All Saints Day - Todos Los Santos
All Saints Day in Spain (Todos Los Santos) takes place on November 1st. It is a very important national public holiday when people from all over the country return to their town or village to lay flowers on the graves of deceased relatives. There are few religious days that mean quite so much to the ordinary people of Spain as All Saints’ Day, November 1st. Most people are aware that the Spanish consider themselves fortunate in having two birthdays each year, rather like the British queen. They have their customary birthday to commemorate the day they were born but, additionally, they also celebrate on the day of their personal patron saint. For most people, their patron saint will be the one after whom they were named.
However, on November 1st each year, the Feast of All of the Saints is held and this particular public holiday centers around remembering dead family members. Most people will visit the graves of relatives and decorate them with elaborate floral displays. Roads around cemeteries will be crammed with traffic, flower sellers line the streets and, in many places, additional public transport services are organized. Although this might sound over-commercialized and hectic, it is actually, for most people, a day of high emotions. The Eucharist, or Mass, will often be performed in the cemetery several times during the day.
One of the All Saints’ traditions across Spain is the performing of the play Don Juan Tenorio, written by José Zorrilla. The final act of this portrayal of Don Juan’s choice between salvation or hell is set in a cemetery, with the legendary lover lamenting over his betrayal of his dead lover. There are times when it is easy to forget how catholic Spain can be but All Saints’ Day is a powerful reminder of the importance of religion, and of the family, even in the modern age.
http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Spanish/donjuanpart1act1.htm
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