Remembering the souls who have gone before

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- A feast of traditional, delicious Mexican foods was

prepared and offered Friday at St. Joachim Church in Costa Mesa, but

nobody ate it.

Nobody from the living world, that is.

In celebration of Dia de los Muertos, translated in English as Day of

the Dead, members of the Eastside Catholic church prepared a customary

altar with offerings of favorite foods, drinks and candies for those who

have passed away. It is the first time the church has hosted an altar --

usually reserving the celebration for the traditional graveyard gathering

with other parishes -- but officials thought it was important to

represent the culture at the church.

“The Spanish-speaking people wanted to do it, and I said, ‘Sure,”’

Father Joseph Robillard said.

The holiday is meant to serve as a celebration of the lives of loved

ones, church member Patty Madueno said.

“We laugh about death. We are very aware of the natural cycle of

life,” Madueno said.

Dia de los Muertos demonstrates the staying power of indigenous

Mexicans, with roots that can be traced back to the Aztecs long before

they were conquered by Spain. Now, 3,000 years later, the celebration

varies by region and is mixed with Catholic and Aztec culture. Families

set up individual altars in their homes or organize family trips to the

graveyard to offer the items directly, but the focus remains the same: to

honor the lives of the dead.

“It shows we still have a strong hold on our traditions,” Madueno

said.

The holiday allows people in the community to come together and

discuss the lives of the dead. As people begin to recount favorite

memories or stories from deceased family members, they learn of

commonality among their neighbors, Madueno said.

“I will recount a story that my o7 abuelito f7 [grandfather] once

told me and somebody else will say, ‘Hey, my o7 abuelito f7 told me

that too,”’ she said.

Following in the tradition of unifying people, the celebration at St.

Joachim included a special memorial to those who died in the East Coast

terrorist attacks. Unlike somber memorials where the focus is to grieve,

Dia de los Muertos provides a day for people to spend some time with the

souls of the deceased and celebrate their lives, organizers said.

Margot Santos, who coordinated the altar at the church, said she tried

to keep the offerings as authentic as possible while adding items to

represent unification between Latino and American cultures.

Mixed in among traditional items -- such as photos of the deceased,

fragrant flowers and glowing candles -- was an American flag.

“We are all Americans, and we all experience death,” she said in

Spanish. “This is a celebration for the things we have in common.”

All the articles on the altar were placed to entice the dead back to

the land of the living, Santos said.

Candles are lighted so the souls can find their way on the long

journey, o7 pan de muertosf7 [bread of the dead] represents the souls

of the dead and fragrant flowers -- such as marigolds and chrysanthemums

-- are left to communicate with the dead through the sense of smell.

Bright, colorful artwork with dancing skeletons also adornthe altar,

giving death a cheerful mood. The use of vivid colors is important,

especially for children, to depict the loss of life in a favorable light,

Madueno said.

“It is very interesting to see how creative and ingenious our people

are. That part of our ancestry comes through so clear in our artwork,”

Madueno said.

Favorite foods, most often mole -- a thick, rich and often spicy sauce

-- and tamales are left for the adult souls. Candies and fruit are added

for younger souls.

“I remember thinking it was so weird to set up a tablecloth on a grave

when I was young. I remember thinking, we were just crying and mourning

this person and now we are laughing and celebrating,” Madueno said. “But

now I have come to understand the significance of the holiday.”

The altar will remain at the church at 1964 Orange Ave. for most of

the month, Santos said.

-- Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .