Death ends life, not the relationship"--Mitch Albom's "Tuesdays with Morrie"
*Image is credited to Rain Tajon via www.bitlanders.com
Remembering and praying for those who have departed, whether a family, a friend or even to a stranger.
Last November 1, we paid a visit to our dead loved ones in the cemetery, though it is still All Saints Day, our schedule for the mass fell on that day. And we have to visit two cemetery(there are three cemeteries in our town), a private owned cemetery where my sister was laid to rest and the cemetery owned by the Catholic church where our parents and grandparents were laid. My brother bought pieces of land in the other cemetery for the place our parents was laid was already full, hence we stayed in the cemetery for the whole day of November 1. And on November 2(All Souls' Day), another cemetery will be having their turn for the mass.
I remember a line from a priest before, he said that the most charitable act that we can do is to pray for those who have gone first, that their souls may rest in peace, for not all people have the time to pray for their dead loved ones. A sad truth, but I know some who really don't.
On that day, what we always do is to attend the mass in the cemetery, offer prayers and flowers, light a candle and sprinkle their tombs with holy water. This is how we apply our efforts. There are actually two plenary indulgences attached to All Souls' Day, one if to visit the cemetery and one is for visiting the church. The plenary indulgences are said to remove all the temporal punishment for sins.
This is how we observe the day for our departed loved ones.
But days before that, we have to make sure that their tombs are cleaned and repainted. And to have some our departed loved ones being buried in public cemetery, the effort in cleaning is really an expectation.
*Image is credited to Rain Tajon via www.bitlanders.com
History of the All Souls' Day
Pope Benedict XV(19-14-1922) all priests the privilege to celebrate three masses on All Souls' Day: one for the faithful departed; one for the priest's intentions and one for the intentions of the Holy Father. But before the first two days of November celebrate the All Saints' and All Souls', the All Saints' Day was first celebrated during the Easter Season, which is around Pentecost Sunday. On the tenth century, the celebration was moved to October and then some time in 998 and 1030, St. Odilo of Cluny decreed that it should be celebrated on November 2 in all of the monasteries of Benedictines.
*Image is credited to Rain Tajon via www.bitlanders.com
How the other cultures celebrate the day?
1. In Mexico, they have "Dia delos Muertos" or Day of the Dead. This is a celebration way back during the Aztec Empire, and over the centuries, it has blended with the Catholic's celebration for the All Souls' Day and had become a colorful celebration of the dead. On the night of the day, families are gathered together in cleaning and decorating the gaves of their loved ones. Making it look like a private altar, with food and beverages, with their departed loved ones photos and memorabilia. Toys are are brought for the dead children and bottles of tequila, or mezcal, or pulque or jars of atole.
The intent of the celebration is encourage visits by the souls, so the souls will hear their prayers and the comments of the living directed to them.
*Image is credited to www.lvigninbeautifulworlds.wordpress.com
2. In Malaysia, they have "Ari Muyang" or Ancestor's Day. A tribe, named Mah Meri, that makes up a small minority of the country's population, celebrate their dead with a day of dancing with a steeped tradition. The Malaysian villagers, don an intricate traditional costumes and offer gifts and blessings to their ancestors in a tribal ceremony. This is also a festival and their chance to pray for safety and prosperity in the future.
There are actually five villages in Palau Carey,a nd each of them celebrates the Ari Muyang in different dates, some were publicly celebrated while some are being celebrated privately.
*Image is credited to www.zimbio.com
3. In Korea(north and South), they have Chuseok(Literal meaning is "Autumn Eve). According to popular belief, Chuseok have oirginated in gabae, that have started during the reign of the third king of the kingdom of Silla. This is a three-day harvest festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar of the full moon. This maybe a harvest festival but this is also their time where Koreans visit their hometowns of their ancestors to pay their homage and share a feast of Korean food like songpyeon and rice wines such as sindoju and dongdongju.
On the day of the festival, Koreans visit the tomb of their immediate ancestors to to trim plants and clean the area around their tombs and offer drinks, food and crops for their ancestors.
Chuseok is commonly translated as "Korean Thanksgiving".
*Image is credited to www.myhubs.org
4. Japan has Obon or just Bon Festival. This is a Buddhist holiday that has been celebrated for 500 years, a Japanese custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors and also the celebration includes dance known as Bon-Odori. The familieas are gathered together to clean and decorate the graves of their loved ones, and release laterns to help guide their spirits. The celebration lasts for three days and the most commonly celebrated time is on the 15th of August.
*Image is credited to www.worldreligionnews.com
5. China has Hungry Ghost Festival or Ghost Festival. Buddhists from China claims that the festival was originated from cannonical scriptures of Buddhism. This festival lasts for one month. And in traditional belief, the seventh month which is called the Ghost Month, (15th day of the month is called the Ghost Day) of the lunar calendar is the time when spirits roam the Earth. As compared to the other festivals in China that is related with the dead, the Ghost Festival was believed that the dead are visiting the living.
*Image is credited to www.anythingbeautifu.blogspot.com
Ilocos Sur's Festival
Here in my province, we have "Raniag:the Vigan Twilight Festival". The festival is celebrated days before the All Souls' Day. It depicts the culture of the Ilocanos during Halloween, wherein familiaes are reunited to remember the the memories of their departed loved ones. The festival lasts for a week. Within the festival week, there is a World Costume Festival, Flight of sky Lanterns, float parade, trick or treat and street dancing and also parade of little saints.
*Image is credited to www.edmaration.com
Remembering those who left the world first is always the best thing that you can do for them. They might be gone, but we should not forget them. Offering prayers is the best that you can do, offer a mass and light a candle too. They can not do those for themselves, but we, who are still living can.
Thanks for reading! 'Till next time!
