Do you think this is odd?

DH's Godmother passed away this week she was 51 and died of a sudden heart attach. So these past 2 nights DH and I went to her wake. Last night someone took a picture of the deceased in the coffin. The person that took the picture is a cousin of the deceased. I've never seen anyone do this at a wake and just thought it was strange. I can understand that this is the last time that person will see his cousin and that the picture he took will be the last pic he has of his cousin but why would he want a picture of a dead person in a coffin? It's a little freaky for me. I'd rather have pictures of the deceased when she was alive and where she was smiling...not lying dead in a coffin. What comfort would that bring me. But I guess to each his own.

Like I said I've never seen it done so I'm not sure if anyone else has seen it done...

Re: Do you think this is odd?

this is creepy IMHO...

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I have never heard of that

strange indeed....

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The action of this person upset the niece of the deceased where she was crying because I saw her crying into her father's arms. This girl is 23 years old she is is not a child. But still it upset her...

Re: Do you think this is odd?

Very odd.

And a little creepy.

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I have heard of this.
Creepy none the less.
I think it might be more common in Eastern European cultures.

Re: Do you think this is odd?

That is very odd.
I don't know why anyone would want to do that.

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Odd and a bit creepy.

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Very weird....

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Yes, I do think its a bit odd!

My parents have both passed away....and I wouldn't have wanted or would I now want pictures of them in the coffin

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It may be a cultural thing.

My grandmother has pictures of her mother near her father's grave, taken on the day of the funeral, with the closed casket above the plot and the flowers all around.

I had a coworker (from another country/cultural) who flew out to his grandmother's funeral and came home with pictures of his grandma in her casket. That was the first time I saw such a thing and he was saying that it's the norm where he's from.

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My grandmothers family USED to do this, when her mom died we were packing up the apt and found a box of old dead people in caskets box of pics. Gram said they used to do this, EVERYONE did this. I think it is strange and kind of nasty, but to each his own.

Message edited 7/13/2009 2:37:25 PM.

Re: Do you think this is odd?

Members of my family have done this. I know only because I came across a picture at my nanny's house years ago - it was very common for them to take pictures of the deceased back then (at least for Italians in my family). Both my parents thought it was creepy, but they chalked it up to something they did back then.


I, myself, will not be taking any pics of dead people! That's not how I want to remember someone that I love...

Re: Do you think this is odd?

Oh wow I didn't realize it was a culture in some countries. But still I think it's nasty.

Why anyone would want a picture of a dead person is beyond me. I'd rather have the photos of them when they were alive and smiling in pictures. Those pictures would bring me more comfort than one of a dead person in a casket.

Re: Do you think this is odd?

Re: Do you think this is odd?

Message edited 1/17/2012 10:56:49 AM.

Re: Do you think this is odd?

When I go to the house my father grew up in in Italy, there are pictures, on the wall (!), of his brother and two sisters that died when they were infants. The pictures were of them when they were dead. Very spooky. My mom remembers staying in the bedroom for one night during her honeymoon - not very romantic! I have seen a couple of wakes videotaped so that relatives in italy could see it - not exactly sure why, but they have done it.

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I personally think it creepy, but I have heard of it being done.

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To tell you the truth, I am sort of used to it now. They are really old black and white pictures - they look almost fake.

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I have heard of this as well within certain cultures.

Sometimes they would have them all dressed and in bed laying there like they were sleeping.

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well, if you think about it, they publish pictures of people lying in state in the newspapers whenever someone important dies. and it's all over the tv--people can TIVO it! and no one has a problem with that.

i don't think it's odd, or inappropriate. i, too, think it's cultural and people deal with grief in different ways. if it makes that person feel better by looking at her dead cousin in a picture, then let her be.

i used to go to my grandmother's grave every week because it made me feel better. i didn't care what anyone thought.

and honestly, i thought about taking pictures of both of my grandparents because i have a terrible memory and wanted to remember that last time seeing them. i never did it though.

don't judge if you don't know the reasoning behind something.