In the Czech Republic, the festival of Dušičky (All Souls’ Day), celebrated on 2 November, has a long tradition as a day of remembrance for deceased friends and family members. Officially called Památka zesnulých (Remembrance of the Deceased), the day is more commonly known as Dušičky or Všech svatých (All Saints).
Customs on this day include attending church services and lighting candles on graves. Cemeteries become illuminated by a sea of flickering lights as relatives lay flowers and wreaths in memory of their loved ones.
The origins of All Souls’ Day trace back to the Celtic festival of Samhain. On the night of 31 October to 1 November, the Celts believed that the souls of the deceased returned to earth and could interact with the living. To guide them, they carved lanterns out of turnips—a tradition that later evolved into the Halloween custom of carving pumpkins.
In Christian tradition, All Souls’ Day was officially introduced by the Benedictine abbot Odilo of Cluny in 998 to honor the dead and supplant pagan practices. The 2nd of November eventually became the official day of remembrance, positioned one day after All Saints’ Day.
Throughout Central Europe, including the Czech Republic, people customarily visit graves, lay flowers, and light candles on this day. The act of remembering the departed and contemplating eternal life brings people together, whether they are believers or not, transforming cemeteries with a unique and solemn radiance.
