I offer my prayers and asking for mercy and forgiveness to God in commemoration of All Souls Day for my dear departed family members,

my father, Dionisio Marcial and my brother, Robert Marcial.

Let us pray for the eternal repose of their souls and eternal life in heaven.

Dionisio Dingal MarcialOctober 9, 1924 - March 20, 2005 Robert Rivera MarcialJanuary 14, 1969 - January 15, 2004

mausoleum of Papa and Bombet

The onset of All Soul's Day in places where the inhabitants are mostly Catholics suggests a deluging in the local markets of assorted candles of colors, shapes and scents and of a variety of flowers freshly picked from a native farm. The hullabaloos in the flea markets reached as far as the super marts and department stores where people can be seen hurrying to and fro, doing a last minute buying of the things they will need in preparing for the occasion. Such a typical Filipino setting indeed and so much like Christmas Eve, the difference is it's not Christmas and it's not for the living. It is All Soul's Day and it's for the dead.

This tradition goes back to ancient years and as history repeats itself so too this popular wont had been passed to one generation after another. But what really is the celebration of All Soul's Day? Do other religious sects have their All Soul's Day celebration? An informal interview was conducted to make way for the beliefs and traditions maintained by different religious sects.

Read on…
Catholics make way for the All Soul's Day
Popularly identified as "All Soul's Day", this is the day set apart in the Roman Catholic Church for the commemoration of the souls of the faithful dead. It falls on the 2nd of November albeit in this country, most Filipinos celebrated it as early as November 1. The tradition is said to have started in the 10th and 11th centuries and was based on the (Catholic) doctrine that "prayers of the faithful on earth may help purify souls in purgatory".

The offering of prayers and masses are solely for the repose of the souls who died not in the state of grace. Prayers and masses are offered to ease whatever pain and suffering they are in. To complement to such thoughtful cause, loved ones offer a spray of flowers and lighted candles. Flowers serve as a living memory reminding us that once these people had remained close to us and they, like us, had once been fascinated by the beauty and color of life. Lighted candles likewise signify that the love, hope and joy they shared with people they had left behind shall be kept forever burning and alive even though they may have found their destiny somewhere or even in the arms of the Heavenly Father.