The Health Sciences Library is hosting the annual Día de los Muertos/All Souls Day altar sponsored by the University of Arizona Health Sciences Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. 

The display is free and open for visitors to bring a photo or offering to contribute to the altar in honor of their loved ones. 

On Tuesday, November 2, at noon, join us in the Health Sciences Library’s lobby for a special blessing of the ofrenda (altar) by Deacon Joe Fitzgerald from the Banner-University Medical Center South Campus. Register for the event.

Many countries celebrate Día de los Santos (All Saints Day) on November 1 and Día de los Muertos (All Souls Day) on November 2, including the Southwest and parts of the Americas.

This is a ritual blend of Indigenous and Catholic traditions. Día de los Muertos is celebrated in many parts of the world as a time to remember loved ones and honor their memory. 

People visit gravesites and bring flowers, generally the cempasúchil (marigolds), food, and favorite beverages. Families decorate altars, also called an ofrenda/offering, dedicated to their loved ones. They adorn them with pictures, flowers, and special gifts while sharing food and music to celebrate the continuity of life and death.