All Souls

In the western Church, to-day is All Souls. If one thinks about it, it is a day of eternal democracy. There is an equality in death. In Catholic countries graves were visited yesterday, or to-day. The eastern Church has several Saturdays about Lent for this. Even in some lands where atheism has made inroads, a remembrance on to-day occurs. Even in those lands familiar with lutheranism, Martin Luther, a man professing against the day. To-day is the Day of the Dead, when Mexican children eat candy skulls.

In the slavonic languages, either officially or traditionally, November is Listopad. Listopad means the leaves are falling. The western Church assigns the entire month for the dead, and some parishes leave out a book of the dead to list those dead to be prayed for. In northern climes there is much a melancholic air.

Judas Machabeus prayed for the dead:

(For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,) And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.—II Maccabees xii. 43-46.

two bouquets of marigolds on a Calvary Cemetery, Cleveland, O. mowed slope of pavers

People love those that have gone. Often it falls only to close family. In this climate, marigolds are still in bloom. Their color is accidentally similar to pumpkins. That hue is regular to these days. The tree leaves usually turn gold, orange, red and brown [this year, mostly darkish russet]. If one does not have the money for florist flowers, these grow easy and plentiful. They decorate graves. They smell, to some people they stink. It has a certain pungency that seems to fit funereal morbidity.

People tend graves sparingly in the United States. Part of it is cultural avoidance. But a century ago, it was different. People were still laid out on their homes for final viewing.

Gravestones were, more than now, in family plots. Some had central monuments with the family surname(s), surrounded with smaller tributary stones with family role (Mother, father, baby, grand other ...), or given name (Mary, John, Laura). Some times other biographical information, but not always. Some times there was no great family stone, just the small stone noting the relation (Mother or Brother [you know who was paying the stone]). The people who had the stone knew where it was, and who it was for; it was not necessary for more.

the last of a family row at Monroe Street Cemetery, Cleveland, O.