Not just pagan-as a couple of posters pointed out-it has been done before, right here in America by Christian Caucasians, too-there were even so called “Angel books”-books with lifelike pictures of dead small children-that were given to funeral guests or could be bought around the Victorian era-I call that creepier by far. I’m a Texas Latina and Catholic-There are some rituals in Latino/Catholic culture that celebrate death as a happy event-like Dia de los Muertos when you put up an altar in your home with a crucifix or statue, photos of departed family members and you put flowers, fruit, etc on it and pray a rosary for their souls-whatever helps someone accept the death of a loved one, rather than them staying in denial is probably not a bad thing, even if bizarre...
Well , ok . that is a memorial and well taken I just see propping up a dead body as disrespectful ghoulish.I have instructed that I not be viewed by anyone. I had to suffer that as a child it it was horrible.