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In the Philippines, the Araw ng Mga Patay is celebrated with a big fuss. It is a tradition that we Filipinos (especially the Catholics) observed every year. Araw ng mga Patay means Day of the Dead is also called Todos Los Santos, Fiesta ng Patay, Pista sa Kalag (in Irigueño), and Undas. November 1 is All Saint’s Day and November 2 is All Soul’s Day a holiday in the Philippines ever since I remember.
It is the time wherein the families remember and honor their love ones who had already departed. Aside from the flowers and lighted candles, people also offer mass and prayers for the repose of their soul.
Filipinos treated this holidays like a festive event and more like as a family reunion because it is an opportunity for families to bond together. People from different places go back to their provinces to celebrate the Undas.
In our family, the preparation for Undas started few days before November 1st. My cousin and her children went to the cemetery to clean the family mausoleum They did some repairs and repainted the walls and the tombs.
It was my sister’s first All Soul’s Day so we were a bit emotional (it always was whenever we visit her) when we arrived at the memorial park.
If you have a religious family like us, prayer is the highlight of the Undas. Aside from the flowers, candles and foods that we brought, praying together as one family is the best we can offer to them.
After we offered our prayer to our loved ones, we also visited the graves of our other relatives and friends who had passed away before us.
This tradition teaches us that even though they already passed away we should always remember and show our love for them. It also tells us that we must show our love and respect to our love ones when they are still alive and not when they're already gone.
