Manila Families Mark Undas With Prayers

Thousands of Filipinos visited cemeteries across Manila on Sunday to honor the dead during All Saints' Day.

Lorita Santos, a local resident, spent the day at the graves of her father and three other relatives. She noted that the family offers flowers and candles while sharing snacks and prayers. Santos said the tradition ensures that memories of loved ones remain alive. "Just because they have passed away does not mean we should forget them," she stated. The visits also serve as a time to share stories. Santos recalled how her father gave small gifts to children and grandchildren on payday. "We will never forget that," she added. She is now teaching her own children to visit the graves so they understand the custom. "We pass this on to our children to make sure they are aware of the tradition, so that if something happens to us, they know what to do," Santos said.

The observance, known locally as Undas, spans November 1 and 2. The name comes from the Spanish word "honras," which means honors. Nestor Castro, an anthropology lecturer at the University of the Philippines Diliman, explained that the practice combines Catholic observances with older beliefs. "There is a very long tradition of ancestor worship in the Philippines," Castro said. Before Spanish colonization, Filipinos honored ancestral spirits called anito by offering food and gifts. These practices were not tied to specific dates but formed a continuous custom of veneration.

The tradition changed after the Spanish arrived in 1565 and introduced Catholicism. Some new practices may have originated in Mexico, which has historical ties to the Philippines through the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade. Today, both countries share similar customs for honoring the dead. In Mexico, families often spend time at graves or set up home altars with marigolds, music, and food. Similar gatherings occur in Bolivia, Poland, and Hungary, where families use flowers, candles, and prayers to remember the departed.

Castro noted that these gatherings strengthen family ties. During funeral wakes, families often wait for distant relatives to arrive before burying the deceased. "That’s when family reunions occur. It’s a binding event," he said. The sense of unity extends to Undas. Families often share sticky rice cakes, which symbolize the bonds between relatives. "These events foster and solidify kinship relationships," Castro said. Mike Mamaril, a 42-year-old school maintenance employee, visits his parents' graves annually. He described the gathering as a chance to reminisce about lighter childhood moments. "We always talk about who among us got scolded the most," Mamaril said.