All Saints' and All Souls' Days: Diverse Christian customs

adapted from http://www.helium.com/items/379356-all-saints-and-all-souls-days-diverse-christian-customs

All Saints' Day and its close cousin, All Souls' Day, 1)__________ on 1) celebrate
November 1 and 2 in Christian countries around the world. As the numbers of
saints and martyrs 2)__________ __________, each with their own locally 2) continue / grow
celebrated feast day, the newly arisen Christian church quickly 3)__________ 3) recognise
the need for a common saints' and martyrs' festival. The day fluctuated
between several spring dates before Pope Gregory III finally 4)__________ the 4) fix
November date, and Pope Gregory IV 5)__________ it to a church-wide 5) extend
celebration in 835 AD. (Eastern Catholic and Orthodox traditions retain the
earlier, spring celebration.) Thus, while variations of the remembrance of the 6) exist
dead 6)__________ in most Christian and non-Christian traditions, All Saints'
Day is uniquely Roman Catholic. Even after the Reformation, it 7)__________ 7) become
so entrenched within the local culture that Anglican, and a few Lutheran 8) retain
churches, 8)__________ the festival.

Formal church celebrations of All Saints' Day honour all who 9)__________ for 9) die
Christianity. In the strict Latin observance, All Saints' Day 10)__________ a 10) consider
Holy Day of Obligation. Virtually every Roman Catholic church 11)__________ 11) schedule
special masses throughout this day, some interlinked with processions or
popular customs.

Popular celebrations of All Saints' Day most commonly incorporate the dual
elements of light and food. Candles and flowers 12)__________ grave sites, 12) place on
even balloons in the Philippines, and in some cases small offerings of food are
also appropriate. It is a time 13)__________ food to the poor. Almost every 13) donate
place which 14)__________ All Saints' Day __________ the day with a family 14) celebrate / complete
or community feast, and some places in Sweden additionally add an evening
concert.

In Austria and Germany, Allerheiligen (All Saints' Day) is part of a week-long

celebration and memorial for the dead, who 15)__________ __________ the 15) believe / walk
earth between noon on All Saints' Day until the pealing of bells on All Souls'
Day. Family members 16)__________ home for a great family meal at noon, 16) return
17)__________ a visit to the cemetery __________ the graves and 17) follow by / tend /
18)__________ flower arrangements and evergreen boughs. Afterwards the 18) bring
children 19)__________ gifts from their godparents. In a few places, children 19) receive
still 20)__________ the village from house to house, in a tradition similar to 20) go around
carolling.

In Mexico, All Saints' Day is the first of the two days of the Dia de Muertos, or
Day of the Dead. In addition to the traditional 21)__________ of cemeteries 21) visit
and 22)__________ of graves, families may __________ small altars inside 22) clean / create
their homes, with pictures of deceased relatives and the Virgin Mary. Traditional
foods such as pan de muerto ("bread of the dead") and sugar skulls
23)__________ as part of the greater celebration, and children __________ 23) serve / give
small toys.

In a few countries, such as Germany, November 1st is a national holiday. Even

where the holiday is no longer a national one, such as in Sweden, many stores
24)__________, and people __________ the day off work whenever possible 24) close / take
to spend time with family.

In places where the holiday 25)__________ a broad cultural base, such as in 25) not have
the United States, individual parishes often mark the two days with special
prayers and a procession between church and cemetery, although memorials
and 26)__________ flowers to the graves is usually left to All Souls' Day. 26) bring