PROMESSION Meaning and
Definition
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Promession is a proposed method of disposing human remains in an environmentally-friendly way. It involves freeze-drying the body using liquid nitrogen, and then vibrating it to disintegrate it into a fine powder. The resulting powder is then placed in a biodegradable coffin or burial pod, which is buried in soil. Over time, the coffin or pod breaks down, enabling the remains to decompose naturally and return to the earth.
The term "promession" is derived from the Swedish word "promittera", meaning promise, and the Latin word "mensem", meaning month. It was coined by Swedish biologist Susanne Wiigh-Mäsak, who developed the concept in the early 1990s. The aim of promession is to offer a more sustainable alternative to traditional burial or cremation practices, which can have harmful environmental impacts.
Advocates of promession highlight its potential benefits, such as reduced carbon emissions compared to cremation, as well as the restoration of nutrients to the soil through natural decomposition. Additionally, they argue that promession allows for a more personal and meaningful way of saying goodbye to loved ones, as the burial process can be customized according to individual preferences.
However, promession is still largely a theoretical concept, with limited practical implementation. The process requires further research and development to ensure its safety, legality, and practicality. As such, promession remains a subject of ongoing debate and exploration within the field of funeral and burial practices.
Etymology of PROMESSION
The word "promession" is a neologism created by the Swedish biologist Susanne Wiigh-Mäsak in the late 1990s. It is a combination of two Latin words: "promitto", meaning "I promise" or "I offer", and "cessio", meaning "a giving up" or "a concession". Wiigh-Mäsak coined this term to describe a proposed method of burial that involves freeze-drying the body and then vibrating it into small particles, which can be used as compost or fertilizer. The word "promession" itself reflects the concept of offering or promising a return to nature through this environmentally-friendly burial method.
