On Sunday, thousands of Filipinos gathered at cemeteries across Manila for Undas, visiting graves and sharing meals and prayers.
The Story
Lorita Santos marked All Saints’ Day by visiting the graves of her father and three other relatives during Undas, a tradition observed across Manila when families flock to cemeteries to remember loved ones.
For generations, the custom—known locally as Undas—brings families together to honour the dead, and the name is said to come from the Spanish word “honras,” meaning “honors.” Santos said, “Just because they have passed away does not mean we should forget them,” as she described offering flowers and candles, praying, and sharing snacks with her family.
Santos grew up visiting graves even outside All Saints’ Day and said she is now teaching her children to carry on the tradition, adding, “We pass this on to our children to make sure they are aware of the tradition, so that if something happens to us, they know what to do.” She also recalled how her father would give his children and grandchildren small gifts every payday.
The tradition is rooted in Catholic observances that fall on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, but it also reflects customs that predate Spanish colonization, including beliefs around ancestor veneration. Nestor Castro, an anthropology lecturer at the University of the Philippines Diliman, said there was “a very long tradition of ancestor worship in the Philippines,” with ancestral spirits honoured through offerings such as food and other gifts.
Castro said the practice evolved after Spanish rule began in 1565, when Catholicism and new religious practices were introduced, with some influences that may have come from Mexico. He said family gatherings during periods like funeral wakes also help relatives—especially those living far away—reunite, calling those moments “a binding event.”
Across the Philippines, Castro said death is also a time to strengthen family ties, with foods such as sticky rice cakes often shared to symbolize kinship through their sticky texture. For Mike Mamaril, a 42-year-old school maintenance employee, visiting his parents’ graves is a tradition he learned from his grandparents and continues each year when possible, describing the visits as a chance to reminisce about both serious memories and lighter stories from childhood. “We always talk about who among us got scolded the most,” he said.
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