Mountain View's annual celebration and commemoration
October 28, 2006
The October 2006 event took place in the north end of the cemetery, between 31st & 33rd Avenues.The cemetery office was open, and flowers, candles, paper, stones, prayer flags and refreshments were available throughout the day.
From Paula Jardine:
Thank you to everyone who contributed their time, thoughts, imaginations and efforts to creating an evening of thoughtful beauty for All Souls. A particular thanks to all those known and unknown who maintained the shrines throughout the week. It creates a lovely space for people to chance upon, have a private moment, yet feel the invisible hands of caring neighbours. And thank you also to the cemetery workers who braved the near hurricane force wind and rain to disassemble the main shrine on the morning of November 3rd.
A small group gathered in the evening, to read the names of the dead before
burning the messages left behind that had not dissolved in the rain. It's
a strong and simple ritual, and we all felt that it brought the memorial to
a
close.
Your pictures and comments are welcomed. E-mail the cemetery.
Here are some pictures from Pat Beaton of the setup on the day.
...so they slept their eternal sleep, resting assured that those left behind would continue looking after them according to their traditions and familiar ways, because every one of us will end up in the same place and all of us long to know that after we have crossed the dark river, we are still loved, and remembered and looked after. Maria Papacostaki, from "The Town of the Forty Churches"
"Thank you so much for what you created and allowed us to create. It was indescribably healing and beautiful."
Nhan Duc Nguyen's Shrine to Mrs. Ba
Contact Paula Jardine, Artist in Residence | More about Paula
