Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is an annual Mexican holiday focusing on the gathering of families and friends to pray and remember their relatives and loved ones who have already died.
Considered a national holiday, it takes place during the first two days of November, coinciding with the Catholic celebration of All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2). In most regions in Mexico, November 1 is for honoring dead children and infants and is known as Dia de los Inocentes, while November 2 is for deceased adults or Dia de los Difuntos.
The Day of the Dead’s origins can be traced back to the indigenous observances hundreds of years ago and to an Aztec festival dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl, Queen of Mictlan, the underworld, ruling over after the afterlife with her husband, another deity.
This event is usually marked by building private altars honoring the dead. For these, Mexicans usually use sugar skulls and marigolds as well as a selection of the dead’s favorite foods and beverages. On this occasion, Mexicans also visit their dead in cemeteries.
The United States, the Latin America, Europe, the Philippines and Oceania also have their own versions of the occasion.