An exploration of the nature and function of rituals is undertaken in this paper to consider the importance and relevance of rituals in spiritual care, within the palliative care speciality. Understandings of ritual tend to focus on either their association with religious practices or ritualistic action. However, rituals can still provide a practical and symbolic way to facilitate change for individuals, both within an organisational context and in spiritual journeys within their own lives. Empirical work examining the hospice culture, using a rites of passage framework, illustrates how the presence of rituals within hospice care may be helpful for individuals experiencing the transition from life to death.