Transcript
Speaker: Italian people never, never, never, never do aesuras for their financials. No, it's impossible because the culture to is different, no?
Speaker: Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of the Glam Reaper podcast. I'm your host, Jennifer Muldowney, aka the Glam Reaper. And on today's episode, we are going international because we have hashtag the Glam Reaper goes global and Jennifer is just back and still exhausted.
Speaker: From her round the world trip, well, round Europe trip, where I went to Italy, Spain, Germany, Ireland, the UK, France, everywhere. And I met the gorgeous Federico from Funeral Pass. And I invited him here on the podcast to talk to us a about all things Europe and everything that he does on his side of the pond, which used to be my side. Federico, welcome to the Glam Reaper podcast.
Speaker: Welcome. Thank you you. Welcome, Jennifer. Thank you for your your invitation. ah It's a pleasure ah to to be here. Excellent. So just for you and I, we met actually in both Italy and in Spain, right?
Speaker: Yeah, I am the the general manager of Funeral Pass. Our company works on the funeral arcs sector and the about from 20 years are specialised in repatriation, international repatriation, from Italy to to abroad. and from from other countries to Italy. So we occupied all of operation that the that repatriation of bodies needed and so are specialised in this type ah of of sector, so in this ah part of the United sector. And repatriation for people who are not in the business and are listening, repatriation is taking our loved ones back home. So, for example, for me, I'm living here in America. If I wanted to be repatriated when I die, then my body would be taken care of by a company like the one Federico works for and taken back home to Ireland. Exactly, exactly. That there is a person that died different country of a board country or a resident country. And so this goes often ah in 2026.
Speaker: A lot of people live abroad of their country because for working, for tourism, because ah a city, a big city of ah that tourism like Rome or ah other like Paris or other city is ah is important to give a help to some tourists that lose their one car.
Speaker: You are based in Italy? Yeah, we we are based in Italy. We born in Italy like company where our administration office in Rome and Milan and we we open other offices in ah Spain. And tell me and the countries that you work the most with, what are they?
Speaker: So, ah for because it's a little bit different ah because ah from Italy to abroad or ah to abroad, other countries from Italy. Principally, the most countries that are there are Italian persons is like South America, like Argentina or Brazil, a lot of Brazil.
Speaker: Germany and all the the country near in and in Europe ah and in the United States. Because in the United States there are a lot of people, Italian people.
Speaker: And therefore ah from Italy, all the so South American nationality, because it's a big presence ah of Argentinian, Peru, Colombian, it's a lot, and ah african African nationality.
Speaker: This is the major nationality people he has. And so you have to have a lot of languages or have a lot of people on your team who speak lots of languages.
Speaker: Yeah, and the the most the most important ah languages for this sector is Spanish and France because the most languages, the principal languages so of the country speak because all the South America speaking um in Spanish and the all ah the the Africa all know, but the majority of African people speaking Francois Francis. So are the most important, but English, Italian, ah this is the, with the, these four languages, you can cover the, the majority of the, of the world.
Speaker: This is the the most important thing that we, and we permitted in the past ah to grow up ah in this, in this mode, because for, for the person that lose the loved care in different e is a difficult moment because harry ah harry every time is a difficult moment if it's in your country or ah other country.
Speaker: and it is a different country the emotion and then a level of emotional is ah very difficult ah and the law is different the ah the the culture is different ah and broke the barrier with the with the person wied with know the same languages is the most important thing.
Speaker: And he's ah yo I think that is ah one of the most important things that our company do ah different ah from the the other company in the funeral sector or not.
Speaker: Yes, I think it's very important. And I realized when I was on my adventures in Europe, how little, how poor my French was, how poor my German was. And I'd never had Spanish and I never had Italian. And so even though when you and I met and you kept apologizing for your bad English, I was...
Speaker: enthralled and couldn't believe how good your English is. um And i I found that everywhere I traveled, people would, there was one night out in Spain, I think in Arendtse, where I was on my own because I didn't speak any Spanish and everybody spoke Spanish and and very few people spoke English. And I was on my own on the bus and I was on my own at the reception. And then a gentleman came over. He saw me sitting on my own and he came over and he didn't speak English. And he was very upset that he couldn't help me. But then he went back to his group and he had those English speakers. And then all of a sudden i had a group of best friends and we ended up having an incredible evening.
Speaker: And as long as you have a tiny bit of a language, you can body language and just mannerisms and language is...
