The Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) is the Mexican tradition of remembering deceased loved ones with an ofrenda, or altar, candles, flowers and prayer. Here is a Day of the Dead prayer you can say in front of your ofrenda on November 1 and 2, with a short version and answers to common questions.
Related for this season: Day of the Dead altar: meaning and what to put on it · Day of the Dead altar decorations at home · All Souls' Day prayer
What is the Day of the Dead?
The Day of the Dead blends pre-Hispanic customs with the Catholic feasts of All Saints (November 1) and All Souls (November 2). UNESCO recognized it in 2008 as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It is not a sad or scary occasion: families welcome their dead with flowers, light, food and prayer. According to the most common custom, deceased children are remembered on November 1 and adults on November 2. It is not the same as Halloween.
Day of the Dead prayer
Lord of life and of death, on these days when we remember those who have gone before us on the road, we place before you their names and faces (name your departed loved ones here).
Thank you for the time you gave us with them, for what they taught us and for the love they left behind. Receive them in your peace, forgive whatever they left undone and give them the joy of your presence.
Bless this ofrenda we have prepared with love. May the light of the candles and the scent of the flowers be a sign that we have not forgotten them. Give us also comfort and hope to keep walking until the day of our reunion. Amen.
A short version
Lord, on this Day of the Dead we entrust to you our departed loved ones. Grant them eternal rest, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
How and when to say this prayer
It is usually said in front of the ofrenda once it is set up, with the candles lit and the family gathered. One person can read it aloud, or everyone can repeat it together, naming each person being remembered. Many families follow it with the Our Father, the Hail Mary or a rosary for the souls of the departed. What matters most is the intention behind the prayer.
What goes on an ofrenda?
- Photographs of the departed.
- Candles and flowers, especially marigolds (cempasúchil), whose color and scent are said to guide souls home.
- Incense or copal.
- Water and salt.
- Pan de muerto and the favorite food and drink of the person remembered.
- Papel picado (cut paper) and sugar skulls.
Frequently asked questions about the Day of the Dead
There is no single required prayer. Families usually say a prayer of remembrance asking for eternal rest for their dead, often followed by the Our Father, the Hail Mary or a rosary.
It is celebrated from October 31 to November 2. In many communities children are remembered on November 1 and adults on November 2.
No. Halloween is an Anglo-Saxon holiday held on October 31. The Day of the Dead is a Mexican tradition of remembrance with pre-Hispanic and Catholic roots.
Yes. It is a tradition of love and respect that anyone can practice, as long as it is done with care and without trivializing its meaning.
It is a popular tradition that combines Catholic feasts with indigenous customs. Many families live it as an act of faith and memory.