The term death anniversary refers to a reminder or anniversary that recalls a sad or bleak episode. It is not a birthday of a person, much less the anniversary of a joyous date, but rather the memory of a sensitive event for a people.
The term is widely used in Mexico and Central America and not so much in the south of the American continent. Its use is not for everyday speech, but rather it is frequently cited in the media..
According to the Royal Spanish Academy, mournful means "sad" and "worthy of tears." That is why we speak of a mourning anniversary when referring to the memory of a person who has already passed away or is missing..
This type of ceremony should not be confused with All Dead's Day, All Souls 'Day or All Saints' Day, since mourning anniversaries refer to a particular person or event..
The etymology of luctuoso indicates that it comes from the Latin “luctus”, which means “lamentation”. Today a death anniversary is part of the rites and ceremonies that are given to the deceased, such as embalming, burial or wake..
The RAE also points out that in antiquity "sad" it was said of the right charged in some provinces by the prelates (high-ranking members of the Church) when their subjects died..
In those cases, that payment was through a jewel or clothing of the deceased, objects that could be indicated in the will or whatever the beneficiary chose.
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When an event of these characteristics is organized, it is generally because it is a person who is loved or respected within the community. In these cases there is usually a master of ceremony or speaker, who will give a few words about the person to remember and in the case of Catholic worship, a mass may also be celebrated in his memory..
In addition, when it comes to relevant characters within society, the act usually takes place in iconic places of that figure, such as a tribute to a writer organized in a library.
The date of his death may also coincide with the inauguration of a space or the discovery of a bust or plaque, always related to that person. In those cases in which the honoree is important, relevant local authorities usually go.
Examples of mourning ceremonies are the act that takes place every September 11 at "Zero Point" where the Twin Towers of New York, United States were located; or the tribute that takes place every May 1 at the Morumby Cemetery in São Paulo, Brazil, where the remains of former F1 driver Ayrton Senna rest.
Although these are events of public knowledge and that shocked a large part of the world, some point out that the performance of mourning rites is declining, due to the fact that there is a great distance from death, which produces an undisguised sentence that officiates as a wall against all emotional commitment.
-"Faithful and family gathered to celebrate the 62nd anniversary of the death of the idol of the people".
-"Authorities presented a postage stamp to commemorate the mourning centenary of the passage to immortality of the liberator José de San Martín".
-"They are preparing the ninth death anniversary of Bety Cariño".
-"Many admirers gathered at the mourning ceremony that took place in the same place where he died".
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