All Souls

Dia De Los Muertos by: Paul Rodriguez

Dia De Los Muertos is a day of remembrance and celebration of our departed family on November 1 and 2.  It’s a celebration in Mexican culture that takes on a more joyful celebration in the house, at graveyards, and other public areas, but not in the Church (due to having Aztec elements).

Celebrating Dia De Los Muertos

Celebrating Dia De Los Muertos varies from village to village, encompassing personalized traditions within each family.  One of the more common elements include families visiting the gravesites of the departed and decorate their tombstones.  Families set up brightly colored Altares (altars) and display pictures of loved ones in their homes.  We also put out Ofrendas (offerings) of things that the departed used and enjoyed when they were alive, such as food items, beverages, and personal belongings.  There are other elements that are incorporated, such as candles, marigold flowers, Calaveras(decorated skulls), and Papel Picado(colorful paper cut out in intricate designs).

As a first generation American of Mexican immigrants, Dia De Los Muertos wasn’t really observed in my house.  All our ancestors are buried back in Mexico; except for my Abuelito (grandfather), who passed away in 1979 when I was two years old.  While I was too young to remember him, my mother and older brothers would tell me about him.  Even to this day, his stories are legendary.

Beyond my grandfather, I never really had a lot of reason to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos.

Then my father died in July 2010.

And my sister Sally died in January 2014.

Both deaths were so abrupt, I always felt like there was so much left unfinished or unsaid.

I married Amber in 2014.  My two amazing stepchildren, Conner and Violet, never had the chance to get to know my father.  Logan was born in 2017.  He never met his Abuelito or his Tia Sally.

A Symbolic Bridge

Dia De Los Muertos became a symbolic way to bridge that gap between my family.  While I do share stories with the kids now about my dad and sister, it also gives me that chance to finish and say the things that I didn’t get to do.  It allows our family the opportunity to remember and recognize things the departed loved and remember more than just their passing.  We remember, honor, and celebrate their lives.  In that sense, it feels like my family’s all together, which is the point of Dia De Los Muertos.

If you’d like to know more about Dia De Los Muertos feel free to ask me about it anytime.

All Saints- All Souls by Father Paul Bennett

All Saints’ Day is one of the other big feast days in the Episcopal church. After Christmas and Easter, it is arguably the third biggest feast day of the liturgical year. it is one of the recognized baptismal days along with the Easter Vigil, the Day of Pentecost and the Baptism of our Lord. It is a day of celebration in the church where we celebrate our part in the larger Communion of Saints.

On practice that has been observed in many parishes is the reading of the necrology during the All Saints’ Sunday service. This is when the names of every member that died in the past year is read to be remembered. While not directly linked to All Saints’ Day, this practice has developed as a hybridization of All Saints’ and All Souls Day. 

All Souls Day is a day that we celebrate those who we have lost and still mourn. This is when we honor our ancestors and family, both biological and spiritual family, that have formed us as people and in the faith. All Souls Day is a day to remember the departed and take stock of their role in our life.

With those descriptions of All Saints’ Day and All Souls Day, I think it is easier to see the parallels between these practices and those of other cultures. And the reason it is important to see those parallels is that it shows that this is a sacred time. Whether you are religious or not, there are signs that the veil is thinner. The space between us and the Holy is thinner during these times. 

The Veil is Thin

October 31-November 2 is a period where our prayers seem to go a little farther, our ancestors seem a little closer and the air seems to be thick with souls. It is not a figment of or imagination or social conditioning, these are Holy days we are entering. Whether you are celebrating All Saints’ Day and All Souls Day or Dia de Los Muertos, be prayerful, be open and take some time to be with God, because the veil is thin.