Dia de los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos

 

Growing up, Day of the Dead was always mysterious to me. I remember hearing bits and pieces about it as a kid. Around Halloween there would inevitably be at least one kids’ show that mixed Day of the Dead with creepier themes so that the day invoked trepidation or fear in children. As with all TV programs and second-hand information some of the information was true but a lot of it was an exaggerated or simply incorrect.

 

Dia de los Muertos is fairly well-known in parts of the US mainly because of our proximity to Mexico. Mexico’s celebration of Dia de los Muertos is unique. Because of this and the fact that it originated there, its festivities are highlighted more often on TV and in the news. In Mexico the day is celebrated with festivals, music, bright colors, lots of skulls and skeletons, as well as, costumes, dancing and food. It is also common place for families to visit the cemeteries where families loved ones were laid to rest. At the gravesides people leave favorite trinkets, food and drinks for the deceased and some families even have a meal there. The day is a nationwide holiday and everyone partakes in the festivities. In other parts of Central and South America this day is celebrated a little differently. 

 

In Honduras, Dia de los Muertos is quieter and more somber, where the main focus isn’t on the fact that loved ones have died and are gone but rather that they lived and what their impact had been on our lives. On this day, the dead are remembered and venerated by family and friends privately rather than openly in community like in Mexico. But similarly to Mexico it is common – almost a requirement really – that families go to the graves of their loved ones to leave wreaths of flowers or to simply sit on the graveside and say a prayer. This past week I finally had the opportunity to witness the Day of the Dead first-hand with the children and staff at the Hogar and discovered the real significance of this day outside of celebrations and festivals. 

 

At the Hogar, Dia de los Muertos is celebrated with a mass each year. This mass is something very similar to that of a memorial service and is put together and run by the padrinos. The mass serves as a means for the children and teenagers to pray for their loved ones and serves the dual purpose of giving them the chance to feel less alone in remembering them.

 

Friday day seemed like any other day at Amigos de Jesus. There was school in the morning, succeeded by lunch and in the afternoon the kids were playing around or doing chores until dinner time. In fact this day didn’t feel different from any other day like I thought that it would, until dinner time. At dinner you could tell something had shifted, like the kids were mentally preparing themselves for the prayer service we were going to have later in the evening. The older boys seemed a little distracted and distant and some of the younger kids asked me if I knew anyone who had died, how they had died and if I missed them. It was obvious to me, that people were beginning to remember family and all that comes with thinking about that part of their lives. 

 

At the end of dinner, Wilson made an announcement to all, telling us what was  appropriate to wear for the evening, that there was a book to write the names of the deceased in and that that night was to commemorate the lost. He also made it clear that the evening was to be taken seriously in order to respect those who had lost someone. 

 

The service was held above the offices on the terrace of the main building on the property. Earlier in the day pews set in front of an alter and behind the alter to the sides were statues of Mary and Jesus. In front of the altar and these statues were rows of unlit candles. When the terrace was set completely and the padrinos were ready for all of us to come upstairs they unlocked the door and everyone walked up, found a seat and waited. Wilson opened the ceremony with a similar disclaimer that the service was to commemorate and remember the deceased with love. It was meant to be an uplifting day, to know that our loved ones are in the grace of God and looked after. [I personally liked that because I think it made everyone relax a little more.] 

 

Madrina Karen and Padrino Antonio lead the service while one of the volunteers Kristin assisted Fernado in the singing portion of the evening. Padrino Antonio, did an excellent homily about losing loved ones and celebrating their lives and being happy that they are with God. It was like a regular mass without the distribution of communion.

 

As a closing for the ceremony the lights were shut off and everyone sat in silence for a moment. All that was visible were the lit candles on the altar. At this time all those individuals who felt moved to, could come up and light one of the candles. To my surprise, many of the kids and teenagers got up without hesitation and in silence to light a candle. They knelt before them and prayed for their loved ones.

 

As I watched I couldn’t help but notice how electric the air felt. Boys were lighting their own candles from the flame of another’s, praying side by side and embracing like brothers. When a boy seemed upset those around him consoled him with a quick hug, pat of the back or arm around the shoulder. The empathy that exuded from each of them was admirable but heart-breaking at the same time. Knowing how deeply they felt these losses was the heart-breaking part and how strong they are for all of it is what I find admirable. 

 

Having never celebrated Day of the Dead before I was immensely thankful for this experience. It helped to shed a new light on the kids we work with everyday. It is easy to forget that these children have not always been so happy or well-taken care. Dia de los Muertos was a good reminder that these children carry their own crosses, and more notably that many of them picked them up at a young age. This service made me proud to be a member of the Amigos de Jesus family.