"Day of the Dead" Saint Isabel Cemetery in Brazil 2Nov2011 by Christopher Davis

Novemeber 2nd is a holiday in Brazil, set aside to honor the dead. This gigapan is the same as the other one, but taken with 2.2x digital magnification. The digital magnification seems to make the photo worse, not offering any extra detail. Some say Halloween started because it was the night before "All Hallowed" day, the 1st of November set aside to honor the heavenly forces, and the day after, the 2nd of November, to honor the human deceased. But the Celtic tradition actually set aside all three days, marking it as a transition period between two halves of the year (samhain and beltrane) the days of less sun, and the days of more sun. Also it was believed during this transition period that the world of the living and the dead were closest to each other for easier passage, communication, and divination with spirits. Some druidic circles (probably recent) claim the three days were meant to honor earthly spirits, heavenly spirits, and ancestors respectively. But that has little to do with the photo, other than to say that pagan traditions still carry on, sometimes thinly veiled by modern religions. Still, one has to wonder if those ancient cultures were a bit more perceptive about spirits and such things, or if it was all imaginary.