Pallbearer

They may wear white gloves in order to prevent damaging the casket and to show respect to the deceased person.

In Western cultures, the pallbearers are usually male family members, close friends, or colleagues of the deceased.

A notable exception was the funeral of Lee Harvey Oswald, in which reporters, pressed into service to carry the coffin, outnumbered the mourners.

[1] In some African cultures, pallbearers are not family members but are staffs of professional funeral agencies who are paid for their services.

This type of pallbearer is most often a gentleman in the profession of the deceased who has achieved significant merit within their position.

In Ancient Indian Buddhist cultural traditions of grieving, often requires pallbearers to consume a vegetarian diet which excludes garlic, onions, leek and chives.

[11] Usually, the primary reason is to make sure that there has been sufficient merit produced by the deceased's family to prevent an unwanted rebirth.

[13] Garter King of Arms then promptly notified the Lord Chamberlain that ladies had only gone into a funeral process by mourning or attendants under the chief mourners.

[16] Another way to indulge in funeral ceremonies included objects such as golden palls, royal horses, and expensive wax tapers.

[20] Pallbearers’ carriages would leave a specific place at a certain time in case those who wish to ride to the church or house could meet at that area.

[27] If the church path is narrow and the turns are sharp which may be hard to go past with pallbearers, a coffin carriage might be used.

[29] Unless the state of the street is that the coffin cannot be removed from the hearse standing near the curbing, it would not be backed up at either the church or house.