Celebrating Dia de los Muertos

Pilsen artist Juan Carlos Torres paints an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe during a celebration of Dia de los Muertos at St. Precopius Providence of God Parish in Pilsen on Oct. 31, 2021. Parish ministries volunteered at the many different food booths and parishioners made altars (ofrendas) for their loved ones who passed away, which parish clergy blessed. There were also special altars for pets that lined the streets. Local artists created art while participants watched and dance groups performed every hour throughout the event. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Melvin Hall and Maribel Chavez, from the Soup Kitchen Ministry, prepare nachos and pozole for participants looking for a bite to eat at the event. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Luz Ma Moreno prepares tamales for customers in the booth run by ministers of Holy Communion. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Vendors sell their wares. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Vendors sell their wares. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A display at the celebration. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Dancers dressed in traditional ethnic garb perform for participants. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Dancers dressed in traditional ethnic garb perform for participants. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A participant dances with a performer dressed in traditional ethnic garb. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A participant dances with a performer dressed in traditional ethnic garb. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Family altars are lined up at the church. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A family altar. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

An altar to a pet beside the sidewalk of the church. Organizers placed altars to pets along the sidewalks in honor of where they walked with their owners. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

The parish decorated the street for the celebration. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A large ofrenda on display. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Stephanie and Melanie Trujillo light candles at the ofrenda they created of their family. Families created traditional altars on the grounds surrounding the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines in honor of their deceased loved ones, with photos, memorabilia, their favorite foods and the traditional pan de muerto, or bread of the dead, to celebrate Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, on Nov. 2, 2021. Priests and deacons from the shrine blessed the altars following a Mass for All Souls’ Day in the chapel. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A large altar on display. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Itzel Cabrera paints the face of Audrey Huizenga. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Deacon Miguel Ángel Ramos blesses the altar of the Noiasco-Gaitan family. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Members of the Noiasco-Gaitan family sit by their family altar. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A family altar. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Deacon Miguel Vargas looks over the loved ones lost with members of the Trujillo family. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A family altar. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A woman sits near her family’s altar while people walk around the grounds viewing the many “ofrendas.” (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Deacon Miguel Ángel Ramos blesses the altar of the Melendez family. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

The Melendez family gather for a family photo. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)