These days The Day of the Dead holiday blends the cultures of the Aztec and Spanish Conquistadors.
When the Spaniards arrived in Mexico, they encountered two-month celebrations honoring death, For thousands of years, the goddess Mictlantecuhtli (Lady of the Dead) presided over Aztec harvest rituals using fires and incense, images of their dead, and offerings of ceramics, personal goods, flowers and foods, drink, and flowers.
The church attempted to transform the joyous celebration to a suitably tragic image of death and a serious day of prayer reflecting on the saints and martyrs. The people of Mexico did not fully adopt the early priests' ideas, and by keeping their familiar ceremonies, All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day evolved into the celebrations we know today.
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