According to legend, the origin of All Souls Day is given by an 11th century Benedictine Monk, Peter Damiani, in his “Life of St Odilo” where a pilgrim meets a hermit after landing on a deserted island after a storm.  The hermit informed him of a chasm communicating with Purgatory where continuous groans of tortured souls could be heard. The hermit continues to tell of demons complaining about the efficiency of prayers to help rescue the victims of Purgatory from the faithful and the monks of Cluny in particular. After the abbot of Cluny heard the pilgrim’s story, he set Nov. 2 as a day of intercession on the part of his community for all the souls in Purgatory. 

In Ecuador, city dwellers in Quito, Loja, Ambato, and beyond come together on Dia de los Difuntos – as Day of the Dead is commonly referred to in Ecuador – to enjoy guaguas de pan (“bread babies”) and colada morada (“purple drink”) with their families. 

Cuenca’s Bakery, a family-run establishment in Chicago’s Irving Park, has been doing its part in promoting these two popular traditions during Ecuador’s Dia de los Difuntos. Since 2005, owner Julio Bonde and his nephew, Daniel Chiqui, have been selling guaguas de pan and colada morada on the special day – in addition to everyday Ecuadorian dishes like hornado (roasted pork) and seco de chivo (braised goat stew).