PHILIPPINES: Thousands visit the cemeteries around the Philippines to mark All Saints Day

Record ID: 862768

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: Thousands visit the cemeteries around the Philippines to mark All Saints Day
  • Date: 5th November 2007
  • Summary: MOTHER AND SON LIGHTING CANDLES
  • Embargoed: 20th November 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Philippines
  • City:
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVAAXVJ0UYJE6JHIOX4OD6MGYEFA
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  • Story Text: Filipinos camp out in cemeteries to honor their dead on All Saints Day.
    On All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, which are on November 1 and 2 respectively, cemeteries across the Philippines come alive as Catholic Filipinos pay their respects to their loved ones that have departed.
    The holiday has become a tradition for families, with graveyards transformed into picnic grounds for the two days. After lighting candles and praying at the grave site of loved ones, they spend all day there.
    Huge traffic jams form around cemeteries and street vendors do roaring businesses, selling food, flowers and candles.
    The North Cemetery is the biggest in Manila, with up to 3 million visitors on All Saints Day and All Souls Day.
    Lolita Capoquian braves the cemetery crowds to pay respect to her daughter, who died of a vehicular accident 14 years ago.
    "We celebrate this every year without fail. We all come here together and bring food, and we stay here all day," Capoquian said.
    Mark Buang, who is studying to become a priest, says the practice of remembering the dead with prayers is ingrained in the culture of the Philippines, where the population of 89 million is predominantly Catholic.
    "This is part of our culture, especially for Filipino Christians, ever since the missionaries came to this country. It manifests how we value and respect our loved ones that have departed and how we remember them year after year," Buang said.
    Gina Bantaw deems the yearly visits to the cemetery as an obligation to her departed parents.
    "Our parents have both passed away, so we come hear every year on All Souls Day, that's all we can do for them. It's like we're still taking care of them even if they're gone," Bantaw said.
    Security is tight in most cemeteries, as frequencies of petty thefts usually rise on this holiday.
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