BRIDGING THE GAP
'All Souls Day': A celebration of the living
November 1 has always been a very important date for every Christian Filipino. According to the calendar of the Roman Catholic Church, the first day of November is supposed to be "All Saints Day", while November 2, in reality, is "All Souls Day". Nevertheless, most Christian Filipinos have always equated and celebrated the first day of November in a manner as if it is the "All Souls Day".
Many Catholics believe that deceased members of their families deserve to be remembered and honored on November 1 and be afforded expressions of love and respect. Some not only offer prayers, flowers and lighted candles, but even food.
It is recorded that the celebration pertaining to "All Souls Day" originated with the spread of the Christian religion in continental Europe and in Great Britain. It officially started in the year 835 A.D. When the Roman Catholic Church declared November 1st a church holiday to honor all the saints. This day was named "All Saints Day" or "Hollowmas".
After some years, the Church made November 2 a holy day. It was called "All Souls Day" and was to honor the dead. Originally, it was celebrated in the Christian countries of Europe by people dressing up as angels, saints and devils, as well as with spectacular bonfires. During medieval times, it began to assume a very religious and solemn character that was carried through the 16th century when Spain was expanding its empire through conquest and colonization.
With the introduction of Catholicism in the Philippines by the Spaniards, the Filipinos also began to celebrate both the "All Saints Day" and the "All Souls Day". Because they are following so closely, the two celebrations eventually became so intertwined that the Filipinos through the centuries no longer bothered to make a distinction between the two in commemorating them. Despite the widespread familiarity and popular veneration of the Filipinos of the many Catholic saints, it is obvious that they were/are more intimate with their deceased love ones and have focused more their commemoration on the "All Souls Day". In fact, many celebrate both November 1 and November 2 as "All Souls Day".
The whole week before November 1, Christian Filipinos all over the country visit the cemeteries and memorial parks to clean and coat with fresh paint the tombs or sepulchers of the deceased members of their families. They see to it that everything is ready by November 1st. Some families who cannot afford to put up mausoleums, even construct temporary shelters for the occasion. They also spend some amount for the installation of electric lights over the burial sites of their departed relatives. These are indications of how important the commemoration of the day of the dead is to Filipinos. Thus, like Christmas and important family occasions, Filipinos from near and afar would go home to their hometowns just to be part of the celebration and the crowd in the cemetery or memorial park on November 1.
It must be noted, however, that the celebration of the "All Souls Day" has substantially changed through the years. In the past, the commemoration was a solemn occasion and was mainly characterized by prayers, religious hymns and the lighting of candles. In recent times, the celebration in the cemetery has included festivities and family reunions complete with bright lights, fiesta foods, music, parlor games and, before its ban inside the cemetery and immediate vicinity, even alcoholic drinks. Unlike the very solemn atmosphere of the commemoration of November 1 in the past, one can even hear boisterous laughing and a lot of bantering nowadays. Indeed, "All Souls Day" has really become a celebration of the living.