By ANITA HIRSCH

Special to The Press

The Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos was celebrated at Muhlenberg College beginning with a service conducted by Muhlenberg College Chaplain, the Rev. Janelle Neubauer, who gave a blessing, and Erika M. Sutherland, associate professor of Spanish and chair of the department of languages, literature and cultures, who read in Spanish from the Bible.

The days before, tables were covered with brightly colored fabric and decorated skulls and displays of photographs of relatives and friends who are departed from this world.

The actual holiday was celebrated Nov. 1 and 2 and, during that time, many more additions were made to the “ofrendas” or offerings, including baked bread, and platters of food and decorations to remind the dead to come back to share time and a meal with those who remember them.

The holiday originally began with the Aztec celebration to remember lost loved ones.

The Aztecs see death as something to be celebrated.

The dead are honored with “ofrendas” including candles, food, photographs and Mexican marigolds, known as cempasuchiles.

Catholic symbols, including crucifixes, are a large part of Dia de los Muertos.

Mexican families cook tamales, rice and sweetbread rolls and place the meals near a table or grave to commemorate their loved one.

These “ofrendas” are brought to honor the ancestor who had recently died.

The walls of the corner of the Muhlenberg Egner Chapel were decorated with cut paper decorations made by talented artist Jose Cooper, Sutherland’s husband.

These lovely and delicate decorations will be saved for next year’s display.

During the Dia de los Muertos, organ music was heard and a path of the marigold flowers led visitors into the chapel.