Visiting Cemetery of Our Lady Guadalupe, San Miguel de Allende  01.Nov.2025 - Mexico

For days beforehand, The Cemetery of Our Lady Guadalupe in San Miguel de Allende, like those across the country, is cleaned and weeded, the graves scrubbed and painted. Flowers, especially cempazuchitl, the Mexican marigold, are carried in by the armload. Candles, sugar skulls, gold paper decorations, and other items are brought in to decorate the graves. At the back of the the cemetery is the columbarium, a wall of small nichos where the urns or boxes of ashes of those who have been cremated are placed. It also tells us about cultural differences and ideas about life and death. It holds memories and tells stories. Each nicho has its plaque, its shelf for vases of flowers or perhaps a candle. But except for their square size, the nichos only uniformity is their lack of sameness. Some are bricked up. Others have rather plain cement slab fronts. Some have marble, others stone. Some are white, others pink; some have the names and dates carved, others are written by an unsteady hand. There's also a section dedicated to citizens of other countries. Some visitors feel a bit uneasy during the Day of the Dead festivities, but the vibrant and emotional atmosphere is undeniable. The cemetery has an ancient charm that adds to its allure. Whole families basically camp out at the graves of their loved ones, eat and drink and having a fine fiesta. Some families commemorate their loved ones to the accompaniment of music. (www.nomadwomen.com/cemetery-san-miguel-de-allende)