The funeral liturgy is the central liturgical celebration of the Christian community for the deceased. The Church gathers with the family and friends of the deceased to give praise and thanks to God for Christ's victory over sin and death, to commend the deceased to God's tender mercy and compassion, and to seek strength in the proclamation of the Paschal Mystery. The Church encourages the celebration of the Funeral Liturgy at a Mass. The Rite of Committal is the final act of the community of faith in caring for the body of its deceased member and is normally celebrated beside the open grave or place of interment.