All Souls Day in Cebu

Monday, 21st May 2012

All Souls Day in Cebu

Tomorrow is going to be All Souls Day. This special holiday supports deep meaning than the celebrated Halloween in other nations such as United States of America (USA). I sort of wanted to try out the trick or treat activity and indulge to what could’ve been one of the entertaining events of the year. Malls and other establishments often schedule entertaining activities for the Halloween venture to blend well with the Filipinos’ sentimental approach.

I can remember those years when I was living with my parents. We would light candles in our front yard, doors and windows and prepare a meal for our departed relatives. This is to “welcome the spirits” of those loved ones who have passed away and to preserve the relationship in time perpetuity. This activity is done by those who are far away from the burial grounds of the deceased. As for my family, our buried relatives are in Surigao so, instead of visiting the graves, we just light candles, say prayers for them and invite “them” to join us in our dinner table.

It may sound scary but this is just one of those celebrations that comprise a Filipino culture.

Novembers 1 and 2

Novembers 1 and 2 are the days reserved to celebrate the All Saints Day and All Souls Day in the Philippines. At this time, cemeteries and churches are filled with hundreds, or even thousands, of people who visit the tombs of their deceased loved ones. This is one celebration that commemorates the memories of those who have departed as well as preserve the relationship in time perpetuity.

But before the actual days of the celebration, the streets of the South and North Terminal Bus Terminals are filled with thousands of people who travel back to their hometowns. This is when the Philippine government deploys maintenance personnel to uphold the volume of people going to the provinces to ease the traffic flow. The celebration also fills the news headlines and newspapers that seem to have endless information. Of course, workers get the time to rest from their busy life at the office and enjoy this 2-day event, which means malls like Ayala Center, SM City, Gaisano Country Mall, among others, are scheduled to have limited operation while some of them close down.

In Cebu, cemeteries like Angelicum, Golden Haven and CemPark, to name a few, are to be filled with Cebuanos ranging from different locations. This is the time when the visit the tombs of those who have already passed away.

Some establishments often provide several promos like Halloween trick or treat, to complement the sentimental celebration with a taste of fun-filled activities.