The Healing Journey

October 31, 2023

Father Diego Jimenez, pastor of All Saints-Todos los Santos Parish in Waterbury, still remembers the November nights as a child in Colombia when the “animero” would walk through town, neighborhood to neighborhood, ringing a bell from midnight to 4 a.m. and leading a procession of souls out of the cemetery so people could pray for them.

In an interview, Father recalled: “‘The animero is coming and the souls are in the street!’ my mother would tell me and my sister Paula, but we were afraid to go to the window.”

Throughout the month, in observance of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), the man led the nocturnal procession that began in the cemetery and wended its way through the streets, in an appeal to the living to pray for the dead.

“We were afraid because we didn’t want to see the souls in the street, but we prayed, when my grandmother told us, ‘Now, we have to pray the rosary,” he said.

Every year, Father’s family made an altar that was adorned with a crucifix, a statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a Bible, and pictures of grandparents, uncles and cousins who died, surrounded by flowers and candles, along with a glass of water, signifying their baptism. For the entire month, they prayed and celebrated Masses in their memory.

“This is part of our expression of the faith,” he said. “It reminds us that we have company in Heaven, and we can ask for the intercession of all the souls.”

Every year during November, he pays special homage to three grandparents, five uncles and three cousins who died … along with the priest who inspired his vocation and occupies a special place in his heart.

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