The day the world remembers
In Christianity, All Souls’ Day is observed to commemorate the souls of Christians who have died. In the Philippines, this day is marked by families visiting the graves of their loved ones, cleaning the tombs, lighting up candles, offering flowers and saying a prayer for the souls of the departed. Some even spend an entire day at the cemetery, bringing packed food and having lunch just like a usual family reunion. It is also customary to place a plate of food in front of the tomb or grave as offering for the souls of relatives and friends. As an important holiday, schools and offices are usually closed so that more Filipinos can have ample time to spend with the family.
Filipinos are not alone in their expression of love for the dearly departed. When it comes to remembering and honoring the souls of loved ones, other countries and cultures observe this day in their own unique ways. Here are some of the different practices observed in various parts of the world when remembering the dead.
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS (MEXICO)
Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead in Mexico, is observed through large family gatherings to remember and pray for the souls of friends and family members who have died in order to help support their spiritual journey. People go to cemeteries to build private altars containing the favorite foods and beverages, as well as photos and memorabilia, of the departed. Toys are brought for dead children while adults are offered with bottles of tequila, mescal or pulque or jars of atole. These elaborate altars are meant to encourage visits by the souls so that they will hear the prayers and the comments from the living.
OBON FESTIVAL (JAPAN)
Bon or Obon, or the Festival of Souls, is a three-day Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirit of family ancestors. As a family reunion holiday, people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors’ graves, and when the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars. It has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon-Odori where ancestors and their sacrifices are remembered and appreciated.
CHUSEOK FESTIVAL (KOREA)
Chuseok, or the Autumn Eve Festival, is a major festival and thanksgiving holiday in South Korea to express gratitude to dead ancestor for an abundant harvest. Koreans make a pilgrimage to their ancestral homes to perform traditional rituals like preparing songpyeon, a traditional rice cake that is left out for — and presumably eaten by — dead ancestors. There are also feasts and memorial services like the charye.
GAIJATRA FESTIVAL (NEPAL)
Gaijatra, or the Festival of Cows, is an eight-day festival in Nepal where a procession of cows is marched through the center of town, led by family members who have lost a loved one within the last year. In Hinduism, cows are considered holy and are thought to help guide the recently deceased into the afterlife. Observing the festival is meant to help people accept death as a reality, ease the passing of those who have died, and remove the sadness of death from family members.
QINGMING FESTIVAL (CHINA)
The Qingming Festival, or Tomb Sweeping Day, is a traditional Chinese festival that marks an important day of sacrifice for most people to go and sweep tombs and commemorate their ancestors. When visiting the columbaria, graves or burial grounds, both young and old pray to their ancestors, sweep the tombs and offer food, tea, wine, chopsticks, joss paper, and/or libations to show respect to those who have passed on. Other traditions include burning incense and paper money in their ancestors’ gravesites.