The Day of the Saints.

It is colloquially called Undas in the Philippines, this day referred to in Catholic Tradition as All Saints Day.  In the Philippines it is a National Holiday.

All Saints day, according to wikipedia, is a solemnity celebrated on November 1 by parts of Western Christianity, and the day after Pentecost by Eastern Christianity, in honour of all saints whether known or unknown.

This year we started Undas on the 30th of October.  We drove to Bulacan after the 6 am mass  and visited the graves of departed relatives at the Memorial Park. And yesterday, November 1st, we visited the graves of my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and nephew.

 
Photo of Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, courtesy of TripAdvisor

I remember going to the cemetery as a child early evenings and getting soaked going home. I remember walking carefully and avoiding little mounds of earth that were graves of certain individuals. I remember those stack up graves we called "apartments."

Poor man's cemetery in Manila

And I remember those big boys carrying globes of melted candles, parading them as if these were precious gems. Yes as a kid, I looked up to them as some sort of pirates out to maraud for hidden treasures in the grave yards.

In Mandaluyong, although traffic was re-routed and people amassed at the cemetery as early as All Saints' Eve, it was pretty orderly although we had to walk several blocks from the parking spot we found.

Lined in the street were tents of local volunteers handing out free bottled water, giving information to visitors, and at the entry to the cemetery, there was bag inspection.  The lady guard asked me, "meron po ba kayong dalang lighter?" (Did you bring any buthane lighers?).  It was not allowed, so were forks and knives, music systems and liquour.

In Toronto, All Saints Day is celebrated with a mass and private prayers for those who've gone ahead of us.

In Manila, gone are the days of loud music and party-like drinking at the grave sites. Thanks to the national and local governments for the orderly celebration of Undas.