Walking home from school in late autumn, I was stopped in my tracks by a display of exquisite dried arrangements in front of a shop. They were gorgeous, and I had never seen anything like them. I immediately wanted to buy one for my flat.
They were not made of flowers, but did have flower shapes made from small curls of wood, nuts, seedpods or other such items. I soon learned they were not for home décor but rather for decorating family plots in the local cemeteries on All Saints Day, Nov. 1.
This is a day that not only Catholics celebrate but Anglicans as well. Here in America, we have several Protestant denominations, whereas in central Europe Christians are generally either Catholic or Anglican.
Europeans tend to have a much different attitude about death than Americans. They revere their memories in various ways. All Saints Day is a gathering of families from near and far. I attended the ceremonies in Liezen, Austria, the town where my ancestors are buried and where my grandparents grew up. Members of the family traveled there from several areas of the country. We first gathered at the grave sites in what was the “Old Cemetery” next to the church, and stood as a priest walked between the rows praying and sprinkling holy water as he went. Every plot had family members in quiet attendance. The people buried there were from centuries past.
After all the graves were blessed, everyone moved in a parade down the street through town to the new cemetery. It was quite extensive and beautiful with well-trimmed walkways and large trees. Since I have two branches of family, I chose to stand with the couple I was staying with — my mother’s cousin and his wife.
The graves were all tidy and clean, with attractive arrangements of plants and dried bouquets, and usually edged by a low concrete border. Headstones are often large enough to accommodate several names. The ubiquitous candles in tall, red containers glowed in daytime, as well as at night. These candles are sold in shops all year long. The priest repeated the ceremony he did at the old cemetery with people standing by their family plot. It is a beautiful and reassuring ceremony.
Afterward, folks strolled around, greeted friends and had pleasant visits. Like Thanksgiving here, families usually got together later for a big dinner.
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Publish date : 2024-11-02 02:39:00
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