agree, the municipality decides, also taking into account the traditions of the deceased's religious community. In families with different faiths, a short signed sheet prevents many difficult conversations. How to record your wishes is explained under funeral planning.
The Federal Constitution states that no one may be compelled to perform a religious act. For funerals this means: a religious ceremony is not compulsory anywhere. The cantons regulate the rest in a similarly open way. In the canton of Zurich the relatives' wishes are expressly respected for the content and sequence of the funeral service, too, and Basel's funeral law requires that the diversity of funeral rituals and personal wishes be taken into account.
Important in practice: the municipalities provide their own room for the funeral service; in the canton of Zurich the funeral ordinance requires this. The funeral hall is therefore open even without church membership.
The grave type is independent of religious affiliation. Which forms exist is explained under grave types in Switzerland, and what is possible after a cremation under urn burial.
At a funeral service without a pastor, an independent celebrant usually leads. They first hold a detailed conversation with the family and from it write a speech about the life of the deceased. Independent celebrants in German-speaking Switzerland list fees of around CHF 900 to 1,800 on their websites, including the preliminary conversation and the speech. Equally, someone from the family or circle of friends can speak; we help to structure the sequence.
What makes a secular ceremony personal is often small things: a song the deceased liked to hear, a candle that each person lights, photos from different stages of life, a moment of silence, a flower laid at the grave. Some places have their own rules for this: at the City of Bern's communal grave, flowers are laid at shared spots; under the City of Zurich's communal trees, flowers are not intended. We clarify this in advance.
How the speech, music and sequence come together in detail is described in the guide planning the service.
In many families several faiths meet, or part of the family is religious and another part is not. A ceremony then does not have to combine every expectation in one form. A few simple approaches have proven themselves:
When choosing a grave, one question is worth asking in advance: some municipalities have special grave fields for a religious community. If partners of different denominations later wish to rest together, we clarify with the cemetery administration which grave type makes this possible.
Questions & answers
A funeral without a religious framework, without a pastor, imam or other clergy. The process, type of funeral and grave are the same as for any other funeral; the difference lies in the ceremony, which is freely composed. Many people also speak of a funeral without religion or a secular funeral.
Yes. A religious ceremony is not a prerequisite for a funeral. The municipalities provide the room for the funeral service and the grave, regardless of church membership. In the city of Zurich, for example, the funeral hall is free of charge for residents.
Usually much like a church funeral service: music to begin, a welcome, a speech about the life of the deceased, personal words from relatives, a moment of silence and music to close. You decide the order and every element yourself.
Independent celebrants in German-speaking Switzerland list fees of around CHF 900 to 1,800 on their websites, including the preliminary conversation and the speech. In many municipalities the funeral hall is free of charge for residents. Depending on your wishes, music, flowers, printing and catering are added; we list every item separately in the quote.
Yes. Many families share the speech: one person tells the life story, others speak briefly about their own memories. What matters is a clear order and one person who guides everyone through the ceremony. We help with the planning.
Often with a secular ceremony that leaves room for religious elements: a prayer, a blessing, a text from a tradition. Another option is two parts — a prayer in the closest circle and an open ceremony for everyone. We discuss with everyone involved what matters to each side.
At the municipal cemetery like everyone else, in an urn or earth grave, a family grave or a communal grave. After a cremation, a natural burial is also possible. The choice of grave type does not depend on religious affiliation.
Guides
What has to be decided, in which order — and what changes when part of the family lives far away.
Row, family, communal, urn graves — duration, cost and who has to maintain them.
What the municipality covers, what the family pays — and why the total varies so much by commune.
Other services
Traditional burial in a coffin — grave, date, ceremony and every formality.
Learn moreCremation followed by urn interment, a natural burial or transfer of the urn.
Learn moreService, viewing and farewell — religious or secular, shaped the way you want it.
Learn more