This weekend it’s Allhelgonahelgen in Sweden, The festival of All Saints and martyrs.
In the Lutheran churches as the Church of Sweden, it’s a general commemoration of the dead. In the Swedish calendar this is always on the first Saturday of November.
We do celebrate Halloween this weekend too, although that custom isn’t so very spread over here. Many people think it’s inappropriate that it’s at the same time as the All Saints festival. I just think that we should have Halloween at the same time as you do in the U.S.
Earlier they believed that the dead, when the summer ended and the winter begun, returned home and needed to be guided with light and fire, which still is kept in the modern custom to light candles, decorate and visit our relatives graves.
So yesterday we went on a graveyard tour to three different graveyards to celebrate Mr Lifecruisers Mom, his grandparents and my father. OK, maybe scaring someone on the graveyard too as a bonus. *lol*
It was difficult to get any good pictures, it was getting dark when we were there. I would have wanted to take a picture over the whole gravyeards and of other gravestones and decorations. there are so many different ones.
The graveyard is like another type of garden, don’t you think? You can find peace there in the same way as in an ordinary garden.
Even this time of the year when no flowers survive there, it’s still very green and the graves are like garden decorations. There even are gardeners there.
It’s a very special atmosphere there with all the candle lights - you’re in the darkness with the all the deads showing them your respect.
I must say though, that I’m very disappointed. We didn’t meet any saints (other from ourselves 
or martyrs….
© Lifecruiser (Graveyards, Stockholm)
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I find it interesting here in the US, that the 31 of October is Halloween ,and then the next day is All Saints day for Nov. 1. I agree there is a ceartain dead calm about a graveyard. They are so green and all the fresh flowers that are left at the gravesides do give a feeling of happiness, that the dead are at peace. The candles to give an eerie glow.
I did go back and post a bigger picture of the Red Yucca. Thanks for stopping by to visit, and have a great rest of your Sunday!
Lifecruiser: Thanks for that Christine, since I never had seen a Red Yucca before
Happy All Saint’s Day! It sounds like you had a good day…even though you didn’t meet any saints. *s*
Lifecruiser: Thanks Chi, we had
and a peaceful day today.
Your pics are very nice! I must say that many people like this place because they find here quiet. Here in France it was the week end called “toussaint” (All the saints) for catholic church! People put flowers on graves wich differents colours red, yellow, white, pink! Everybody washes the graves and decorates!
Halloween isn’t in our cultur but children and young people like to celebrate it cause it’ an occasion to enjoy before winter!
I like the candle lights you speak about! It must be very nice and strange in the darkness!
Have a good week! Automn hollidays are finish tomorrow! Back to school!!!!!!!!!!!
Lifecruiser: hello Claudie, nice of you to tell us a little about how you’re doing in France
So you have had a week of, like they have had here in Sweden too. Hope the rest of the year will be easy for you.
Sweetpea here ..It seems crazy to me that you have snow .. we have heat .
i’d be more than willing to swap . PIty the gods cant arrange it .
Your grave yard pictures ar beautiful in a serene way.
I like to wander around graveyards ..the older the better .
here. in Australia we have several old graveyards that are garden-esque..holding roses and other flowers from a by gone era
Lifecruiser: Yes, it’s very sad that we can’t switch… *s* sounds very interesting with your old ones with old flowers too! I would have loved to see them. I love all old things
Wow I bet it was a very neat thing to do! I watched a show the other day on graveyards and there was a time that they were created as places for picnics and for taking walks as well as burial for loved ones! I thought that was a neat thing! I see lots of grave yards here and might start stopping at them! Never know what I might find!
Lifecruiser: Yes, it really was. I really don’t know why we’ve such bad feelings about graveyards - we must have since we don’t go there more often. They can be very beautiful and you can almost hear the wings of the history. Actually it’s like passing a bookshelf with lives
Once in Italy we went to a vey old one and they have some awesome family graves over there, very artistic ones.
What a nice celebration. We just have Halloween.
Hope you didn’t run into any zombies out there..
Lifecruiser: Well, if it had been today, people may have believed that I were one… Phew. Tough birthday party for my borther last might…. *lol*
Over here where I live, we celebrate All Saints Day on November 1 and All Souls Day on November 2. On the 31st of October we have the Trick or Treat but not observed by everyone. Mostly in malls, and flushy villages.
Mostly bereaved family go to the graveyard as early as the 31st and stay overnight till the 1st.
Lifecruiser: We have had it on the 1st of November earlier, but changed it to the first saturday. It’s always easier for people when events happens in the weekends. Thanks for the information about how you celebrate it, it’s interesting to see the small differences. Staying overnight might not be so appealing with this weather conditions we have
We have a cemetery here in Toronto that is very very large and old. Many people go there for walks, people jog on the trails or hike along the paths. It’s quite nice. Sounds like you had a good All Saints day.
Lifecruiser: It sounds nice Tricia. That’s a good way to put some life into the cemetery
We also observed All Saints Sunday at our Lutheran church yesterday. All the names of those in the congregation who have died are read during the service.
My MM is up.
Lifecruiser: Yes, that’s another way of showing respect for the dead ones.
Very interesting tradition and I like the graveyard pictures :0
Thanks for visiting my GTS this weekend :))
Lifecruiser: Thanks Deb