Remember you are mortal

Above the gates to the cemetary in Härnösand is the message "Tänk på döden" - literally "Think of death". I've always thought that it was rather macabre - and perhaps unecessary when entering a cemetary.

Before posting this blip I decided to do a quick search to see if it was common in Sweden to decorate the gates of cemetaries with this message - and found only one other example in Gothenburg. I did however find an explanation of sorts for the message: apparently the message is memento mori in latin - 'remember that you will die' and is an artistic or symbolic reminder of the inevitability of death.

And also a reminder to seize the day - Carpe Diem!