SALEM — It's a tradition that historians say dates to ancient times in Poland — lighting candles on graves to honor the dead.

In Poland the event was known as Zaduszki, and it took place on Nov. 1, All Souls Day. The tradition can be traced to the times of Slavic mythology, according to www.wikipedia.com. In other countries and in America the tradition takes place on Christmas Eve.

In Utah County relatives began honoring the dead with candles the night before Christmas at the Salem City Cemetery seven years ago, said Rita Tischner, who has a child buried there. Her 6-day-old child died 25 years ago. She got the idea from a Christmas Eve luminaria observance in the Wallsburg Cemetery in Wasatch County.

Pirkko Gibb, a native of Finland, started it there about 30 years ago, said her husband, Daryl Gibb. Pirkko Gibb is now running a private medical clinic for contractors in Iraq, he said.

The Christmas Eve tradition comes from Finland, he said. His wife started putting it on the graves of deceased relatives of friends in Wallsburg shortly after moving there. Now it's a community tradition.

"It's really pretty with the whole graveyard filled with candles, especially when there's snow on the ground," he said.

This year Provo and a few cemeteries in south Utah County are expected to join in — at least in Spanish Fork, Payson and Goshen.

People can come any time on Christmas Eve to light their candles, Tischner said.

"By 10 p.m. the cemetery is like a flickering fairyland," she said. "It's just a very simple thing."

In Spanish Fork the tradition is just two years old, said Kimberly Robinson, city deputy recorder. People may bring paper bags and candles for the luminarias, and the city provides the sand.

This will be the second year for Provo City Cemetery, cemetery office assistant Kathy Jackson said. As in Spanish Fork, the city provides the sand to put at the bottom of the paper bags.

In Payson the city isn't involved, but residents are taking a cue from Salem and lighting candles on relatives' graves on their own, a city staffer said.

Goshen residents started following the tradition last year but, as in Payson, the town isn't involved, town clerk Wendy Bronson said.

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E-mail: rodger@desnews.com