Day of the Dead - wikipedia Day of the Dead Jump to : navigation , search This article is about the Mexican holiday . For other uses , see Day of the Dead ( disambiguation ) . Day of the Dead Día de Muertos altar commemorating a deceased man in Milpa Alta , México DF Observed by Mexico , and regions with large Hispanic populations Type Cultural Syncretic Christian Significance Prayer and remembrance of friends and family members who have died Celebrations Creation of altars to remember the dead , traditional dishes for Day of the Dead Begins October 31 Ends November 2 Date October 31 Next time 31 October 2018 ( 2018 - 10 - 31 ) Frequency Annual Related to All Saints ' Day The Day of the Dead ( Spanish : Día de Muertos ) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico , in particular the Central and South regions , and by people of Mexican ancestry living in other places , especially the United States . It is acknowledged internationally in many other cultures . The multi-day holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died , and help support their spiritual journey . In 2008 , the tradition was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO . The holiday is sometimes called Día de los Muertos in Anglophone countries , a back - translation of its original name , Día de Muertos . It is particularly celebrated in Mexico where the day is a public holiday . Prior to Spanish colonization in the 16th century , the celebration took place at the beginning of summer . Gradually , it was associated with October 31 , November 1 , and November 2 to coincide with the Western Christianity triduum of Allhallowtide : All Saints ' Eve , All Saints ' Day , and All Souls ' Day . Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars called ofrendas , honoring the deceased using calaveras , aztec marigolds , and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed , and visiting graves with these as gifts . Visitors also leave possessions of the deceased at the graves . Scholars trace the origins of the modern Mexican holiday to indigenous observances dating back hundreds of years and to an Aztec festival dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl . The holiday has spread throughout the world , being absorbed into other deep traditions in honor of the dead . It has become a national symbol and as such is taught ( for educational purposes ) in the nation 's schools . Many families celebrate a traditional `` All Saints ' Day '' associated with the Catholic Church . Originally , the Day of the Dead as such was not celebrated in northern Mexico , where it was unknown until the 20th century because its indigenous people had different traditions . The people and the church rejected it as a day related to syncretizing pagan elements with Catholic Christianity . They held the traditional ' All Saints ' Day ' in the same way as other Christians in the world . There was limited Mesoamerican influence in this region , and relatively few indigenous inhabitants from the regions of Southern Mexico , where the holiday was celebrated . In the early 21st century in northern Mexico , Día de Muertos is observed because the Mexican government made it a national holiday based on educational policies from the 1960s ; it has introduced this holiday as a unifying national tradition based on indigenous traditions . The Mexican Day of the Dead celebration is similar to other societies ' observances of a time to honor the dead . The Spanish tradition , for instance , includes festivals and parades , as well as gatherings of families at cemeteries to pray for their deceased loved ones at the end of the day . Contents ( hide ) 1 Observance in Mexico 1.1 Origins 1.2 Beliefs 1.3 Food 2 Observances outside Mexico 2.1 Americas 2.1. 1 Belize 2.1. 2 Bolivia 2.1. 3 Brazil 2.1. 4 Guatemala 2.1. 5 Ecuador 2.1. 6 Peru 2.1. 7 United States 2.1. 7.1 California 2.2 Asia 2.2. 1 Goa , India 2.2. 