In the 20th century, the month long festivities were condensed to three days called The Days of the Dead: Halloween on October 31, Day of the Innocents on November 1, and Day of the Dead on November 2.
A blend of Mesoamerican ritual, European religion and Spanish culture, the holiday is celebrated each year from October 31-November 2. While October 31 is Halloween, November 2 is All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead.
The month of November is traditionally a time in which the Catholic community remembers those who have died. It is related to the fact that the end of November is the end of the Liturgical Year with a new year starting the First Sunday of Advent – the four-week period of preparation before Christmas.
According to tradition, the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31 and the spirits of children can rejoin their families for 24 hours. The spirits of adults can do the same on November 2.
The dates come from the Catholic calendar, November 1 corresponds to All Saints' Day, dedicated to children, also known as 'little dead', and November 2 to the Faithful Departed, for the adults.
One of Mexico's most important religious holidays is celebrated on All Saint's Day (November 1) and All Soul's Day (November 2): Dia de los Muertos (sometimes called Dia de los Fieles Difuntos) – Day of the Dead. Traditionally, November 1st honors deceased children and November 2nd honors deceased adults.
November 1 is “el Dia de los innnocentes” or the day of the children and All Saints Day. November second is All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead. Some Christian's hold to the belief structure that every day should be treated like Christmas, - as every day Christ's love is born and should be celebrated.
Flowers, which symbolize the brevity of life, are an essential element of the Day of the Dead ofrenda. Though many different flowers are used in Day of the Dead celebrations, one flower has become a national symbol for the festival: the marigold.
As the Monarch, la Catrina dances, worships, and celebrates the return of the spirits. Celebrating the journey of the souls assures the continuity of life. These are the native Pre-Columbian cultures of Mexico such as the American Indian cultures of the United States.
While both holidays may be considered “spooky,” Halloween revolves around darkness, death, ghosts, witches, candy, and costumes. On the other hand, Day of the Dead is explicitly about the afterlife and remembrance. The skulls symbolize the continuation of memories and of life.
November is also the month of All Souls. Please remember your deceased loved ones. These people will be prayed for at every Mass in November.
In the Christian liturgical calendar, November is entirely devoted to the deceased.
“Eternal Father, I offer You the Most Precious Blood of Your Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.”
By tradition, the Catholic Church dedicates each month of the year to certain devotion. The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary, one of the best known of all Catholic devotions. October includes the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7).
Current scholarship traces the development of the Rosary to the High Middle Ages period. The month of October each year is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary. This is primarily due to the fact that the liturgical feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated annually on October 7.
The Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos or Día de los Muertos) is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality.
Lady Death is sometimes a protagonist, and sometimes an antagonist in Brian Pulido's Chaos! comics. She was the main antagonist of Evil Ernie series.
Known to her enemies as “Lady Death,” Lyudmila Pavlichenko is recognized as the most successful female sniper in history with a total of 309 confirmed kills.
It has been recently suggested that the original Santa Muerta or Doña Sebastiana was, in fact, Doña Sebastiana de Caso y Paredes (b. 1626), the niece of St. Mariana de Jesus of Quito (1618–1645), an Ecuadorian virgin penitent.
Day of the Dead Flowers – The Final Word
This colorful two-day festival is a celebration of loved ones, all with a focus on remembering and honoring those who have passed. Flowers — such as marigolds, mums, gladioli, baby's breath, cockscomb, and white hoary stock — play a key role in this joyful celebration.
Parijata (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis) is one is the most beautiful flowers on earth. It is also known as the night-flowering jasmine since blooms open by the night and falls off soon after.
The colors yellow and orange are both used in this holiday to represent marigolds, the sun, and light. Marigolds are the flowers of the dead and are thought to help the deaceased find their way back home due to their strong scent and bright colors. The color red is used to represent blood.
All Saints' Day is celebrated on November 1st to remember all saints and martyrs during Christian history. It is followed by All Souls' Day on November 2nd to commemorate those who have passed within the faith.
While the 'Day of the Dead' includes costumes, skulls and parades, it is not a Mexican version of Halloween. SEATTLE — At midnight on Nov. 1, after Halloween ends, Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, begins.