All Souls’ Day
The catholic church has commemorated its deceased believers since the first millennium. Families also remember their beloved who have already passed away. The week of All Souls’ Day is called All Souls’ Week. Catholics celebrate All Souls’ Day on November 2, the holiday after All Saints’ Day. In Hungary, the previously solely Catholic holiday has gradually become a holiday to commemorate the deceased regardless of religion.
On this day all sorts of prohibitions were introduced some of which could even last till Christmas. They were meant so as not to disturb the dead. In All Souls’ Week washing was forbidden, because people were afraid that when the dead come home, they would stand in water or the clothes would turn yellow. Houses were not whitewashed so that maggots wouldn’t invade them. On All Souls’ Day, people didn’t do any kind of digging, because it was believed that whoever did that, would become sick. From All Souls’ Day rain they tried to predict who would die in the coming year to scare each other. Sewing was particularly forbidden, because every stitch was considered to be a stab into the dead – this prohibition was in operation for the whole week.
On this day people visit, clean and mend the graves belonging to their loved ones, ornament them with flowers and wreaths and light candles and lampions in memory of the deceased. The more dead the family has, the more candles are lit. Some people believe that the freezing souls can get warm at the flame of the candles. Others believe that the candle must be lit so that the souls who are free to escape from the grave for this day could find the way back to return to their graves.
Yes, i noticed the brown spots on the base. But the overall feel of the photo is still monochrome. I love this kind of photos: in coloyr but deceiving the eye.
And such interesting beliefs described there.