Day of the Dead here.

[netibiza]

Solemn fiesta, everything shut, everyone going to the graveyard to put red candles on the graves. The graves are niches in a wall 4 high. Do any of you celebrate this?

[sandyRoe]

It's All Saint's Day today. I think at school we were taught to pray for the 'souls of the faithful departed'.
I think what you're seeing is more a Hispanic thing.

[naomi24]

Sandy, one assumes the 'faithful' departed don't need prayers. Wouldn't it be more useful to pray for the souls of the 'unfaithful' departed?

[netibiza]

Yes, I just wondered if other cultures did anything like it.

[sandyRoe]

Naomi, even the faithful departed might need our prayers to tip the scales in their favour.
But apart from the religious side, it's a time to remember those who have gone before.

[Sqad]

netty...same here..........just reminded Mrs sqad that i do't want an annual pilgrimage to my "hole in the wall", but it will not be want I want, but what she wants.

[naomi24]

Neti, there's quite a lot of information here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead

Sandy, //even the faithful departed might need our prayers to tip the scales in their favour. //

That figures.

[sandyRoe]

I believe 'death bed conversions' are quite common. The sins accumulated during a a life of debauchery won't just vanish. We all need all the prayers we can get.

[naomi24]

//The sins accumulated during a a life of debauchery won't just vanish. //

Oooo Sandy. Is this confession time? Tell us more!

[sandyRoe]

Ever since I was defrocked I have led an exemplary life. The sins that I have committed aren't the stuff of public forums.

[netibiza]

Sqad, I am adamant that I will not go into a hole in the wall, terrifies me, even though we do own one. They are talking here of having a crematorium for us non catholics so am hanging on for that. Too expensive to fly body to Palma for cremation!

[netibiza]

and what do you mean by yearly Sqad? surely Mrs Sqad would visit you more often. I in fact visit my mother's grave when it is quiet, won't go today cos the traffic and parking will be tremendous.

[naomi24]

Neti, how about this? Dead - with all your living friends around you all the time.

http://en.wikipedia.o...y_of_the_Dead_(Cairo)

Sandy, spoilsport. ;o)

[Sqad]

nety...we have a crematorium in Cuitadella.........that should do for me.;-)

[sandyRoe]

This thread is getting quite melancholy. Here's something to cheer us all up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZvxUINo8sY

[netibiza]

Have to say naomi that our graveyards are looking like cities, rows and rows of concrete blocks four high, lanes and passaeways, it's getting hard to navigate to the grave. Luckily my mother is in the front and I can get there from the road, and they all have numbers, and street lights, really creepy and such a waste of land. Soon the illegal residents of the island will be living up there when they see an empty niche!

[naomi24]

Really? I love Ibiza - but from what you've said it's beginning to sound just like Cairo!!

[sandyRoe]

A niche would give a new meaning to an estate agents fav word: bijou

[Noraq]

I think its All Souls Day today, yesterday was All Saints.

[coccinelle]

It's a catholic thing as in France it's a bank holiday too so people can all go along to the graves and put chrysanthemums on and clean up the marble graves. I've never understood why but today, it's All Saint's Day and tomorrow is 'defunts' which means deceased. Years ago people celebrated all the saints who have a place in heaven then the following day those who have died and so probably in pergatory. I was quite amazed to find out Paris has only one crematorium!! thankfully, there are others scattered round the country. By the way, catholics can be cremated since 1963!!

[coccinelle]

Noraq that's it. Though All Saint's Day today and All Soul's Day tomorrow.