2 The Philippines 2.3 Europe 2.4 Oceania 3 Similar traditions 4 In popular culture 5 See also 6 References 6.1 Notes 7 Further reading Observance in Mexico Origins Woman lighting copal incense at the cemetery during the `` Alumbrada '' vigil in San Andrés Mixquic The Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico developed from ancient traditions among its pre-Columbian cultures . Rituals celebrating the deaths of ancestors had been observed by these civilizations perhaps for as long as 2,500 -- 3,000 years . The festival that developed into the modern Day of the Dead fell in the ninth month of the Aztec calendar , about the beginning of August , and was celebrated for an entire month . The festivities were dedicated to the goddess known as the `` Lady of the Dead '' , corresponding to the modern La Calavera Catrina . By the late 20th century in most regions of Mexico , practices had developed to honor dead children and infants on November 1 , and to honor deceased adults on November 2 . November 1 is generally referred to as Día de los Inocentes ( `` Day of the Innocents '' ) but also as Día de los Angelitos ( `` Day of the Little Angels '' ) ; November 2 is referred to as Día de los Muertos or Día de los Difuntos ( `` Day of the Dead '' ) . Beliefs This section needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . ( October 2017 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) Frances Ann Day summarizes the three - day celebration , the Day of the Dead : `` On October 31 , All Hallows Eve , the children make a children 's altar to invite the angelitos ( spirits of dead children ) to come back for a visit . November 1 is All Saints Day , and the adult spirits will come to visit . November 2 is All Souls Day , when families go to the cemetery to decorate the graves and tombs of their relatives . The three - day fiesta is filled with marigolds , the flowers of the dead ; muertos ( the bread of the dead ) ; sugar skulls ; cardboard skeletons ; tissue paper decorations ; fruit and nuts ; incense , and other traditional foods and decorations . '' -- Latina and Latino Voices in Literature People go to cemeteries to be with the souls of the departed and build private altars containing the favorite foods and beverages , as well as photos and memorabilia , of the departed . The intent is to encourage visits by the souls , so the souls will hear the prayers and the comments of the living directed to them . Celebrations can take a humorous tone , as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed . Mexican cempasúchil ( marigold ) is the traditional flower used to honor the dead Cempasúchil , alfeñiques and papel picado used to decorate an altar Plans for the day are made throughout the year , including gathering the goods to be offered to the dead . During the three - day period families usually clean and decorate graves ; most visit the cemeteries where their loved ones are buried and decorate their graves with ofrendas ( altars ) , which often include orange Mexican marigolds ( Tagetes erecta ) called cempasúchil ( originally named cempoaxochitl , Nāhuatl for `` twenty flowers '' ) . In modern Mexico the marigold is sometimes called Flor de Muerto ( Flower of Dead ) . These flowers are thought to attract souls of the dead to the offerings . Toys are brought for dead children ( los angelitos , or `` the little angels '' ) , and bottles of tequila , mezcal or pulque or jars of atole for adults . Families will also offer trinkets or the deceased 's favorite candies on the grave . Some families have ofrendas in homes , usually with foods such as candied pumpkin , pan de muerto ( `` bread of dead '' ) , and sugar skulls ; and beverages such as atole . The ofrendas are left out in the homes as a welcoming gesture for the deceased . Some people believe the spirits of the dead eat the `` spiritual essence '' of the ofrendas food , so though the celebrators eat the food after the festivities , they believe it lacks nutritional value . Pillows and blankets are left out so the deceased can rest after their long journey . In some parts of Mexico , such as the towns of Mixquic , Pátzcuaro and Janitzio , people spend all night beside the graves of their relatives . In many places , people have picnics at the grave site , as well . Families tidying and decorating graves at a cemetery in Almoloya del Río in the State of Mexico , 1995 Some families build altars or small shrines in their homes ; these sometimes feature a Christian cross , statues or pictures of the Blessed Virgin Mary , pictures of deceased relatives and other people , scores of candles , and an ofrenda . Traditionally , families spend some time around the altar , praying and telling anecdotes about the deceased . In some locations , celebrants wear shells on their clothing , so when they dance , the noise will wake up the dead ; some will also dress up as the deceased . Public schools at all levels build altars with ofrendas , usually omitting the religious symbols . Government offices usually have at least a small altar , as this holiday is seen as important to the Mexican heritage . Those