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Nidaros plans ‘All Saints Day’ celebration Nov. 3 [UPDATED]
Published 9:08am Thursday, October 25, 2012 Updated 11:10am Thursday, October 25, 2012Christians around the world celebrate All Saints Day, in different ways but all will be remembering loved ones who have passed away.
This year the church will celebrate on All Saints Sunday, Nov. 3, as designated by the liturgical calendar.
Nidaros Lutheran Church near Vining has adopted a tradition from the Nordic countries. In each cemetery in ‘the old countries’ on All Saints Day, family members of the many buried in a cemetery place 24-hour burning candles on each grave.
In a reserved area of the cemetery, candles are placed in remembrance of family members and friends whose remains were placed in a cemetery at another location.
By dark almost every grave has a twinkling candle burning.
The community in Otter Tail County is invited to share a time of remembrance with other Christians in the area. Everyone is invited to attend with a quiet meditation and/or by lighting a candle in memory.
Attendees may bring your own lantern to protect the candle from wind and rain. But if you need a lantern, you may purchase one at the church. They are sold at cost. Lanterns with the candle are $5. If you need a candle for your own lantern, a few will be available for purchase.
The time for meditation and lighting candles is from 4:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., the Rev. Carl Anderson of Vining, will preside at a short service, “Remembering the Saints.”
Nidaros is one of three congregations in the Vining Parish which includes Leaf Mountain Lutheran and Vining Lutheran Churches.
Warm cider and hot coffee and cookies will be served by the women of Nidaros to warm up from the cold of a November fall evening.
Any one who would like to participate is invited, you do not have to be a Lutheran, just come to respect the memory of a loved one.
Nidaros Evangelical Lutheran Church is located in the country between Battle Lake and Vining on Nidaros Church Road off Highway 210 just over a mile west of Vining.
This tradition at Nidaros began three years ago after a parishioner had visited Norway and Sweden.
On the All Saints Day afternoon at her grandmother’s grave, her cousins asked her to light the 24-hour candle and place it on the grave.
That experience, at the grave of her grandparents whom she had never met, was very moving. In the evening the family returned to the cemetery where the entire cemetery was aglow with twinkling candle lights. When told about it, the members at Nidaros decided they, too, wanted a time when those saints, both recent and from generations past could all be remembered and honored.
For more information call the parish office at 218-769-4251 or 218-769-4296.
