In Sagada, a mountain town in the Philippines, people observe All Saints’ Day by lighting fires in a cemetery at night, a practice described as solemn and meant to honour departed loved ones. Multiple outlets say the ceremony, known as Panag-aapoy, uses small pinewood bonfires that burn through the night and turn the foggy hillside into a glow.
Coverage frames the tradition as both religious observance and remembrance. Rappler emphasizes the fires as a way to warm and guide spirits. Free Malaysia Today highlights the “eerie” nature of the ceremony and notes it has marked All Saints’ Day for a long period. Inquirer.net reports on the event’s long-running history and identifies the Episcopal Church of Saint Mary the Virgin as the cemetery’s owner, including details about the burial ground.
While the core facts align across outlets—location, date, name of the ceremony, and the use of bonfires—each source varies in tone and emphasis, with some focusing on atmosphere and others on institutional context.
