by CRISTINA FERNANDEZ-PEREDA

For those who can’t go cemeteries to visit their ancestors’ graves, cyber-memorials are filling in the gap.

Web sites from different locations around the world are allowing users to post images, videos and messages about their loved ones.

Virtual cemeteries are a compilation of comments about different people who passed. Virtual-condolences.com started as a tribute from a girl’s parents and now includes comments honoring people from different places in the United States.

Many of these Web sites simulate a cemetery. While some allow users to navigate through a garden covered with digital tombs, others give all sorts of details - the day the person was born, the day they passed away - and a list of comments from relatives writing to keep their memory alive. All sorts of information are on these digital graves, including digital images, comments and even cyber-flowers.

Another approach to digital memorials are actual cemeteries that allow relatives and friends to leave messages on a small computer screen affixed to the actual gravestone. Visitors to the cemeteries can see messages, videos and pictures of those who passed.

There are no limits to cyber-memorials. Even pets have their own online resting place. The Web site mycemetery.com has a special section for cats, dogs and other animals where their pet-lovers can leave their multimedia tributes online.