Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus. Matt. 14:12.
And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. Acts 8:2.
[SAID OF CHRISTIANS:] Whenever one of the poor among them passes from this world, each one of them gives heed to him, according to his ability, and carefully sees to his burial. . . . If any righteous man among them passes from this world, they rejoice and offer thanks to God. They escort his body as if he were setting out from one place to go to another nearby. Aristides (c. 125, E), 9.276, 277.
We certainly buy no frankincense. If the Arabians complain of this, let the Sabaeans be well assured that their more precious and costly merchandise is expended as largely in the burying of Christians as in the fumigating of the gods. Tertullian (c. 197, W), 3.49.
I on my side must deride [the pagan custom] still more, especially when it burns up its dead with harshest inhumanity, only to pamper them immediately afterwards with gluttonous satiety, using the selfsame fires to honor them and to insult them. Tertullian (c. 210, W), 3.545
Even this partial survival of the soul finds a place in the opinions of some men. And on this account, they will not have the body consumed by fire at its funeral. For they would spare the small residue of the soul. There is, however, another way of accounting for this pious treatment. Perhaps it is not meant to favor the relics of the soul, but to avert a cruel custom in the interest even of the body. For, being human, [the body] itself does not deserve the same end that is inflicted upon murderers. Tertullian (c. 210, W), 3.228.
It is on a like principle that embalmed corpses are set aside for burial in mausoleums and sepulchers—in order that they may be removed therefrom when the Master orders it. Tertullian (c. 210, W), 3.565.
When there had been some agitation about places of burial for our dead, the cry arose, “No burial grounds for the Christians.” Yet, it came to pass that their own grounds—their threshing floors—were wanting, for they gathered in no harvests. Tertullian (c. 212, W), 3.106.
[PAGAN ANTAGONIST, SPEAKING OF CHRISTIANS:] You reserve ointments only for funeral rites. You even refuse garlands for your sepulchers. Mark Minucius Felix (c. 200, W), 4.179.
We do not, as you [pagans] believe, fear any loss from cremation. Rather, we adopt the ancient and better custom of burying in the earth. Mark Minucius Felix (c. 200, W), 4.194.
The pomp of death art is in error. As a servant of God, you should please Him even in death. Alas that the lifeless body should be adorned in death! O true vanity to desire honor for the dead! . . . What will the pomp benefit the dead man? Commodianus (c. 240, W), 4.217.
We are not at all distressed by the assertion of [the pagan] Heraclitus . . . that “dead bodies are to be cast out as more worthless than dung.” . . . For in harmony with those laws that are based upon the principles of equity, bodies are deemed worthy of burial, with the honors accorded on such occasions. So far as it can be helped, no insult should be offered to the soul that dwelt within, by casting out the body like that of an animal. Origen (c. 248, E), 4.553.
As a matter of the greatest importance, if the bodies of the martyrs and others are not buried, a considerable risk is incurred by those whose duty it is to perform this function. Letter from the church in Rome to Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.281.
They took the bodies of their fellow saints on their upturned hands and on their bosoms and closed their eyes and shut their mouths. And carrying them in company, they lay them out decently. They clung to them, embraced them, and properly prepared them with washing and with clothes. Dionysius of Alexandria, (c. 262, E), 6.109, as quoted by Eusebius.
No one can fittingly describe the cruelty of this beast [i.e., Rome] that . . . not only tears in pieces the limbs of men, but also breaks their very bones and rages over their ashes—so that there will be no place for their burial. As though those who confess God aimed at this: that their tombs would be visited, rather than that they themselves may reach the presence of God. What brutality it is! What fury, what madness! To deny light to the living and earth to the dead! Lactantius (c. 304–313, W), 7.147.
The last and greatest office of piety is the burying of strangers and the poor. . . . We will not allow the image and workmanship of God to lie exposed as a prey to beasts and birds. Rather, we will restore it to the earth, from which it had its origin. And even in the case of an unknown person, we will fulfill the office of relatives. . . . For in what does the nature of justice consist more, than to render to strangers through kindness whatever we would render to our own relatives through family love? Lactantius (c. 304–313, W), 7.177.
To all these charities, Marcellus added yet larger deeds of piety. With a large band of his own household, he went to oversee the burying of the bodies of those [captives] who had died on the march. He secured an appropriate burial for as many of them as he could find, in whatever condition. Disputation of Archelaus and Manes (c. 320, E), 6.180.
In the funerals of the departed, if they were faithful in Christ, accompany them with singing. For “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” [Ps. 116:15]. Apostolic Constitutions (compiled c. 390, E), 7.464.