with a distinctive talent for writing sometimes create short poems , called calaveras ( skulls ) , mocking epitaphs of friends , describing interesting habits and attitudes or funny anecdotes . This custom originated in the 18th or 19th century after a newspaper published a poem narrating a dream of a cemetery in the future , `` and all of us were dead '' , proceeding to read the tombstones . Newspapers dedicate calaveras to public figures , with cartoons of skeletons in the style of the famous calaveras of José Guadalupe Posada , a Mexican illustrator . Theatrical presentations of Don Juan Tenorio by José Zorrilla ( 1817 -- 1893 ) are also traditional on this day . Modern representations of Catrina José Guadalupe Posada created a famous print of a figure he called La Calavera Catrina ( `` The Elegant Skull '' ) as a parody of a Mexican upper - class female . Posada 's striking image of a costumed female with a skeleton face has become associated with the Day of the Dead , and Catrina figures often are a prominent part of modern Day of the Dead observances . A common symbol of the holiday is the skull ( in Spanish calavera ) , which celebrants represent in masks , called calacas ( colloquial term for skeleton ) , and foods such as sugar or chocolate skulls , which are inscribed with the name of the recipient on the forehead . Sugar skulls can be given as gifts to both the living and the dead . Other holiday foods include pan de muerto , a sweet egg bread made in various shapes from plain rounds to skulls and rabbits , often decorated with white frosting to look like twisted bones . The traditions and activities that take place in celebration of the Day of the Dead are not universal , often varying from town to town . For example , in the town of Pátzcuaro on the Lago de Pátzcuaro in Michoacán , the tradition is very different if the deceased is a child rather than an adult . On November 1 of the year after a child 's death , the godparents set a table in the parents ' home with sweets , fruits , pan de muerto , a cross , a rosary ( used to ask the Virgin Mary to pray for them ) and candles . This is meant to celebrate the child 's life , in respect and appreciation for the parents . There is also dancing with colorful costumes , often with skull - shaped masks and devil masks in the plaza or garden of the town . At midnight on November 2 , the people light candles and ride winged boats called mariposas ( butterflies ) to Janitzio , an island in the middle of the lake where there is a cemetery , to honor and celebrate the lives of the dead there . In contrast , the town of Ocotepec , north of Cuernavaca in the State of Morelos , opens its doors to visitors in exchange for veladoras ( small wax candles ) to show respect for the recently deceased . In return the visitors receive tamales and atole . This is done only by the owners of the house where someone in the household has died in the previous year . Many people of the surrounding areas arrive early to eat for free and enjoy the elaborate altars set up to receive the visitors . In some parts of the country ( especially the cities , where in recent years other customs have been displaced ) children in costumes roam the streets , knocking on people 's doors for a calaverita , a small gift of candies or money ; they also ask passersby for it . This relatively recent custom is similar to that of Halloween 's trick - or - treating in the United States . Some people believe possessing Day of the Dead items can bring good luck . Many people get tattoos or have dolls of the dead to carry with them . They also clean their houses and prepare the favorite dishes of their deceased loved ones to place upon their altar or ofrenda . Food During Day of the Dead festivities , food is both eaten by living people and given to the spirits of their departed ancestors as ofrendas ( `` offerings '' ) . Tamales are one of the most common dishes prepared for this day for both purposes . Pan de muerto and calaveras are associated specifically with Day of the Dead . Pan de muerto is a type of sweet roll shaped like a bun , topped with sugar , and often decorated with bone - shaped phalanges pieces . Calaveras , or sugar skulls , display colorful designs to represent the vitality and individual personality of the departed . In addition to food , drink is also important to the tradition of Day of the Dead . Historically , the main alcoholic drink was pulque while today families will commonly drink the favorite beverage of their deceased ancestors . Other drinks associated with the holiday are atole and champurrado , warm , thick , non-alcoholic masa drinks . Jamaican iced tea is a popular herbal tea made of the flowers and leaves of the Jamaican hibiscus plant ( Hibiscus sabdariffa ) , known as flor de Jamaica in Mexico . It is served cold and quite sweet with a lot of ice . The ruby - red beverage is called hibiscus tea in English - speaking countries and called agua de Jamaica ( water of Jamaica ) in Spanish . Observances outside Mexico See also : Festival of the Dead Americas Belize In Belize , Day of the Dead is practiced by people of the Yucatec Maya ethnicity . The celebration is known as Hanal Pixan which means `` food for the souls '' in their language . Altars are constructed and decorated with food , drinks , candies , and candles put on them . Bolivia Día de las Ñatitas ( `` Day of the Skulls '' ) is a festival celebrated in La Paz , Bolivia , on May 5 . In pre-Columbian times indigenous Andeans had a tradition of sharing a day with the bones of their ancestors on the third year after burial . Today families keep only the skulls for such rituals . Traditionally , the skulls of family members are kept at home to watch over the family and protect them during the year . On November 9 , the family crowns the skulls with fresh flowers , sometimes also dressing them in various garments , and making offerings of cigarettes , coca leaves , alcohol , and various other items in thanks for the year 's protection . The skulls are also sometimes taken to the central cemetery in La Paz for a special Mass and blessing . Brazil The Brazilian public holiday of Finados ( Day of the Dead ) is celebrated on November 2 . Similar to other Day of the Dead celebrations , people go to cemeteries and churches with flowers and candles and offer prayers . The celebration is intended as a positive honoring of the dead . Memorializing the dead draws from indigenous , African and European Catholic origins . Guatemala Guatemalan celebrations of the Day of the Dead , on November 1 , are highlighted by the construction and flying of giant kites in addition to the traditional visits to grave sites of ancestors . A big event also is the consumption of fiambre , which is made only for this day during the year . Ecuador In Ecuador the Day of the Dead is observed to some extent by all parts of society , though it is especially important to the indigenous Kichwa peoples , who make up an estimated quarter of the population . Indigena families gather together in the community cemetery with offerings of food for a day - long remembrance of their ancestors and lost loved ones . Ceremonial foods include colada morada , a spiced fruit porridge that derives its deep purple color from the Andean blackberry and purple maize . This is typically consumed with guagua de pan , a bread shaped like a swaddled infant , though variations include many pigs -- the latter being traditional to the city of Loja . The bread , which is wheat flour - based today , but was made with masa in the pre-Columbian era , can be made savory with cheese inside or sweet with a filling of guava paste . These traditions have permeated mainstream society , as well , where food establishments add both colada morada and gaugua de pan to their menus for the season . Many non-indigenous Ecuadorians visit the graves of the deceased , cleaning and bringing flowers , or preparing the traditional foods , too . Perú Usually people visit the cemetery and bring flowers to decorate the graves of dead relatives . Sometimes people play music at the cemetery . United States An ánima for the dead Women with calaveras makeup celebrating Dia de Muertos in the Mission District of San Francisco , California In many American communities with Mexican residents , Day of the Dead celebrations are very similar to those held in Mexico . In some of these communities , in states such as Texas , New Mexico , and Arizona , the celebrations tend to be mostly traditional . The All Souls Procession has been an annual Tucson , Arizona event since 1990 . The event combines elements of traditional Day of the Dead celebrations with those of pagan harvest festivals . People wearing masks carry signs honoring the dead and an urn in which people can place slips of paper with prayers on them to be burned . Likewise , Old Town San Diego , California annually hosts a traditional two - day celebration culminating in a candlelight procession to the historic El Campo Santo Cemetery . In Missoula , Montana , celebrants