Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) is a religious holiday combining the Death veneration rituals of Pre-Hispanic cultures with the Catholic practice. Based on the belief that the souls of the departed return to this world on that day, it is widely celebrated throughout Mexico. People gather together while either praying or joyfully eating, drinking, or parading in costumes through towns, to remember friends or family members who have died and to support their souls on the spiritual journey.