At the beginning of November, cemeteries in the Czech Republic once again transform into seas of candlelight. Families come together to honour deceased friends and relatives, decorate graves, and spend a quiet moment in reflection.
On Sunday, 2 November, when countless candles once again illuminate cemeteries throughout the Czech Republic, many people observe Dušičky – the day of remembrance for departed friends and family members. Officially known as Památka zesnulých (Commemoration of the Dead), it is more commonly referred to simply as Dušičky or sometimes Všech svatých (All Saints).
For many Czechs, this day is a firmly rooted part of the yearly calendar. Families visit the graves of their relatives, adorn them with flowers and wreaths, and light candles whose glow in the darkness symbolises both hope and remembrance. At this time, cemeteries resemble seas of a thousand lights – a silent yet powerful sign of connection with the departed.
The roots of this custom reach far back in time. In Celtic culture, the night from 31 October to 1 November was considered a period when the boundary between the world of the living and the dead was especially thin. To light the way for the souls, people carved lanterns from turnips – a tradition that later evolved in the Anglo-Saxon world into modern-day Halloween.
In Christian Europe, the day of remembrance eventually took on a formal shape. In the year 998, Benedictine Abbot Odilo of Cluny established 2 November as the official day of prayer for the deceased – immediately following All Saints’ Day. In this way, ancient customs merged with the ecclesiastical calendar.
Today, Dušičky is for many less a religious holiday and more a moment of quiet reflection. Whether believers or not, most Czechs use the day to pause, remember, and express gratitude.
