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What is the “Day of the Dead”?
The Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is a celebration of life. Many American Catholics observe this tradition on November 1st and 2nd with the liturgical holidays the Feasts of All Saints & All Souls.
During Mass, we pray for the souls of our deceased loved ones. At Day of the Dead gatherings, people come together to celebrate the lives of family and friends who have gone before us.Day of the Dead AltarsIn indigenous beliefs, these altars on the Day of the Dead represent the living hope that their deceased loved ones, for at least one day of the year, will return to this earth from the afterworld and share communion with their family members. People celebrate in cemeteries, churches, and homes every year, keeping the memory of their loved ones alive. They do it with food, music, and laughter, and the centrality of this gathering is that their loved ones are not forgotten. The Day of the Dead is a celebration of life in the afterworld.
In taking a Eucharistic approach to this celebration, we believe that the altars placed on the Day of the Dead have four Eucharistic elements: the altar, the presence, the communion, and the afterlife. Catholics, in a way, celebrate at daily Mass with these same four elements. -
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