Learn all about All Souls' Day in Brazil
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| Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class - Holidays in Brazil Series at PortuguesePod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind holidays and observances in Brazil. I’m Becky, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 14 - All Souls' Day or Dia de Finados in Portuguese |
| In this lesson, we will learn about the time of remembrance and mourning – the holiday of All Souls' Day. |
| This day is a national holiday, and we will see what people do on this day to honor and remember their loved ones who have passed on. |
| Now, before we get into more detail, I've got a question for you- |
| The word Saudade exists in the Portuguese and Galician languages. Do you know what it means? |
| If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later, so keep listening! |
| All Souls' Day is a Catholic holy day celebrated on November 2. On this day, people pray for the eternal life of their deceased loved ones. This holy day is celebrated on the second, because November 1 is All Saints’ Day in Brazil, when we pray for the souls of all known and unknown saints and martyrs. |
| Although All Souls' Day is a celebration of the eternal life of those who are gone, it is usually observed in Brazil as a day of sadness, when good times are remembered, but also the pain and grief of our loss. In the days leading up to the Day of Remembrance, many people visit cemeteries, or cemitério, to tend the graves of their relatives. And on All Souls' Day itself, families take flowers and candles to the cemeteries, and pray for the souls of their loved ones. |
| During the celebration of mass, it is also customary to request recital of a prayer in the names of the deceased. |
| A flower commonly used to decorate the graves is the chrysanthemum, or crisântemo. Do you know why? It symbolizes the sun and the rain, life and death, and its flowers are relatively cheap and very long-lasting. |
| The most common colors are white, red, and yellow. And the candle used to decorate the graves symbolizes the life of the one who has died, a light in the hearts of the living. |
| In Brazil, the expression "dying of…" or morrendo de is frequently used to express an extreme. For example, you could say, Estou morrendo de fome to mean "I'm dying of hunger" or Estou morrendo de vontade de tomar sorvete to mean "I'm dying for an ice-cream". |
| Now it's time to answer our quiz question- |
| The word Saudade exists in the Portuguese and Galician languages. Do you know what it means? |
| This word is used to describe the feeling of watching someone leave – it combines the feelings of loss, absence, distance, and love. It is said that this term dates back to the time when Portugal was first discovered. |
| How was this lesson? Did you learn anything interesting? |
| In your country, do you also have a special day for remembrance of those who have passed on? |
| Leave your comments on the lesson page at PortuguesePod101.com |
| And we'll see you in the next lesson! |
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