All Souls Day Boats

Although Halloween is gaining a little popularity with the older children here, the holiday we are celebrating this weekend is All Souls Day. Amelia’s kindergarten requested a few weeks ago that we bring an empty fish tin to school, to be made into a boat. Amelia gladly ate the whole can of mackerel for breakfast. This evening, we gathered at St. Martin’s Basilica for a church service. It was nice to see all of the school families there. The children sat in front in the huge church, and there was a long, solemn sermon about dying. Not that I understood it, but this is what my friend reported to me! Once we got through that, all of the little boats were passed out, with a votive candle glued to the inside. We made our way over to the Vils River, and one by one the children had their turn to go down the steps to the water, light their candle, and set it afloat. Then everyone followed the lights down the river a ways to the bridge, and watched them sail out of view. It was a nice ceremony, and fun to be out on a beautiful fall evening together.