Catholic students in L.A. celebrate Día de los Muertos

Children decorated traditional ofrendas, or offerings, to prepare for a community celebration at the Calvary Cemetery on Saturday

Rooted in Aztec, Mexican and Catholic traditions, Día de los Muertos, celebrated each year at the end of October and beginning of November, is a time to remember the dead.

More than 200 students and teachers from nine Catholic schools in the L.A. region gathered at the Calvary Cemetery and Mortuary in East Los Angeles to learn about the meaning of Day of the Dead on Wednesday.

The students decorated sugar skulls and picture frames for loved ones, wrote down prayers, and crafted paper tissue flowers. The event was led by Deacon Douglas Zuniga, coordinator of elementary catechism for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Students came from Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Alphonsus schools in East L.A., Our Lady of Guadalupe in Rose Hill, Our Lady of Miraculous Medal in Montebello, Sacred Heart in Lincoln

Heights, St. Lawrence of Brindisi in Watts and Dolores Mission, Santa Isabel and Resurrection schools in Boyle Heights.

They helped decorate a traditional ofrenda, or altar of offering, at the Calvary Mausoleum, which was then blessed to prepare for the cemetery's community Día de los Muertos celebration Saturday.

Officials from the L.A. Archdiocese said the San Gabriel Pastoral Region team is building an altar in honor of the late Bishop David O'Connell.

On Saturday, all are invited to the Calvary Cemetery to honor and remember deceased loved ones at the Archdiocese's Día de los Muertos event.

Doors open at 10:30 a.m. and the celebration begins at noon with a Mass presided by Msgr. John Moretta, pastor of Resurrection Parish in Boyle Heights.

Afterward, there will be a procession around the Calvary Mausoleum and blessing of the altars.

Saturday's cultural celebration will include folkloric dancing, local artist exhibits, activities for families and live music. Other Día de los Muertos celebrations are planned for Nov. 4 at the San Fernando Mission Cemetery and Mission Hills Mortuary in Mission Hills, and at the Santa Clara Mortuary in Oxnard.

Calvary Cemetery and Mortuary is located at 4201 Whittier Blvd. in East Los Angeles.

For more details, go online to catholiccm.org/dia delosmuertos.

PHOTOS BY SARAH REINGEWIRTZ — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER The Rev. Emmanuel Sanchez blesses Our Lady of Guadalupe Elementary School students and their school's Día de los Muertos altar in East Los Angeles during a day of learning the meaning of Día de los Muertos for Catholic schools on Wednesday.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Elementary School students pray as they honor their departed.

Students color sugar skull masks during a Día de los Muertos education day Wednesday.

SARAH REINGEWIRTZ — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Andrew Martinez, 9, of Our Lady of Miraculous Medal School, checks out his sugar skull airbrushed on his face at Calvary Cemetery in East Los Angeles on Wednesday.