Introduction & Background
Every year on November 1–2, the Church celebrates All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2). These liturgical feasts remind us that we are part of the communion of saints—a great family of the living and the dead united in Christ.
In Mexico and across Latin America, these days coincide with Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a tradition that brings faith and culture together. Families create colorful altars (ofrendas) to honor loved ones who have died. Far from being gloomy, the celebration is full of light, flowers, food, and music—proclaiming that love is stronger than death and that memory keeps us connected.
Other cultures also mark this sacred time with ancestor remembrance: in the Philippines, families gather in cemeteries for Undas; in Japan, the Obon Festival honors ancestral spirits with lanterns and dance; and in many African traditions, rituals of remembrance affirm that the living and the dead remain bound in community.
For missionary disciples, these practices remind us that remembering the dead is also about solidarity with the living—standing with those who mourn, honoring martyrs and migrants, and living with hope in the Resurrection.
How to Create an Ofrenda (Altar of Remembrance)
An ofrenda can be simple or elaborate. What matters is the spirit of love and remembrance.
Choose a space — a table, shelf, or classroom corner.
Cover with cloth — often bright colors or white for hope.
Add photos/names — of loved ones, saints, or people who gave their lives for justice.
Include symbols:
- Marigolds (cempasúchil), the “flower of the dead,” guiding souls home.
- Candles, signs of Christ’s light and hope.
- Food & water, remembering the Body of Christ and hospitality.
- Personal items or drawings that tell each person’s story.
- Cross or crucifix to root the altar in Christian faith.
Encourage participants to share stories and memories as you build the ofrenda. Prayer at the Ofrenda
Prayer
Loving God,
We gather to remember our loved ones and all who have gone before us.
May their memory inspire us to live with courage, faith, and love.
We pray especially for those who have died in migration, war, or injustice.
May we honor their lives by working for a world where all find dignity and home.
Amen.
(Invite participants to name aloud the people they are remembering.)
Activities for Reflection & Solidarity
Name the forgotten: Add to your ofrenda names or symbols of people often excluded—migrants who died seeking safety, victims of violence, or local community members without family.
Watch this video of Bolivian children from Nueva Vera Cruz in school baking bread for the Day of the Dead Celebration at the center run by Fr. Paul Sykora, M.M. and hear Fr. Alejandro Marina, M.M. explain their customs for Day of the Dead in English.
Solidarity pledge: Write one action you will take to honor the dead by building a more just and loving world. Place it on the altar.
Intercultural connections: Explore global traditions of remembering the dead (e.g., Undas in the Philippines, Obon in Japan, African remembrance rituals). Share how cultures honor ancestors and link it to the communion of saints.
Closing prayer service: Gather at the altar with song, candles, and Scripture (e.g., Wisdom 3:1–6 or John 11:25–26).
Closing Thought
Día de los Muertos teaches us that remembering is not passive. As missionary disciples we hold the memories of those who came before us and acknowledge that we are joined with them in the communion of saints. To honor the dead is to live in solidarity, opening our hearts to God’s call for justice, compassion, and global family.
