Death and Dying Customs

College is the time for young people to learn what they need to know for their future career. It is also a time of making friends and having fun. College students shouldn't be endangered by hazing. Thirteen people were charged Wednesday in one of the...

 Hospice of Washington County Inc. Grief and Bereavement Center is hosting Camp Hope ';n' Cope, an overnight camp for youth, Saturday, June 9, and Sunday, June 10. Camp Hope ‘n' Cope is designed for grieving children and adolescents who have...

Q. Halloween is upon us again, and with the annual traditions of trick-or-treating and pumpkin-carving in the air, many Christians are looking to alternate ways of celebrating the holiday. Because of its pagan origins and emphasis on death, celebrating...

For this year's holiday cookie contest, we asked readers to share the story of the recipe they were submitting, and in response, we heard tales of tradition, memories and love. One of the most striking stories came from Dell Smith, who shared her mother-...

This is a true story of an attractive and successful young couple. It is also a tragic story, one that takes a detour through sorrow and death. And yet, the story has not ended, and the remaining days that lead to the end are filled with perseverance,...

Q. British author Sir Terry Pratchett recently presented a BBC documentary called “Choosing To Die,” about assisted suicide. Pratchett, the bestselling author of the “Discworld” series of fantasy novels, was diagnosed with...

The death of a loved one is always a difficult pain for adults to bear, but for children, it can be even worse. And trying to find an explanation for why a friend, relative or pet no longer is around can be very tough for parents. Advice available online...

Alice Brown remembers the moment of dread when doctors diagnosed her with cancer. She imagines her terror and despair were much like what Jesus felt when he was sentenced to die on the cross. Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy seemed to defeat the...

In my first confession in the second grade, I nervously proclaimed my sins so loudly that everyone heard me outside the confessional booth. Let's just say my Catholic experience didn't improve much after that. Most of the rituals seemed boring,...

A secular humanist, an agnostic and an atheist walk into a church. That wasn’t the setup for a joke Wednesday night in Hagerstown, but for an evening of impassioned discussion hosted by the Interfaith Coalition of Washington County to encourage...

Support group Jewish Community Services offers a bereavement group beginning April 23. The group will meet from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. for eight weeks. For anyone mourning the death of a loved one, the group provides a welcoming place where participants can...

NEW YORK -- Prosecutors are investigating the death of a baby who contracted herpes after a "ritual circumcision with oral suction," in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish ceremony. The ceremony, known in Hebrew as metzitzah b'peh, takes place during a ceremony...