Flin Flonners honoured the past with candle lighting ceremonies in local cemeteries on Nov. 19.
Hundreds of candles were lit to pay tribute to friends and loved ones who have passed on. Members of the community purchased the ice-encased candles through the St. Peter and St. James Anglican Church.
The candle lighting began in Flin Flon in 2005, when members of the church started it as a fundraiser.
“It’s turned into a community project where people really, really like it. It was to remember loved ones that have gone before us, before the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season where they could be forgotten,” said Yvonne Fawcett, a member of the church.
Candles are placed at all cemeteries and columbariums around the area, including Hillside, East Hillside, South Main, Ross Park, Creighton and Denare Beach.
In recent years, the candle lighting has expanded to Cranberry Portage.
“They go out on the Saturday before we light. They light them the day before we light ours. It’s the same group of people. They put them along the roadside at Cranberry,” said Fawcett.
Some gravesites play host to several candles, lighting up community cemeteries with a warm glow of remembrance.
Fawcett said volunteers lay out every individual candle in every cemetery, adding while the work is difficult, the sight of seeing the candles is worth the effort.
“It’s an awful lot of hard work, but when they’re all lit up and they’re gleaming and twinkling in the night time, it just makes you think it’s all worthwhile. It’s second to none – it’s great.”