Speaker: Yes, it can be a barrier, I think, but I also think you can you can build on it together. If two people want to speak the language, you know, want to speak to each other, you can make it happen. So that was that ended up being one of the greatest nights of my trip. I had such fun. I did shots of I don't know what liquor, it some Spanish liquor and limoncellos. I think I don't know. It was crazy.
Speaker: But you are definitely one of people I met who helped me to understand the culture and to ah ah communicate with. so I appreciate you. Thank you.
Speaker: Yeah, I know. For example, Spain for historic Arizona. in ah In Spanish languages, don't ah have... ah neither ah ah English and word.
Speaker: For a example, in Italy, in Italian languages, we had some some English words like TV or ah there are the computer. So there are ah we have ah some English word in Spain. All is translate.
Speaker: hoally or Because for historical reasons, with Franco, deig topter in the
Speaker: during the Second World War, war and he didn't want to neither English words in the in the language. Yeah, my little bit of school, French and German only got me so far, but they still got me far. It's always good to still try and try and communicate is is the point. In you and I discussed and you were super helpful in helping me to understand the Italian death care.
Speaker: It's very different. So there's no quote unquote funeral homes in Italy. Or very few. Sorry, very few. not none. Very few.
Speaker: Yeah, yeah, because that in the last 10 years, I think, yeah, 10 years, growing some children are the hourly trial law that war was the transport body until 24 after the night.
Speaker: national national law do not permit the transport of body ah huntil twentyfour hour but the after the the night ah So for this reason it's not possible to have funeral home. The devalitions of the body are in the ah in the hospital.
Speaker: ah Italy arts ah so is minus ah of state but it's region. It's subdivided in 20 regions in Italy.
Speaker: and Each region has one law that is growing up, ah is grown after the the national law and permits the final law.
Speaker: But not all regions have the this law. The first region that has this law is ah Lombardia, at don the where is Milan, 10 years ago.
Speaker: Yeah, 10 years ago. And the end is permitted to to building to be to build ROM. But for example, a ROM is not possible.
Speaker: So a funeral home, there is no funeral homes in certain regions. They're called like, they're like a funeral shop. So it's like a room where you can invite somebody in to talk about the death, but the body stays in the hospital.
Speaker: Is that right? Yeah, yeah the funeral is a ah build where you bring the the body from the hospital or from home where she when where she died.
Speaker: and ah to to bring in these ah in this build where are some rooms where holy so ah each family had your room to stay with the body for her ah until the ceremony. In Italy, funeral home is a funeral home like a home where you're living.
Speaker: Okay, so the so the body, so if somebody dies in a hospital, they either go home or where? We put the body in this home ah where some room, different room for each person that die.
Speaker: So it's a building, it's not owned by one company, is that what you're saying? Yes, it's building of our company, yeah. OK, so if somebody dies in a hospital or or at their home, they go to this building. If the and person dies in a hospital or in their home, a OK, and the funeral director comes to take them away to clean, they take them to a building?
Speaker: where the person can stay in the coffin with dressage in the coffin for the relation until the ceremony. Because, for example, in Italy, for the culture, the ceremony is ah with the coffin It's closed, islo the coffin It's not open.
Speaker: There's no viewing. during the ceremony? No, no. Exactly. So for the viewing, this practice is before the ceremony from the moment that the body died, that the person died, until the ceremony, to the ceremony.
Speaker: Until the ceremony, we close the coffin. And we start with the ceremony because ah here often in the nine times on ten, the we bring the coffin in the in the church for the ceremony.
Speaker: Okay. Okay. so So the person dies ah in hospital. We're just going to keep saying in hospital. Okay. the person dies in hospital. The funeral director takes them to a building, cleans them up and puts them in their coffin and the family can visit there.
Speaker: Yeah. And then it's taken to a church or a cemetery. The ceremony is ah in in the church. In the church, okay. So this building though where in the washing and everything happens, is this not, you don't call this a funeral home?
Speaker: e ah is at Exactly. Okay, so so does nothing else happen in this building other than people viewing, cleaning and viewing the bodies? It's this building. So the body comes in and they wash the body and they put it in the coffin for the family to visit. yeah Is that the only thing that happens in that building?
Speaker: Yes, in the in this building only the deb viewing. For the family only the viewing, yeah. Okay, okay. And sometimes at not a religious ceremony.
