It is All Saints Day today, November 1.
It is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honor of all saints. It is shared by all Christian churches – the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Churches, Lutheran Churches, the Anglican Communion, the Methodist Church, the Philippine Independent Church and other Protestant Churches around the world.
Together with All Souls Day tomorrow, November 2, it is celebrated in the Philippines as Undas. On this and succeeding days, Filipinos visit the graves of their departed loved ones, offer flowers, light candles, and pray. It is one of two days of the year – the other being Good Friday -- when Filipinos in the cities traditionally return enmasse to their provinces to honor their ancestors in the old cemeteries.
In Metro Manila, all the cemeteries are full of residents during Undas making their annual visit to family graves. But not this year. This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, all cemeteries in Metro Manila have been closed by the local governments to avoid the usual massing of people. It is such mass gatherings which have caused the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Since March, Metro Manila and other the whole of Luzon, and other parts of the country have been locked down under various levels of restriction. Today, seven and a half months later, Metro Manila and six other areas of the country have remained under General Community Quarantine. It has just been extended to the end of November. It may yet be extended again to December.
All over the world, the pandemic continues to spread today, with most countries of Europe and in the United States now suffering in a second wave. We have not suffered as much as many other nations, largely because we imposed restrictions on mass gatherings early and we have been more compliant with personal restrictions than most other people.
And so the nation observes Undas today without the traditional mass visits to cemeteries. We will observe it in our homes and in our hearts this year.