wearing skeleton costumes and walking on stilts , riding novelty bicycles , and traveling on skis parade through town . The festival also is held annually at historic Forest Hills Cemetery in Boston 's Jamaica Plain neighborhood . Sponsored by Forest Hills Educational Trust and the folkloric performance group La Piñata , the Day of the Dead festivities celebrate the cycle of life and death . People bring offerings of flowers , photos , mementos , and food for their departed loved ones , which they place at an elaborately and colorfully decorated altar . A program of traditional music and dance also accompanies the community event . The Smithsonian Institution , in collaboration with the University of Texas at El Paso and Second Life , have created a Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum and accompanying multimedia e-book : Día de los Muertos : Day of the Dead . The project 's website contains some of the text and images which explain the origins of some of the customary core practices related to the Day of the Dead , such as the background beliefs and the offrenda ( the special altar commemorating one 's deceased loved one ) . The Made For iTunes multimedia e-book version provides additional content , such as further details ; additional photo galleries ; pop - up profiles of influential Latino artists and cultural figures over the decades ; and video clips of interviews with artists who make Dia de Muertos - themed artwork , explanations and performances of Aztec and other traditional dances , an animation short that explains the customs to children , virtual poetry readings in English and Spanish . California Corazon del Pueblo in Fruitvale , Oakland , California , 2016 Santa Ana , California is said to hold the `` largest event in Southern California '' honoring Día de Muertos , called the annual Noche de Altares , which began in 2002 . The celebration of the Day of the Dead in Santa Ana has grown to two large events with the creation of an event held at the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center for the first time on November 1 , 2015 . In other communities , interactions between Mexican traditions and American culture are resulting in celebrations in which Mexican traditions are being extended to make artistic or sometimes political statements . For example , in Los Angeles , California , the Self Help Graphics & Art Mexican - American cultural center presents an annual Day of the Dead celebration that includes both traditional and political elements , such as altars to honor the victims of the Iraq War , highlighting the high casualty rate among Latino soldiers . An updated , intercultural version of the Day of the Dead is also evolving at Hollywood Forever Cemetery . There , in a mixture of Native Californian art , Mexican traditions and Hollywood hip , conventional altars are set up side - by - side with altars to Jayne Mansfield and Johnny Ramone . Colorful native dancers and music intermix with performance artists , while sly pranksters play on traditional themes . Similar traditional and intercultural updating of Mexican celebrations are held in San Francisco . For example , the Galería de la Raza , SomArts Cultural Center , Mission Cultural Center , de Young Museum and altars at Garfield Square by the Marigold Project . Oakland is home to Corazon Del Pueblo in the Fruitvale district . Corazon Del Pueblo has a shop offering handcrafted Mexican gifts and a museum devoted to Day of the Dead artifacts . Also , the Fruitvale district in Oakland serves as the hub of the Dia de Muertos annual festival which occurs the last weekend of October . Here , a mix of several Mexican traditions come together with traditional Aztec dancers , regional Mexican music , and other Mexican artisans to celebrate the day . Asia Goa , india The Catholic traditions were initiated with the arrival of the Portuguese in 1510 . The Almacho Dis ( Souls Day ) is commemorated on Nov 2 , following all Saints Day ( Nov. 1 ) . On this day , the forgotten souls are remembered and spiritual charity is done though prayer for the deceased family and ancestral souls . Charity is practiced also by offering food for the poor called beggars lunch ( bikareanchem jevonn ) where the poor are invited for lunch , from the village and treated with dignity and respect . The invited down trodden are served as guest and usually commences with prayers for the deceased souls . Following mass on all souls day , the deceased visit the graveyard of the deceased souls and pray