Alla helgons dag

All Saints’ Day (also called All Hallows or Hallowmas), often shortened to All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated in November, in honor of all the saints, known and unknown.

In Sweden it is tradition to visit the cemetery and light a candle for your dead at All Saints’. This year it was the Saturday 6th of November. The custom to light candles on the graves of our dead comes from the south of Europe according to wikipedia, and the tradition came to Sweden with the Italian people about 1940.

Alla helgons dag

It gets dark here around 4 o’clock now, so in the evening when our family took a walk together it was pitch black. Without the flashlight we wouldn’t have been able to see the stones at all. We lit a few candles and said hello to the dead.

Alla helgons dag

I brought my camera but didn’t think it would be possible to see anything because of the dark. Though some photos came out quite clear and shows the spirit of the night, especially at the “memory grove” as it is called where you sprinkle the ashes of those who does not want a headstone. There are so many lights there it brightens the night.

Light painting

I couldn’t help myself but to play with moving the camera round in the darkness to make a “light play” with the camera.

Light painting
Light painting
Light painting
Light painting
Light painting

I think All Saints is one of my favorite holidays, because it is so free of “musts” and “demands”, free of buying stuff, cooking, eating and celebrating en masse – and the feeling of obligation. I guess I like the cold air, the darkness and the feeling of being in touch with the past in a small but significant way.

I remember you still