Speaker: OK, OK. And so because in the US, s that would be called a funeral home. But the does the funeral director not meet the family and make arrangements there? I'm just curious because when you and I were talking at the convention, I thought you had said that um the funeral homes in Rome, there's there's no funeral homes. It's funeral shop.
Speaker: And so I'm just trying to understand what that means. So can you, okay, to give me an example of my my parent has died in hospital in Rome.
Speaker: Okay, in Rome it's not possible. Rome we don't have the de law to permit ah to take the the body and before the 24 hours.
Speaker: So the the body and must stay where he's dying. So if he's dying on hospital, the viewing is in the hospital.
Speaker: If ah he is dying at home, the viewing is in at home until the ceremony. day When the when will we had the ceremony, we we ah we take the closed coffin and go in the in the church do that to so for the ceremony and after to the cemetery for the burial.
Speaker: in order In other parts of Italy, like Milan, when the person died, We take the body to... ah We go on the funeral home, we wash the body, we trim the body, we dress the person, we put in the coffin, open open coffee, and the viewing is in the funeral home.
Speaker: It's different big because yeah why is a better solution? Because often the morgue of the hospital are so bad.
Speaker: the The home ah yeah are not big, but different. isa It's um small, too small. Small, yeah, too small. It's too small that not all person have a big home, a body, a coffee for one day or two days is difficult.
Speaker: So, for example, that the home, not all home have the right
Speaker: ah temperature, air condition, air condition. So in summer, the risk of san ingen some problem is more.
Speaker: And all of these things do that is better ah have a final loan, but do we We are a company that ah we we are working ah on a technique table with the region to build a law like the other region. But Rome, because it's difficult, because it's different, because the territory of municipality of Rome
Speaker: is the most ah big ye like a I talk with the territory ter of Europe. So wow if you if you can through Milan from Est to Hovest, east to Asia,
Speaker: is about 25 minutes of off-road. Okay? If you can, if you want to do this in Rome, it's about one hour and a half. Isala is a very different, ah and it's the capital, so there is some reason that it's more difficult ah to do this in Rome, uh...
Speaker: to this in Rome but we are working ah I think that the ah we are arriving on a decision with the the politician and the and the whole we and in one year we can we can start to to build funeral home in Rome we will see this we will talk and a in in one year.
Speaker: Okay, very good. Very good. And Italy and Spain, and from from my conversations with people, they're both predominantly Catholic countries and still very traditional, right? Yeah, Spain is a traditional, ah but Italy and Spain in the female sector are two countries that are near, but it's very different. Very, very different.
Speaker: because in Spain there are funerals that ah they they call tanatorio but all the sectors are ah under insurance Under insurance. so but Yes, under insurance. So the people ah do insurance for the funeral service.
Speaker: When the person has 25 years, 30 years, 85% of person in Spain a funeral insurance. a d eighty five percent of pi of persona in spain heberaf israel Wow.
Speaker: So 85% of the people in Spain have lice insurance. Is it or funeral insurance? is not life insurance, it's funeral insurance. So the insurance only for the funeral. sector Yeah, for a example, in Italy, do not seek this.
Speaker: but But not, but because the person, the the mentality of the person is different. If you are Italian person, you you ask, ah is the you talk about the day is ah a very scaramantic.
Speaker: The Italian people, the Italian people, Never, never, never, never do insurance for the insurance insurance. They don't think they're going to die. That's very Italian. Exactly.
Speaker: Exactly. My grandpa, if you talk about, he have 95, yeah, 95 years old.
Speaker: If you talk about the die, because it's possible to talk about the To talk about in family, no? He go in another room. He don't talk care for two hours. He doesn't talk for two hours.
Speaker: So he just, eat stop dony he's not going anywhere. Forget about it. Forget about it.
Speaker: Exactly. So is a all nations are different. And with this ah this work, I understand like two countries in Europe It's like a New York ah and the next state more near.
Speaker: It's completely different than the de culture of the the funeral culture and funeral culture. But isza Spain is the de most ah country that ah is ah all under insurance because in Europe ah are more country like Italy.
Speaker: Okay. yeah When a person dies, you call the funeral home fidelity and you can you you take the charges. And in Italy, does everyone go to the church?
Speaker: Is there other options for their service? Always for the reason of the of the culture. The 90% of the person go on church to the ceremony.
