In the home across our street, there was a death in their family. Dozens of people have been coming to them all day and night. Women are sobbing on the sidewalks. In the middle of the night I heard loud wailing in several different voices.
Today I searched Mexican mourning rituals and read some articles. In Mexico, the dead belong to the family. The body will lay, either on a table or the floor, covered with a sheet and marked with candles in each corner forming a rectangle. For 24-48 hours friends and family of all ages hold a velorio (prayer vigil). When the coffin is delivered to the house it is filled with clothes and other belongings so that the departed may have his/her things.
On October 31st altars are made for children who have passed away (los Angelitos), same for adults on November 1st. On November 2nd families hold a candlelight vigil at the cemetery where they remember the departed and commune with their spirits.
Below is a passage from pressrepublican.com:
"On this evening, families throughout Mexico gather to eat, play music, sing and share stories from the past. The dead are never forgotten; memories lovingly preserved are passed on... this is why [Mexicans] know so much about their ancestors.
In Mexico, a rich oral history tradition brings the departed back to life, ensuring that future generations know the personalities, interests and essence of those who passed before them."
Today I searched Mexican mourning rituals and read some articles. In Mexico, the dead belong to the family. The body will lay, either on a table or the floor, covered with a sheet and marked with candles in each corner forming a rectangle. For 24-48 hours friends and family of all ages hold a velorio (prayer vigil). When the coffin is delivered to the house it is filled with clothes and other belongings so that the departed may have his/her things.
Arturo Gordon- Velario de un angelito
Below is a passage from pressrepublican.com:
"On this evening, families throughout Mexico gather to eat, play music, sing and share stories from the past. The dead are never forgotten; memories lovingly preserved are passed on... this is why [Mexicans] know so much about their ancestors.
In Mexico, a rich oral history tradition brings the departed back to life, ensuring that future generations know the personalities, interests and essence of those who passed before them."
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