This weekend we have the last Monday of May, and we celebrate Memorial Day in United States. It originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War. Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service.
In Brazil, 'Dia de Finados' (Day of the Dead) is celebrated November 2nd. It is celebrated after November 1st, that is the Day of all Saints holiday. Inmany countries, Latinos like Cuba, Mexico (Día de los Muertos), Puerto Rico, some from Central and South America that has Spanish cultures, and those that has their language root in Latin, like Italy, France and Portugal or Brazil, have had their date introduced by Odilio, a munk from a Benedict monastery in Cluny, France.
In other countries, the culture of care and visit the cemitery and pray for the dead varies.
In the Netherlands, people commemorate their dead on the 4th of May. They commonly keep a minute's silence starting at 20:00 hrs.
In Germany, they have Volkstrauertag which comes in November and it honors all who died in war. T/hey still have the Totensonntag (Death's sunday) in November, too, which was originally made up to remember the fallen soldiers of the German Free War - against Napoleon I.
In the U.K. they have Remembrance Sunday celebrated on the Sunday nearest to November 11th every year, with two minutes silence at 11am to commemorate the date and time of the 1918 armistice. Remembrance Sunday remembers the dead of both World Wars and of all conflicts the British have been in since, such as Korea,The Falklands, The Gulf,and Northern Ireland. France and Belgium also celebrate the 11th November for the same reason.
In Australia they have ANZAC Day, which is held on the 25th of April. That date was the day that the ANZAC's hit the shores of Gallipoli. They traditionally have a dawn service, followed by the old diggers marching down city streets. The day honours veterans and the mates they left behind from all wars.
Israel has two memorial days. Holocaust Remembrance Day, and a week later Memorial Day for IDF members. Since they use a lunar calendar, the days can fall anytime from mid-April to mid-May.
Canada observes Remembrance Day each year on November 11th. It is typically accompanied by a service in Ottawa, and parades around the country. Veterans groups (the Royal Canadian Legion) sell plastic poppies that you wear as a pin. Different parts of the country observe the day differently.
If your country is not here, I would love to hear how and when do you celebrate your dead.
Independent on how and when you celebrate this day, your culture or tradition to do so, Memorial Day is not about division; it is about reconciliation.
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