Speaker: But our... ahara are growing some different, ah ah some different solution, like a ah in the funeral home, for example, for example, because our room that is possible to do the ceremony or in some garden, some garden. Yeah, we in Rome,
Speaker: We, like I say, it's not possible to to have a flower, but though we have some garden where ah we we do not religious ceremony with a person that do the ceremony that the in the day before the the ceremony, talk about the family and the the to the person to the person and the choose with them the ceremony, like the music, ah the the stories about the the person that died that die and build the ceremony.
Speaker: Very personal ceremony that I think that the is... a The most different ah ah from the this type of ceremony to the to the church is the more different the the most big difference. And that is a personal ceremony and is is possible.
Speaker: But the problem that yeah that is ah the the Italian culture is our religious culture. because ah sometimes ah when I work in the national sector,
Speaker: ah hi yeah hi I was the front director and ah I talked with the the family to organize the ceremony.
Speaker: hai I ask that they they hold the the cross the cross on the on the coffin. And there and they they say, no, but we go in church.
Speaker: Yes, but my my dad are not religious. But because we go we go biby we going in name the church, because in Italy is ah in this mood.
Speaker: this is the the the question the the question yes of the of the the family so me this is the the culture this is and with this you can understand ah the because of the ceremony is not the ceremony is only religious ceremony Yeah, it sounds like it's very similar to Ireland.
Speaker: In Ireland, we would, at least we used to, when I started out and started to change things. In Ireland, if you died, you automatically went to the church.
Speaker: It didn't matter if you were atheist or didn't believe in God. Yes, yeah. some more in the in the country where uh where heart a big presence of the church because in uh in iran is like this it's difficult to uh the person understand the that is important but not because ah I have some against the versus the church because every people, every will person can choose your credits, no?
Speaker: But lo and i I say, but up a week in during your real life, you can't. you go in church two times for the wedding and for your your son if it's possible because because chose you you chose ah the church because not ah you chose ah a person in other other ah other building in the garden with the
Speaker: but Because it's different, you know, because the funeral, ah you need the funeral to tuno did the die, tool like a tool to take care of our emotional, no? that The person that cant see can here, stay here.
Speaker: and yeah stay here So it's different ceremony with some time with drink, with head with heat, some is the with music. It's different, but the culture is difficult to change. ah For example, in Bologna, we talk about where it's possible in Italy to celebrate a religious ceremony. And this is possible only in the church.
Speaker: It's not possible in other... So the the director of the church, I don't i didn't know what is their right name in English, ah Yeah, the Archbishop the Hands. Yeah. the it's like Exactly. Exactly. Can't celebrate ah outside the the church.
Speaker: If you try to to ask this, you are crazy. But we have the here, we have the Vatican City, you know. Yeah, that is that is true. Rome is, yeah, it gets to make the rules. up but Yeah, it gets to make the rules a bit different. Okay, so, well, thank you very much. you're You're very good for helping. And I know it's not easy with with the English, so I really appreciate you. Thank you very much. Can I ask Federico, what would your, if you were planning ahead,
Speaker: What would you, will you go to church? Will you people, will people visit your body? Will you what about your loved ones? What would they do? It's a difficult question because ah I work in this sector, but I think that I never do this question. But at the moment, if I think on this, I think a personal ceremony ah because ah I'm not a religious person.
Speaker: So I respect that the religious person, but I don't ah ah believe in Jesus and in good. ah So I think if I can choose personal ceremony, because ah I think that the funeral ah must be ah not a party.
Speaker: yeah but at a good moment sir yes yeah and ah ah like emotional level ah is very difficult but
Speaker: ear Exactly. we We must celebrate the life of the person, not me the die. In this moment, we celebrate the life of the person.
Speaker: we we crying er We are crying to be happy because ah we are scared with this person. We have the a good moment with this person.
Speaker: for i I see the the funeral in this mood. this mode We agree. i knew I liked you, Federico. ah ah Well, thank you very much for joining us on the podcast. I'm very excited. I'm sure I'll see you again soon. We'll cross paths at another European convention, not least because I think I'm going to move to Italy. so One way or another we'll cross paths because Italy is my favorite country in the whole world, other than Ireland, obviously. So, um yeah, thank you very much for for helping me on my travels and for being on the podcast. Thank you so much.
Speaker: Thank you at you for the invitation. It's a pleasure to for me. Sorry for my English. yeah i i try to I try to do that my best.
Speaker: We will see in in Europe or in the USA.
Speaker: you
