Date of publishing:
25.3.2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21104/CL.2026.1.05
The Český lid provides open access to all of its content under licenseCreative Commons Attribution NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International.
Abstract:
Religious holidays and ceremonies are stable points of remembrance of the dead in time and space across the globe. Since the twentieth century in Slovakia, commemorations of the dead have most often been associated with holidays such as Easter, Christmas, and All Saints Days, called Dušičky (Little Souls) in Slovakia. Dušičky is a triduum of festive days, including All Saints’ Eve on the 31st of October, All Saints’ Day on the 1st of November, and All Souls’ Day on the 2nd of November. During these holidays, remembrances and associated practices are concentrated in public places such as churches and graveyards, but also in private areas, such as the homes of the mourners. The paper focuses on the analysis of commemoration practices and rituals concerned with the dead during the triduum of religious holidays, Dušičky in rural Slovakia. The text will also analyze the diverse practices associated with the cemetery, graves, and the church carried out during this holiday season.
Keywords
religious holiday; remembrance of the dead; All Saints Day; All Souls Day; cemeteries
Article Text
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