28-10-2022
Events
All Saints' Day and the Feast of the Commemoration of the Dead
Let us recall together the origins of these two celebrations and see how they are celebrated in some of the countries in the world.
The celebration of “All Saints' Day”and the commemoration of the dead have always had a long tradition. This solemn day is dated back to the 13th May of 610, when Pope Boniface IV dedicated the roman Pantheon to the Blessed Virgin and the martyred saints. Only in the 8th century Pope Gregory III moved this celebration to the 1st of November, a date that coincided with the consecration of a chapel in the Vatican in honour of all saints. This celebration was later extended to the entire universal church with Pope Gregory IV in 835. With this brief historical excursus, we wanted to retrace the main stages that led to the celebration of All Saints' Day on the 1st November. However, as we all know, this festivity foloowed the Commemoration of the Dead Day.
Starting with the commemoration of the dead, in Mexico (Dia de los Muertos) it is morea about a joyful celebration. According to the pre-Columbian idea, on these days the dead return to the world of the living to collect the love of their beloved. Celebrations in Bolivia are not very different from those in Mexico. On the eve of All Saints' Day, Bolivians go to cemeteries to meet each other, while the next day, after the liturgical celebration, they gather and have a meal based of spicy meat and potatoes, as well as typical sweets.
If on one hand there are joyful celebrations, on the other hand there is the Polish sobriety. It is during the first few days of November that Polish, after Holy Masses, usually make their way to cementaries, bringing bouquet of elegant flowers and candles as gifts. These moments are then followed by moments of reunion, in which they usually have a meal together and go back over memories of their beloved. There is a similar celebration in France. According to that, the night between the 1st and 2nd November, there is a special dinner. The atmosphere of joyful conviviality is also present in the Philippines, where the dead are honoured with picnics in the cemetery. A joyful atmosphere full of music that lasts till late night. That is also why most of the people spend the night on the graves of loved ones.
As we have seen, each country has its own way of remembering and celebrating its loved ones. Some more in a sober way, some others with more joy, All Saints' Day and the Commemoration of the Dead are nonetheless moments of recollection that faithful never forget to celebrate.
Starting with the commemoration of the dead, in Mexico (Dia de los Muertos) it is morea about a joyful celebration. According to the pre-Columbian idea, on these days the dead return to the world of the living to collect the love of their beloved. Celebrations in Bolivia are not very different from those in Mexico. On the eve of All Saints' Day, Bolivians go to cemeteries to meet each other, while the next day, after the liturgical celebration, they gather and have a meal based of spicy meat and potatoes, as well as typical sweets.
If on one hand there are joyful celebrations, on the other hand there is the Polish sobriety. It is during the first few days of November that Polish, after Holy Masses, usually make their way to cementaries, bringing bouquet of elegant flowers and candles as gifts. These moments are then followed by moments of reunion, in which they usually have a meal together and go back over memories of their beloved. There is a similar celebration in France. According to that, the night between the 1st and 2nd November, there is a special dinner. The atmosphere of joyful conviviality is also present in the Philippines, where the dead are honoured with picnics in the cemetery. A joyful atmosphere full of music that lasts till late night. That is also why most of the people spend the night on the graves of loved ones.
As we have seen, each country has its own way of remembering and celebrating its loved ones. Some more in a sober way, some others with more joy, All Saints' Day and the Commemoration of the Dead are nonetheless moments of recollection that faithful never forget to celebrate.