Pan de muerto (Bread of the Dead)

Day of the Dead

Dia de Los Muertos ( Day of the Dead) is celebrated in Mexico and in some parts of the U.S. and Central America every year on November 1st and 2nd.

In the homes families arrange ofrenda's or "alters" with flowers, food, drinks, fruit, candy, and Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead). Pictures of deceased relatives are added. In the late afternoon special all night burning candles are lit in honor and remembrance of the deceased. It is believed that the spirits of the deceased return to consume the aromas and essence of the food.

In some parts of Mexico the celebration takes place in the cemetery at the gravesite. In the night vigil, whole families sit around the tombstones, and often mariachis or local musicians will go from gravesite to gravesite and play favorite songs of the person. The priest is often there, and will go and say prayers with each family.

Pan de Muerto represents the soul of the dead. The essence or the soul of the bread is consumed by the dead when they visit their loved ones.

The most common bread loaves are shaped round or oval (said to be the shape of one's soul). Little knobs and strips of dough on top represent bones and skulls. In some parts of Mexico, Pan de Muerto may be shaped as humans or animals.

Lent Season

Lent season is celebrated for 40 days begining on Ash Wednesday, the 7th Wednesday before Easter Sunday. It is tradition on Ash Wednesday for the faithful to have their foreheads signed with ashes in form of a cross.

All Sundays during Lent Season commemorate special events in the life of our lord, such as his Transfiguration and his Triumph Entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, which begins Holy Week. Holy week climaxes with Holy Thursday, on which Christ celebrated the first Mass, Good Friday, on which he was Crucified, and Holy Saturday -- the last day of Lent -- during which Our Lord lay in the tomb before his Resurrection on Easter Sunday, the first day after Lent.

The Crusification of Christ is celebrated on all Fridays throughout Lent by fasting from eating flesh meat. Some common Lent meals include fish, nopalitos, and chile rellenos. Also, the delicious and traditional "Capirotada" is eaten - a kind of dessert made of raisins, pecans, butter, milk, cheese, brown sugar, grahea, and the key ingredient - sliced crusty Bolillos or in some parts of Mexico, sliced Picones, Volcanes, or Torrehas.

These special breads give body and flavor to the traditional dessert which we all look forward to enjoying during the season of Lent.

Three Kings Day

On the night when Christ was born, three wise men saw a bright star, followed it to Bethlehem and found there Baby Jesus and presented the Christ Child with gold, frankincense, and myrth.

Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings Day) falls on January 6, day of the Epiphany. In Mexico, it is when children receive the majority of their gifts (rather than Christmas). Children anxiously await waking up to find toys and gifts left by Los Reyes Magos. In some regions it is customary to leave out shoes where treasures may be deposited by the visiting Wise Men.

A special crown shaped sweet bread called Rosca de Reyes decorated with jewel like candied fruit is served on January 6. A small plastic doll which represents the Christ Child is baked into the dough. This represents the hiding of Baby Jesus from Herod's army. When King Herod ordered the execution of all children under 3 years of age, Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt looking for a hiding place for their son.

On January 6 friends and family gather at the Rosca de Reyes party and each person cuts his or her own slice of Rosca. There is much excitment for whoever gets the piece containing the plastic doll becomes the god parent of the baby and is obligated to host a traditional "Tamalada" on February 2nd Candleman's Day, or Dia de la Candelaria. A Tamalada is a party where guests are offered Tamales and Champurrado (a hot chocolate drink thickened with corn masa).