The Day of the Dead is on November 2nd, not to be confused with All Saints’ Day, which is celebrated on the 1st. This day was established by Odilo, abbot of the Benedictine monastery of Cluny, in 998 for the repose of the deceased who have not yet reached Paradise and who are still in Purgatory.
Cleaning the graves and adorning them with flowers to honor the memory of the deceased is normally done on November 2nd. The Day of the Dead follows All Saints’ Day, but it is not a public holiday!
However, it is often on November 1st, which is a public holiday, that families place chrysanthemums and other flowers in cemeteries.
Chrysanthemums are flowers that are given for weddings in Japan, but in France, they are the flowers of cemeteries, adding colors for the occasion. More than 20 million pots are placed each year.
This tradition is important for many families, and the pain is palpable when they cannot fulfill this duty of remembrance.
