November is a month of remembrance and community.
Many cultures have celebrations in the month of November honoring these values. You might think of Thanksgiving, but that’s not the only special day. All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day, and Día de los Muertos are among those celebrated in this month. All Saints’ Day is on Nov. 1, and All Souls’ Day and Día de los Muertos fall on Nov. 2.
All Saints’ Day, first celebrated in 835 CE, is a day of remembrance and celebration of all the Saints who have come before us. It falls on Nov. 1 because it is the day after Oct. 31, Halloween.
What is Halloween also called? Hallows Eve, and what does Hallow mean? It means Saint, so Halloween is literally the eve of saints. The saints that are known, unknown, by acclimation, by canonization, and so forth are all celebrated. All Saints’ Day is a holy day of obligation, meaning those who celebrate this day are required to go to Mass. However, this year Nov. 1 happens to fall on a Saturday, meaning it is not a holy day of obligation because some parishes hold their Mass services on Saturdays. If you were to go to church that day, the readings would mirror talks and commemoration of the Saints.
Although this is one special day of the year that the saints are celebrated, all through the year there are saint feast days, so their memory is still alive and active. Many Catholic schools will celebrate this day with their students with fun games and activities. A popular activity is to hold a saints pageant, where the students dress up as their favorite saint. All Saints’ Day is an overall joyous day where we get to remember and recognize the saints who have made great accomplishments for God’s kingdom.
All Souls’ Day is similar in some aspects to All Saints’ Day; however there are some noticeable differences. All Souls’ Day was started around the 11th century, and like All Saints’ Day, it does celebrate those who have passed, but it is on a more personal level. Individuals pray for family members, friends, and others who have passed on and gone to Heaven, and also for those who are in purgatory. Purgatory is a place/time where souls have not yet entered Heaven. They are being purified and cleansed before they can walk on “the streets of gold.”
It is not a holy day of obligation. This year, though, it does fall on a Sunday, so many individuals will find themselves in a parish. If you attend Mass on this Sunday, you can expect to hear a reading about both All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. Here at the Mount, you can attend Mass on that Sunday at 7 p.m. and you will hear about both of these celebrations. All Souls’ Day happens to be more somber, but it doesn’t have to be. These two celebrations can be expressed however you see fit, which is the beauty of them.
Lastly, Día de los Muertos is a two-day long celebration that connects All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. Día de los Muertos means Day of the Dead. It is a day where people celebrate those who have passed. While some may think it is a sad celebration, it happens to be the exact opposite. Día de los Muertos is a huge celebration with dances, artwork, food, drinks, and so much more. They are days of honor and remembrance for loved ones. Those who celebrate create bright ofrendas (altars) they decorate with many marigolds, and they have picnics in the cemeteries of their loved ones.
Dressing up as the dead is a newer tradition that has only really become popular in the last 40 years or so. However, it has now become a huge way that people celebrate. Día de los Muertos serves as a day where people can come to terms with death, and create healthy relationships with it. It is not just a day that one specific culture can celebrate; in fact , anyone can celebrate on that day.
All three of these celebrations often get overlooked in the United States, as Thanksgiving takes the limelight, which is why we must continue to educate and celebrate these rich and giving days.