The Resurrection Project and St. Procopius Catholic School Celebrate "El Dia de los Muertos"
St. Procopius students march down 18th Street in a Dia de Los Muertos procession.
On Friday November 2nd at 10:30 am, 200 students at St. Procopius Catholic School processed down 18th Street to El Zocalo - the plaza outside TRP's offices. The procession was in solemn celebration of "El Dia de los Muertos", or The Day of the Dead, a traditional Mexican feast day that remembers and honors family members, friends, and loved ones who have gone before us.
The children marched with art and mementos they created to remember their deceased loved ones; upon arrival
at the destination, El Zócalo, parent volunteers constructed a traditional altar that will remain for days on the Zócalo, lit with candles.
A prayer and blessing was done, the children performed traditional Mexican dances (bailes folklóricos), students read from poems and stories they wrote about the day, and then everyone enjoyed tamales, pan dulce (sweet bread), and a
warm traditional beverage called atole.
El Día de los Muertos
(Day of the Dead) is an ancient tradition carried from pre-Columbian times and is celebrated throughout Mexico. A fusion of pre-Columbian and Catholic religious theology, El Día de los Muertos celebrates the lives of deceased loves ones. Cemeteries throughout Mexico come to life on the night of November 1st in preparation for El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
Families pay homage to their deceased loved ones by building ofrendas (altars), like the one that will be created on El Zócalo, with elements full of that person’s passions, such as flowers, foods, drinks, music, candles, and calaveras (skulls).
St. Procopius began the march 4 years ago in an effort to help its primarily Mexican-American student body remember and celebrate a cultural tradition.
St.
Procopius Catholic Church is one of Pilsen’s oldest parishes, started in the late 1880’s by Czech Catholics and now serving a predominantly Mexican-American congregation.
St. Procopius’s elementary school teaches over 200 children.The Resurrection Project partners each year with St. Procopius’s children to host the procession and service on El Zócalo.
This year, students from nearby St. Pius V school also joined the celebration on the Zócalo. The procession and celebration further
TRP’s vision for El Zócalo as a central community gathering place to celebrate art, culture, and heritage.
Click here to see lots of photos from the event!