NICHOLE NAZARENE GANDOL OCT 18, 2022

READINGS IN PHILIPINE HISTORY BCA

A. Try to find the story behind the event

B. Figure out what meaningful activity you will do as an individual or groups to
remember or commemorate it.

The Philippines absorbed many of Spain's traditions as a result of being a colony for 333
years. Both All Saints Day and All Souls Day are observed annually on November 1 and
November 2, respectively. One of these, called "Undas" in the area and deriving from the
Spanish verb "honrar," which means "to honor," is currently commemorated publicly between
November 1 and 2.
As there were not enough days in the year to accommodate all of these festivals, the
Catholic tradition of celebrating a number of martyrs and other saints who were denied the right
to a separate holiday gave rise to All Saints Day. All Souls Day was first observed as a day set
aside for commemorating "all the faithful dead" in the 14th century as a result of the Catholic
church's recognition of the significance and duty of praying for the "souls" of the departed.
Many years after the modest beginnings of the tradition, the Philippine government
declared both or either of these days as non-working holidays, depending on the President's
proclamation. This has resulted in a busy travel season as many Filipinos travel back to their
hometowns to be with their relatives so they can all visit the cemetery and pay respects to their
deceased loved ones. During this time, cemeteries are frequently filled with family members
gathered around the graves, each with a lighted candle on the stone and a bunch of beautiful
flowers. Most families stay for a few hours to pray, eat, recall the good moments they shared
with their loved ones who have passed away, and catch up with one another.
When it comes to honoring it, my family and I will do what we usually do: go to mass and pay
our respects at the graves of our departed loved ones. However, we must first travel to the
cemetery in my hometown since they are there. In my hometown, we often attend a mass in the
church first, followed by another service in the cemetery, along with a few additional prayers.
We would spend time talking with our departed loved ones and other family members who came
to pay respects at their graves. There would be flowers, colorful candles, and numerous other
offerings all throughout. Since our deceased family members are far off from one another during
these ceremonies, my cousins and I often go from grave to grave to make the experience more
interesting.
During this time, discussions about our dead family members often come up, which is a
wonderful opportunity to learn about and remember them. Our parents would narrate tales
about them, including their many misadventures and memorable encounters. The same thing
happened to me and my cousins; we would remember the good times we had with a certain
relative when they were still alive. It’s both a fun and somber moment for everyone.
We return home and carry on with our day after that. Despite how depressing it all is, we return
to our duties. However, some homes would prepare food around this time of the year and
occasionally share it with the community. It's a good way to keep things lighthearted, and even
though our deceased family members have passed away, we still need to honor who they were
and what they accomplished while they were alive.