CLEARWATER, Fla., Oct. 31, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On October 27, 40 families and children delighted in a traditional Mexican-style Day of the Dead Celebration at the Clearwater Community Volunteers (CCV) Center. The celebration, in honor of the Catholic and ancient Aztec-steeped history of the holiday, was organized in partnership with the Way to Happiness Association Tampa Bay. While instructing about the holiday, the event taught families about “Respecting the Religious Beliefs of Others.”
The Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, is a traditional Mexican holiday where families and friends commemorate the lives of departed loved ones with joyous festivities and foods that the deceased persons enjoyed in life. During the holiday it’s believed that the boundary between the land of the dead and the land of the living disappears and families can be reunited with their lost loved ones again, hence festivities that both the living and dead participate in to celebrate the unification.
A volunteer delivered a seminar on the history of the Dia de los Muertos holiday and the precept “Respect the Religious Beliefs of Others” from The Way to Happiness by humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard.
In giving examples of how he could apply what he just learned at the seminar, a Muslim father said “This workshop taught me more about respect. Because we work with other [non-Muslim] people, usually for more time than we spend with our family, we need to get along with others and respect them too.”
Following the seminar children got their face painted before they took part in making paper Calaveras, or “Sugar Skulls”, the colorful skulls that are symbolic of the holiday, and took photos at the Day of the Dead photo station inside the CCV Center.
“The Day of the Dead originates with Aztec rituals dedicated to the “Lady of the Dead”, known in modern times as ‘La Calavera Catrina’, which lasted for an entire month,” said Michael Soltero, Manager of the CCV Center. “Today, the festivities carry on for 2 days. The first day, Dia de los Inocentes, is to honor deceased children or infants with the second day, Dia de los Muertos, for adults. Without tolerance and respect for others beliefs such traditions wouldn’t survive to grace our cultures today.”
The Center’s next event is a safe trick or treating and Halloween Movie Night on Thursday, October 31st.
To find out more information about the CCV Center please call Michael Soltero at (727) 316-5309 or email ccvcenter@ccvfl.org.
About the Clearwater Community Volunteers:
The Clearwater Community Volunteers (CCV) have over 26 years of community service under their belt with over 150,000 families and children helped since their founding in 1992. Sponsored by the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, they stay true to their reputation of helping others with their center located on the corner of Fort Harrison Avenue and Drew Street in downtown Clearwater. Based on fundamentals developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, the CCV Center works with area non-profits to help these groups better attain their goals.
Michael Soltero
(727) 316-5309
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2a70214d-05cb-47ef-94fe-f7d2bfa6deb9