All Saints' Day
November 6, 2011 
The Memorial site on All Saints' Day November 5th 2011 Sweden
This holiday is rather recent in Sweden. The people in Sweden wanted a holiday honoring the memory of departed friends and relatives. The popular demand grew steadily through the course of the first half of the 20th century. Two world wars and increased contact with Catholic cultures was probably a part of the growing wish to celebrate loved and departed ones. As a result, for the first time in modern Swedish history a holiday was reinstated in the Swedish calendar in 1952.
All Saints' Day in Sweden is a national holiday that always falls on a Saturday between October 31st and November 6th. It is celebrated with light in the dark November night. There are so many candles that it’s hard to imagine the number.
We usually have dinner by our selves or together with the extended family. After a nice meal we are ready to go to the cemetery. When we get there the first thing that strikes you is the beautiful light all over the place. Now we can see the soft and glistening golden light from all the candles that are lit on graves and at the memorial field
We start with my paternal grandparent’s grave, talk quietly amongst us. Then we slowly walk to my husbands paternal grandparent’s grave, we can see that their son has been there before us as it is already a candle there. After that we have to walk across the cemetery because I always light a candle for my girls on their paternal grandmother’s grave. The last stop is the memorial field and the sculpture where we put the candles for those whose ashes have been spread there. This is the most beautiful place in the whole cemetery. Lots and lots of people there but so quiet and calm. One can hear the whispers flying in the air, as we all talk with a whisper or very low voices.
We often stand there for a while just to reflect on all the beauty, sadness and above all the hope and light we see around us.
The picture above is a sculpture in the middle of the memorial field. All the candles reflect in the shining surface and it’s so beautiful.
I’m enclosing a link to this movie from Skogskyrkogården in Stockholm – The Woodland Cemetery. The cemetery is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The video is made by Christopher Bennison. Here’s the link http://vimeo.com/groups/eos7d/videos/16709231 don’t miss this, it is so beautiful and it has the feeling I have tried to describe. Play in full screen mode and turn your speakers on.
Sweden, loved ones, remembrance, tradition
Reader Comments (20)
All Saints day, a little like our Allerheiligen, which is on November 1st.
What a beautiful tradition!! The scenes in the video of the light reflected in the night trees is absolutely stunning. Thank-you for sharing with us here!
My tears are all but streaming down my face after seeing the video, Frida. I wish I were in a culture/place that understood the meaning of such a tradition. I would want my kids to be part of it, year after year. The closest I have to this is when I stop by the cemetery (where my parents are buried) every time we drive to the Michigan cottage from Atlanta. It's usually early morning, after driving through the night. I get out of the car and in quietness stand before the gravestone...in silent meditation. Tears always well up, even after 16 years!
Thank you for this loving tribute to the memories that can never be taken from us!
What a wonderful tradition of honoring those who have come before us. The lovely light is amazing.
Your words are so poetic and I love the photo. I enjoyed the video too. That's one of the things I miss from when I attended the Catholic church -- things like this. I miss the symbology and traditions. I miss reading off the names of the people we loved and now miss. I guess I can carry on some of the traditions on my own but I miss the gathering together also.
This is so very beautiful. What a lovely tradition, a lovely way to feel connected once again to those who are no longer here, with us.
Your photo here is stunning, and the video is so moving. The celebration documented here is so much more meaningful than what I experience in my own faith tradition. Your words about seeing the hope and light, even while experiencing the sadness, are the words that will stay with me today. Thank you for this beautiful post.
Frida, I think this is a beautiful way to commemorate and remember those who have gone before us. I can imagine the stillness and the light and the peace with which to leave little verbal love notes to those you love still.
this is stunningly beautiful and inspiring. i feel that saying anything above a "whisper" is too loud...thanks, frida.
This is beautiful, both the images and imagery. Thank you. We celebrate Dia de los Muertos and I love it. But I love the reverence of your tradition. Thank you.
Beautiful. The video brought me to tears, but in a good way. I love this way of commemorating those who went before us just as much as Dia de los Muertos, although both are so different. Beautiful, meaningful traditions. Thank you, Frida, for sharing this with us.
how beautiful. thank you for sharing this...
Frida, such a beautiful image...so much conveyed! I love All Saints Day. I grew up in a very strict catholic household and although I have found my way spiritually on a different path there are some celebrations I still hold very dear. Thank you for sharing this celebration with us!
Seems like a most meaningful celebration. Beautiful lights. Well captured. Thanks for describing this holiday.
What a beautiful tradition. I remember going to visit my maternal grand-mother's grave as a child and feeling deeply connected with her without having ever known her. My grandfather would take us there and tell us stories of her life and it felt quite nice to do this visit with him
Beautiful picture and beautiful video, thanks for sharing
It's a special tradition; we have it here too. The candles make all the memories softer and silent. Actually, the best way for me to remember is in silence and at the warmth and light of a candle.
Thanks for sharing this, Frida. I loved your post and the touching video. What a beautiful way of celebrating All Saints' day, I was mesmerized by the candle lights and the trees and the overall peaceful mood.
Thank you so much for sharing Frida -- your beautiful image speaks so clearly of the quiet and loving remembrance and observance. The video was a perfect addition to your lovely post.
All Saints Day is part of the Christian celebration in the Church of England. This year it was on the 6th November and as I was visiting York that weekend I was able to light a candle for my father who passed away last year.
Your image of light is uplifting thank your for sharing both the photo and your words.