Dia de los Muertos, San Antonio!

Irene and I followed the mission trail in San Antonio yesterday starting at the Alamo, which started its life as an early spanish mission.

More on the Alamo to come when I’m not so crammed for heading out on this cruise, but this post needs to be posted today because it IS Dia de los Muertos!

It doesn’t do me any good to save these photos for later, because today is the day! 

So before we head out this morning, I’m writing this post and getting it ready to post ahead.

Dia de los Muertos is a holiday observed throughout Mexico and around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died.

We started out thinking our day was focusing on a mission tour, but the missions are functioning parishes, and what we got was a wonderful opportunity to slow down, and pay attention to the lives that were being remembered and honored through this holiday.

From Wikipedia, oh faithful Wikipedia!

Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña (also Mission Concepcion) was established in 1716 as Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de los Hainais in East Texas. It was originally meant to be a base for converting the Hasinai. The mission was moved in 1731 to San Antonio. After its relocation most of the people in the mission were Pajalats who spoke a Coahuiltecan language. Founded by Franciscan friars, this is the best preserved of the Texas missions.

Info cards save my bacon!

Altar.

Loved ones who have passed remembered by family and friends.

Seeing these items makes the holiday very personal.

Each item and photograph has meaning.

Grooming items, food, favorite momentos.

My heart catches  as the photo of the infant boy on the right.

It’s one thing to hear of a holiday, a ritual, a custom – and another to find yourself in it, understanding why this day is so important to those who observe it.

I also found a video on the missions, by PBS!  It’s 12 minutes and worth watching!

I took many photos inside the mission showing the original frescoes that have been cleaned and uncovered.  They date to the 1700s. 

Click the image below if you are unable to view the slide show on your mobile device.  You’ll be taken to the photo album for viewing.

Mission Conception, San Antonio TX 2014

We only made it through the alamo, two missions and the basilica of the Little Flower during the course of yesterday.

I’ll be back in February and we hope to continue our tour and catch them all!

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