So long as the elements of celebrating Día de los Muertos do not contradict our faith or blur the essentials of our faith, there is nothing wrong with Catholics celebrating it.
Ultimately, Día de los Muertos symbolizes Catholic teaching on the Communion of Saints. There are always different members of the Body of Christ: the ones in Heaven, the ones that are still on their way to the gates of Heaven, and us here on Earth, and we all still commune together as one Church.
Ever since Spanish colonisation in the 16th century, Día de los Muertos has been made to coincide with the Catholic solemnities of All Saints Day (November 1) and All Souls Day (November 2).
“The celebration is an expression of Latin American culture and Catholic beliefs, which makes use of some familiar symbols to teach and celebrate the Church's teaching on the communion of saints.” Ofrendas, or altars, are traditionally used in Día de los Muertos celebrations to honor deceased loved ones.
Catholics believe that when judgment day comes, people who have passed away will be resurrected, so it's important to keep the body in one, sacred place. This might be buried in a cemetery or mausoleum, or in another protected area, such as a memorial forest.
Santa Muerte is a personification of death. Unlike other saints who originated in Mexican folk Catholicism, Santa Muerte is not, herself, seen as a dead human being. She is associated with healing, protection, financial wellbeing, and assurance of a path to the afterlife.
Western Christianity. The holiday of All Saints' Day falls on 1 November, is followed by All Souls' Day on 2 November. It is a Solemnity in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, a Festival in the Lutheran Churches, and a Principal Feast of the Anglican Communion.
In Western Christianity, it became custom during the Middle Ages to commemorate the deceased after 3, 7 and 30 days as well as 1 year after their passing. In addition to this, pious donors made endowments to religious institutions in order to being commemorated in an annual mass on the date of their deaths.
On All Saints' Day, people usually go to church to attend a mass dedicated to this celebration. On The Day of the Dead, people visit their deceased relatives in the cemetery to bring them flowers and pray for their souls.
Even if one does not identify with its pre-Christian meaning, celebrating the Day of the Dead could risk a form of syncretism, a confusion of spiritual and cultural elements that leads to error. Secularism is not the danger posed by cultural expressions like Día de los Muertos.
Bible Gateway Ecclesiastes 7 :: NIV. A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.
Every year on November 1, many Roman Catholics and other Christians around the world observe All Saints Day, which honors all saints of the church deemed to have attained heaven. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, All Saints Day is observed on the first Sunday after Pentecost.
In the Catholic Church, it is considered a Holy Day of Obligation where Catholics attend Mass on that day.
Is All Saints' Day a holy day of obligation? Yes, All Saints' Day is a holy day of obligation. Catholics are expected to attend Mass on All Saints' Day.
The Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic Church does not endorse any particular 40-day practice (such as observing a mourning period or fasting). The theological opinions of many Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches are that for two days after death, the soul is present on earth while the body decays.
The ideal situation is that the Catholic funeral takes place as soon as possible so those in mourning have time to begin healing. If a person dies in an unexpected manner such as an accident or natural disaster, this timeline can become difficult to adhere to.
Although death is the end of our physical lives, Catholics see this as a change rather than a complete ending. Following death, God will judge us and we will either go to heaven, hell or purgatory. Catholics pray for those in purgatory so that they can go to heaven swiftly to be with God.
To be clear, both All Souls' Day and All Saints' Day are prayer days associated with the Catholic Church. But members of other Christian churches also observe these holidays. In some parts of the world, the celebrations incorporate indigenous traditions and beliefs as well.
Roman Catholic doctrine holds that the prayers of the faithful on earth will help cleanse these souls in order to fit them for the vision of God in heaven, and the day is dedicated to prayer and remembrance. Requiem masses are commonly held, and many people visit and sometimes decorate the graves of loved ones.
All Souls' Day Superstition
It was believed that All Souls' night when the dead revisited their homes, so lit candles were left out to guide them and meals and wine were left as refreshment.
The second and third roles of Michael in Catholic teachings deal with death. In his second role, he is the angel of death, carrying the souls of Christians to heaven.
Altogether, the Catholic Church has taught by the universal and ordinary magisterium that Saints Enoch and Elijah were assumed into Heaven, and it teaches dogmatically and therefore infallibly that Mary was assumed into Heaven; that it is acceptable as a pious belief that Saint Joseph was assumed into Heaven; and that ...
Originally (prior to Vatican II) Catholics were required to pray and fast before great solemnity feast days, including All Saints' Day. This fast included abstinence from meat, so the traditional recipes for celebrating All Hallows' Eve are penitential in nature.
The root word of Halloween is ''hallow,'' which means ''holy. '' The suffix “een” is an abbreviation of “evening.” Halloween refers to the Eve of All Hallows, the night before All Saints' Day, the Christian holy day that honors saintly people of the past. All Souls' Day is a day to pray for all souls.