Pallbearers at each stage of the day
Carrying out from the home or hall
This first stage is often the hardest. The team brings the coffin out of the room and into the stairwell, quietly guiding one another at every turn of the stairs and keeping the coffin level the whole way down. If the staircase is so tight that the coffin cannot be turned, the empty coffin goes down to the courtyard first, the body follows on a stretcher carried down from the apartment, and the two are brought together at the bottom. For a short farewell in the yard, the bearers set the coffin on a stand and wait discreetly nearby.
In the church
For the funeral service the coffin is carried into the church and placed on a stand in the centre. While the service is under way, the pallbearers stand by the doors, out of the way, so that the family and mourners are not disturbed, and when it ends they carry the coffin out again. Our staff know how an Orthodox service runs: when to enter, where to stand and the right moment to lift.
At the cemetery
The hearse usually has to stop at the gate or on the main avenue, and the grave may be several hundred metres further on, sometimes up steps or along narrow gaps between plots. The bearers carry the coffin on their shoulders or by hand, swap positions when needed, and keep a pace that lets the family walking behind follow without hurrying.
Lowering into the grave
After the panikhida - the short memorial prayer said at the graveside - the coffin is placed on timber beams across the grave, and the bearers lower it evenly and in unison on two or three straps. Technically this is the most delicate moment: the coffin must not tilt or scrape the sides, and it has to settle gently on the bottom. If the family chooses a mechanical lowering device instead, the pallbearers work alongside its operator.
Sons, grandsons and brothers who want to carry
In many families it is customary for sons, grandsons, brothers or close friends to carry the coffin. It is a sign of deep respect, and we are glad to support that tradition. In that case we suggest one of two arrangements:
- A mixed team: the men of the family carry on the stretches that matter most to them, for example out of the house and out of the church, while our bearers walk beside them, help on the stairs and take care of the lowering themselves.
- Lowering only: the family carries the coffin the whole way, and two of our staff come to the cemetery just to lower it on straps, because physically this is the riskiest part of the day.
Either way the price goes down accordingly, and the family pays only for the help it actually needs.
Prices
| Option | Price | What is included |
|---|---|---|
| Six pallbearers, full day | from 300 GEL | carrying out, the church, the walk to the grave and the lowering, all in matching dark uniforms |
| Extra relief team for a high floor | from 120 GEL | four to six more people when there is no lift or the coffin is very heavy |
| Lowering at the cemetery only | from 120 GEL | two staff members with straps, when the family carries the coffin itself |
| Lowering device with operator | 150 GEL | replaces the straps with a smooth mechanical descent |
| Pallbearers outside Tbilisi | same rate | plus travel at 1.5 GEL per kilometre |
The price does not change because of the floor, the weather or how long the ceremony lasts. The bearers are salaried members of our staff, so nobody will expect the family to hand them extra money at the cemetery.
Professional bearers versus willing helpers
- Technique: carrying a coffin is about more than strength. Pairs are matched by height so the coffin does not lean, steps are kept in rhythm, and turns on a landing are made in the right order.
- Equipment: lowering straps, protective gloves, a stand for the farewell in the courtyard and beams to rest the coffin over the grave.
- Appearance: identical dark uniforms, clean shoes and phones switched off. During the ceremony the bearers should be almost invisible.
- Conduct: no loud talking, no smoking, no rushing. Only the team leader speaks with the family.
- Punctuality: the team arrives fifteen minutes early, knows the schedule of the ceremony and works hand in hand with the funeral coordinator.
Heavy coffins and difficult buildings
A coffin made of solid oak or walnut, or a rectangular American-style casket, can weigh twice as much as a standard model, and it takes all six bearers to carry it, sometimes with a relief team. The same applies to old houses with wooden staircases, new blocks where the service lift is out of order, and cemetery sections with a long climb up to the grave. When you phone, our operator will ask which coffin you have chosen, which floor the flat is on and which cemetery you are going to, so the team can be strengthened in advance if needed and nothing unexpected happens when the funeral day comes.
Rain, snow and summer heat
A funeral in rain, snow or the height of summer deserves the same dignity as one on a mild sunny day. That is why our bearers always carry non-slip footwear and spare gloves, and in rain we cover the coffin with a clear protective sheet between the courtyard and the hearse and again from the hearse to the grave. On an icy path the team shortens its step and changes places more often so that nobody tires. In hot weather a relief team is arranged in advance for long stretches and the bearers bring water with them, because an overheated person carrying a coffin is the single biggest risk.
Formal and public funerals
When a family is bidding farewell to a widely known figure - a teacher, a doctor, a public figure - and hundreds of people come, along with delegations from organisations and sometimes journalists, carrying the coffin becomes part of a public ceremony. For these occasions the bearers wear formal dress uniforms and move at a precisely measured, unified pace, while the coordinator agrees the route with the organisers beforehand: where the procession will pause for speeches, where the coffin will be set down for the farewell, and who will walk behind it to the grave.
Bearers and the lowering device together
Many families choose a lowering device, which lets the coffin down into the grave smoothly and mechanically, and assume that bearers are then unnecessary. In reality the device only replaces the very last step: the coffin still has to be carried out of the house, into the church, across to the grave and placed precisely on the platform. So the bearers and the device operator work as one team. The bearers set the coffin on the device, the operator controls the descent, and the family can stand quietly by the grave without the sound of straps or any visible physical strain.
A child's coffin
Burying a child is the hardest day a family can face. A small coffin is often carried by two people, and in many families that is the father or an uncle. On such a day our staff stay close by, step in only where they are genuinely needed, and lower the coffin alongside the family with special gentleness. In this case the price is agreed with the family separately.
Training our team
Not every strong person can work as a pallbearer with us. A new team member spends several weeks learning alongside experienced colleagues: how to lift the coffin together and keep it level, how to turn on a cramped landing without touching the wall, how to swap places while walking, and how to handle the straps so the lowering is smooth. The second half of the training is about behaviour: where to stand during the ceremony, how to address the family and when to keep complete silence. Before every funeral the team leader briefly goes over the route, the weight of the coffin and any special wishes of the family with the whole crew.
Frequently asked questions
How much do pallbearers for a funeral cost?
Six pallbearers for the whole day start at 300 GEL, covering everything from the home to the grave, lowering included. If you need only the lowering, two staff members start at 120 GEL.
How many pallbearers are needed?
Usually six. A massive coffin, a high floor without a lift or a long climb at the cemetery calls for an extra relief team, and we confirm this with you over the phone.
Can we book pallbearers without your other services?
Yes. If someone else is organising the rest of the funeral, we will send the team on its own to the agreed time and place, at the same price.
Our sons want to carry the coffin themselves. What do we need?
Either a mixed team or lowering only. Our staff will be at hand to help on the difficult stretches, and they will lower the coffin on straps themselves.
Will the pallbearers ask for money at the cemetery?
No. They work for the funeral home on a salary, and everything they do is covered by the agreed price. Nobody will approach the family asking to be paid.
What if the ceremony runs late?
The bearers will wait as long as it takes, at no extra charge. That is exactly why there is a whole-day rate - so the family never has to watch the clock.
Carrying the coffin is the last honour paid to someone you love, and it should be done calmly and with dignity. To reserve a team, message or ring the duty coordinators directly, +995 568 33 03 18, telling us the date of the funeral, the floor and the cemetery, and six bearers will be in place fifteen minutes before the start, with the price fixed during that first conversation.