By far one of the most gruesome differences between the White Mechanicum and the other sects of the Tech Priests of the Mechanicus Brotherhood is the approach to life after death and the burial of the human body. The third priestly division, called the "Death Cult" or "Burial Cult," deals with matters related to the ceremonies of the dead.
According to the rituals of this cult, the head of the deceased is separated from the rest of the body and transferred to a special chapel, where it is kept. The chapel is believed to be a place of great power and the final resting place of the deceased priests and acolytes of Baruel. According to the funerary cult of the White Mechanicum, it is the head that is the most sacred part of the body, containing the individual's consciousness and soul. The Tech Priests of Baruel believe that by preserving the head, the souls of the dead can be summoned. Each skull is treated as a relic that makes it possible to transcend the barriers of mortality.
The chapel of the dead is cared for only by priests of the priestly and scientific-medical divisions, who have the exclusive right to handle the dead and perform funeral rituals. They spend many hours praying and performing the rites involved in preparing the body of the deceased for burial. Their distinctive square collars and scapulars, adorned with symbols of death, make them easily recognizable.
To those outside the cult, the practice of preserving heads may seem frightening and disturbing, but to the White Mechanicum it is a sacred tradition that ensures that the legacy of their deceased brothers and sisters will last forever.