and also decorate their graves . The philippines While ancestor veneration is an ancient part of Filipino culture , the modern observance is believed to have been imported from Mexico when the islands ( as part of the Spanish East Indies ) were governed from Mexico City as part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain . During the holiday ( observed every November 1 ) , Filipinos customarily visit family tombs and other graves , which they repair and clean . Entire families spend a night or two at their loved ones ' tombs , passing time with card games , eating , drinking , singing and dancing . Prayers such as the rosary are often said for the deceased , who are normally offered candles , flowers , food , and even liquor . Some Catholic Chinese Filipino families additionally offer joss sticks to the dead , and observe customs otherwise associated with the Hungry Ghost Festival . Europe In Christian Europe , Roman Catholic customs absorbed pagan traditions . All Saints Day and All Souls Day became the autumnal celebration of the dead . Over many centuries , rites which had occurred in cultivated fields , where the souls of the dead were thought to leave after the harvest , to cemeteries . In many countries with a Roman Catholic heritage , All Saints Day and All Souls Day have evolved traditions in which people take the day off work , go to cemeteries with candles and flowers , and give presents to children , usually sweets and toys . In Portugal and Spain ofrendas ( `` offerings '' ) are made on this day . In Spain , the play Don Juan Tenorio is traditionally performed . In Belgium , France , Ireland , Italy , the Netherlands , Portugal , and Spain , people bring flowers ( typically chrysanthemums in France and northern Europe ) to the graves of dead relatives and say prayers over the dead . In Eastern Europe holiday is called Dziady and also has pagan origins . In Belarus the ancient tradition involved cooking ritual dishes for supper . Part of each dish was put into a separate plate and left overnight for the dead ancestors . Public meetings are often organized on this day to commemorate the victims of Soviet political repressions . As part of a promotion by the Mexican embassy in Prague , Czech Republic , since the late 20th century , some local citizens join in a Mexican - style Day of the Dead . A theatre group produces events featuring masks , candles , and sugar skulls . Oceania Mexican - style Day of the Dead celebrations occur in major cities in Australia , Fiji , and Indonesia . Additionally , prominent celebrations are held in Wellington , New Zealand , complete with altars celebrating the deceased with flowers and gifts . Similar traditions Many other cultures around the world have similar traditions of a day set aside to visit the graves of deceased family members . Often included in these traditions are celebrations , food , and beverages , in addition to prayers and remembrances of the departed . In some African cultures , visits to ancestors ' graves , the leaving of food and gifts , and the asking of protection from them serve as important parts of traditional rituals . One such ritual is held just before the start of the hunting season . The Qingming Festival ( simplified Chinese : 清明 节 ; traditional Chinese : 清明 節 ; pinyin : qīng míng jié ) is a traditional Chinese festival usually occurring around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar . Along with Double Ninth Festival on the 9th day of the 9th month in the Chinese calendar , it is a time to tend to the graves of departed ones . In addition , in the Chinese tradition , the seventh month in the Chinese calendar is called the Ghost Month ( 鬼 月 ) , in which ghosts and spirits come out from the underworld to visit earth . The Bon Festival ( O - bon ( お盆 ) , or only Bon ( 盆 ) ) , is a Japanese Buddhist holiday held in August to honor the spirits of departed ancestors . It is derived in part from the Chinese observance of the Ghost Month , and was affixed to the solar calendar along with other traditional Japanese holidays . In Korea , Chuseok ( 추석 , 秋 夕 ; also called Hangawi ) is a major traditional holiday . People go where the spirits of their ancestors are enshrined , and perform ancestral worship rituals early in the morning . They visit the tombs of immediate ancestors to trim plants , clean the area around the tomb , and offer food , drink , and crops to their ancestors . During the Nepalese holiday of Gai Jatra ( `` Cow Pilgrimage '' ) , every family who has lost a