Remembering Macrine on Dia de Los Muertos

Macrine's (RIP) favorite snacks and habit: Brie with Crackers, M & M candies(peanut butter) and Pistachio Nuts and Cigarettes

I was surprised today when I went outside. In our patio table was a placed setting with food and snacks and cigarettes and a candle, but no utensils. Since I did not do it, I concluded it must David III, my son who lives with me. After a few seconds I realized that the snacks were his Mom's (RIP) favorite snacks and of course the cigarette. The photo above I took for posterity. Its is David's way of remembering his Mom, and I respect it. I left the plates and the snacks, but later covered it, before the squirrels in our backyard discovered the food and snacks. Macrine, my Beloved, May your soul Rest in Peace, Amen.    

Meanwhile do you know the difference of these 3 consecutive days?(October 31, November 1 and November 2. 

What is the difference between All Saints Day, All Souls Day and Halloween?

Ghosts, symbolic of human souls roaming the earth, are an important part of Halloween tradition. The Christian concept of the importance of the human soul and its existence beyond death is at the heart of centuries of cultural traditions behind Halloween.

By Greg Garrison | ggarrison@al.com

Everybody knows the secular holiday of Halloween. But not everybody knows it derives from a holy day, All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1, which is followed by All Souls’ day on Nov. 2.

The root word of Halloween - ‘’hallow’' - means ‘’holy.’’ The suffix “een” is an abbreviation of “evening.” It refers to the Eve of All Hallows, the night before the Christian holy day that honors saintly people of the past.

“All Saints is a celebration of the communion of saints, those people we believe are in heaven,” said the Rev. Richard Donohoe, pastor of Our Lady Queen of the Universe Catholic Church in Birmingham.

All Souls’ Day is a day to pray for all souls. Among Catholics, prayers are offered for those in purgatory, waiting to get into heaven. On All Souls’ Day, Catholic churches have a Book of the Dead, in which parishioners have an opportunity to write the names of relatives to be remembered. 

Here's how Filipinos celebrate All Saints and All Souls Days.

The Philippines was a Spanish colony from the time of explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the 1500s up until the Philippine Revolution in 1898. While the Philippines is now under its own sovereign control, the ideas, customs, and traditions of the Spanish and the Roman Catholic church have been fully incorporated into Filipino society. One such tradition is the celebration of All Saints’ Day.

All Saints’ Day began in the Roman Catholic church as a way for people to honor their dead. In the Catholic tradition, recognized saints have their own memorial days such as St. Patrick’s Day and St. Valentine’s Day. However, regular people who died and were not canonized had no day for an observance. To provide a day where all saints could be recognized, remembered, and celebrated — including deceased family members that were not canonized — the Roman Catholic Church established All Saints’ Day. 

Today, in each country where Roman Catholicism is established, there are two days dedicated to celebrating deceased family members — November 1, known as All Saints’ Day, and November 2, All Souls’ Day.

Originally, November 1 was a somber day meant for church attendance and participating in prayer for loved ones. Prayer is especially important for family members believed to be in purgatory and are waiting to enter heaven. November 2 was traditionally the day for celebration. Today, Undas in the Philippines mixes both somber and celebratory traditions into both November 1 and 2. Since the Philippines was originally a Spanish colony, the holiday is celebrated similarly to the ways Mexico celebrates All Saints’ Day.- Dias de los Muertos.

History of the Day of the Dead

Photo Credit: YouTube