As is tradition in Peru, on November 1st of each year, All Saints’ Day is celebrated. This special date is intended to honor our loved ones who have passed away, so cemeteries all around Peru are filled with tons of people. But the question is, why is this day celebrated by a whole nation?
All Saints Day is a religious holiday celebrated annually on November 1 in most of the countries with Catholic tradition and is held as a prelude to the Day of the Dead.
To celebrate all saint’s day such as halloween or any other holiday you may need to keep communication or a translation app. That’s why you may need to use one of our mobile phone plans for tourists to have a tourist SIM card. In order to visit Peru and enjoy the city on all Saint’s Day at its plenty here in PeruSIM.
Now let’s take a look on why this celebration is such as trascendental and important thing to do for Peruvians such as Mexicans with “The day of the dead” , let’s dive into it:
Why is All Saints’ Day celebrated?
At the time of the persecution of Christians, the early Church used to honor the martyrs or group of martyrs who died for professing the faith.
In the Great Persecution of the Roman Empire, led by Diocletian and Maximian in 303, all legal rights of Christians and all practices related to religion were abolished, so all those who professed the faith were persecuted.
The number of martyrs who were attacked and killed grew exponentially, forcing the church to select a day to remember these deaths and their significance for the Catholic institution.
Why is it celebrated on November 1?
Pope Gregory III, during his tenure in the church between 731 and 741, chose November 1 for the commemoration of the lives of the saints.
In the 9th century, Pope Gregory IV extended this feast to the whole church, popularizing it as a celebration of the memory of all those who had consecrated their lives to God. In Peru, due to its Catholic heritage, it adopted the holiday like other countries in the region.
Meaning of All Saint’s Day
The date celebrates the passage of the deceased through purgatory, having completely overcome this state of purification to become holy souls who enjoy eternal life in the presence of God.
That is why it is the day of “all the saints”. It is not only celebrated in honor of the blessed or saints who are on the list of the canonized and for whom the Church celebrates on a special day of the year; it is also celebrated in honor of all those who are not canonized but are already living in the presence of God in his Church triumphant.
It is frequent that on this day the great cathedrals of Lima and all Peru exhibit the relics of all their saints.
All Saints’ Day activities in Peru
The date is taken as a reminder to all loved ones who are no longer physically present with us. In Peru, flower markets are usually more active during the first days of November since they are the preferred offerings of the faithful believers. These are given in gratitude for the favors given by the saints of the church.
Traditionally, the day is a prelude to the commemoration of the Day of the Faithful Departed. Catholic believers visit the cemeteries and are accompanied with bouquets of flowers; roses, chrysanthemums and daisies, presented as offerings to the memory of all those who were an important part of our lives.
In all churches it is traditional to celebrate masses on the Solemnity of All Saints, in which the words given by Jesus Christ and his Apostles about eternal rest and reunion with God the Father are remembered.
This traditional celebration in the Cajamarca region for example , is more accentuated in the rural area, and all the towns of Peru begin several days before the central dates with the preparation of all the acts, actions, offerings and food to be performed and consumed on November 1st and 2nd.
Whether or not you believe in religious celebrations, on any holiday in Peru, you are sure to have a good time among the locals and its traditional food . The days before, meals are prepared and cemeteries are visited to clean and arrange the tombs for the religious rituals and other actions to be carried out normally.
In some towns, the activities begin on November 1st with the visit of the relatives of the deceased to the cemeteries, starting at 7:00 p.m., who offer prayers for the spirit or soul of their relatives, light candles in front of the graves and pour holy water.
In most of the towns, the villagers turn massively to the cemeteries on November 2nd early in the morning carrying candles that they light before the graves, pour holy water and offer prayers to the deceased, in addition to wreaths adorned with flowers, which are made of paper or cloth, attached to a wire ring and placed on the graves. They also wear wreaths made by themselves or by specialists from flowers and natural branches. Some also carry aguardiente and chicha or other liquors.
How All Saints’ Day is celebrated in Latin America and the World
In Latin America it is customary to visit the tombs of ancestors and in countries like Mexico, not only do people visit, they also have a picnic around the grave, put masks, colorful ribbons and even cook exclusive dishes for that day.
The purpose of this is to remember the deceased and celebrate that on that day the mantle to the world of the souls is much thinner and they have permission to be with the living.
In other regions of the world such as Asia, ancestors are worshiped and in the Philippines, huge banquets are also held in cemeteries in honor of the deceased.
What to do to celebrate All Saints’ Day
This day should be dedicated to the memory of your deceased relatives, but not with sadness but with joy. It is an excellent date to transmit to the younger generations the family legacy, to let them know where they come from, what their ancestors have done and how to honor them.
The most modern way to celebrate this day is to upload a photo to your social profile of that uncle, grandfather, father, mother or brother, who is no longer in the world of the living, but that we still remember and love as if he were still here.
Now that we know about All Saints’ Day and its cultural impact in Latin America, especially Peru and the World, would you like to celebrate it? Let’s honor our most beloved ones .
Finally, we know that you have to keep communication with your relatives and friends, that you need to be able to orient yourself in new cities, that you might need help with translation and that you might need to search for restaurants or hotels. That’s why with PeruSIM you can buy a SIM card including the data plan of your need without having to worry about high roaming costs.