El Dia de Los Muertos
"The Day of the Dead"
The Mexican culture celebrates "All Souls Day" on November 2nd as a joyous holiday. It is believed that on this day the souls of the dead return to the earth for celebration with the living. Aztec, Mayan and Spanish traditions celebrate this Holiday to remember departed friends and family members. This significant festival that dates back to pre-Christian times.
For more than 500 years the Mexican people have used this Holiday as a start of a 2 month celebration for the fall harvest and new year festivals. Mictecacihuatl goddess, known as the "Lady of the Dead" is believed to oversee this harvest and ritual celebration which involves the use of fire and incense, costumes made of animal skin, ceramics, personal goods, flowers, foods and drinks.
When the church tried to change the image of this tradition to one that is of tragic death, the Mexican people did not adopt this belief. In fact the Mexican people still celebrate this day as a joyous holiday for serious prayer and time to remember the dead saints, martyrs and family members that have passed on from this life.