member during the previous year creates a tai out of bamboo branches , cloth , and paper decorations , in which are placed portraits of the deceased . As a cow traditionally leads the spirits of the dead into the afterlife , an actual or symbolic cow is used depending on local custom . The festival is also a time to dress up in a costume reminiscent of the western Halloween , with popular subjects including political commentary and satire . In popular culture Disneyland Resorts ' annual `` Halloween Time '' celebrates the art and traditions of Dias de los Muertos located at Frontierland . The 1998 Grim Fandango video game features Mexican Day of the Dead iconography with Aztec and Egyptian influences . The 2014 The Book of Life film follows a bullfighter who , on the Day of the Dead , embarks on an afterlife adventure . In the 2015 James Bond film , Spectre , the opening sequence featured a Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City . At the time , no such parade took place in Mexico City ; one year later , due to the interest in the film and the government desire to promote the pre-Hispanic Mexican culture , the federal and local authorities decided to organize an actual `` Día de Muertos '' parade through Paseo de la Reforma and Centro Historico on October 29 , 2016 , which was attended by 250,000 people . The 2016 Elena of Avalor season one episode `` A Night to Remember '' focused on Dias de los Muertos . The 2017 Pixar film Coco features the Dias de los Muertos holiday as a major element in its plot . See also Literary Calaverita Danse Macabre Samhain Skull art Thursday of the Dead Veneration of the dead Walpurgis Night References Notes Jump up ^ `` Indigenous festivity dedicated to the dead '' . UNESCO . Retrieved October 31 , 2014 . Jump up ^ `` Dia de los Muertos '' . El Museo del Barrio . Retrieved October 31 , 2015 . Jump up ^ `` Austin Days of the Dead '' . 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Jump up ^ `` Photograph of cemetery decorated with flowers '' ( GIF ) , UCAnews , Union of Catholic Asian News ( UCAN ) , November 2011 Jump up ^ `` All Saints Day celebrations in Italy '' . ITALY Magazine . Retrieved October 19 , 2014 . Jump up ^ Day of the Dead in Prague , Radio Czech . Jump up ^ `` Day of the Dead in Wellington , New Zealand '' . Scoop.co.nz . October 27 , 2007 . Retrieved August 13 , 2009 . Jump up ^ Kopytoff , Igor ( 1971 ) . `` Ancestors as Elders '' . Africa . Cambridge University Press . 41 : 129 -- 42 . Archived from the original on August 17 , 2000 . Jump up ^ Martin , Caroline ( September 1 , 2006 ) . `` A Nepali Day of the Dead : An American citizen reporter visits the Gai Jatra festival '' . OhmyNews . Retrieved June 11 , 2007 . Jump up ^ `` Día de los Muertos '' . Disneyland . Disney . 2017 . Retrieved September 29 , 2017 . Jump up ^ Glover , Erin ( October 10 , 2012 ) . `` Celebrate Día de los Muertos During Halloween Time at Disneyland Park '' . Disney Parks Blog . Disneyland Resort . Jump up ^ Glover , Erin ( October 29 , 2014 ) . `` Dia de los Muertos at Disneyland Park '' . Disney Parks Blog . Disneyland Resort . Jump up ^ Senior , Tom ( January 27 , 2015 ) . `` Grim Fandango Remastered Review '' . PC Gamer . Jump up ^ Amidi , Amid ( January 24 , 2013 ) . `` El Tigre '' Creator Jorge Gutierrez Moves Into Features with `` Book of Life '' . Cartoon Brew . Retrieved October 17 , 2013 . Jump up ^ `` Mexico City stages first Day of the Dead parade '' . BBC . October 29 , 2016 . Retrieved November 1 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` Fotogalería : Desfile por Día de Muertos reúne a 250 mil personas '' . Excélsior ( in Spanish ) . October 29 , 2016 . Retrieved November 1 , 2016 . Jump up ^ `` Galerías Archivo '' . Televisa News . Jump up ^ Metcalf , Mitch ( October 19 , 2016 ) . `` Updated : ShowBuzzDaily 's Top 150 Friday Cable Originals & Network Finals : 10.16. 2016 '' . ShowBuzzDaily . Retrieved October 24 , 2016 . Jump up ^ Barnes , Brooks ( August 15 , 2015 ) . `` Disney Announces Its Coming Slate of Animated Films at D23 Expo '' . The New York Times . Retrieved August 15 , 2015 . Further reading Wikimedia Commons has media related to Day of the Dead . Andrade , Mary J. Day of the Dead A Passion for Life -- Día de los Muertos Pasión por la Vida . La Oferta Publishing , 2007 . ISBN 978 - 0 - 9791624 - 04 Anguiano , Mariana , et al. Las tradiciones de Día de Muertos en México . Mexico City 1987 . Brandes , Stanley ( 1997 ) . `` Sugar , Colonialism , and Death : On the Origins of Mexico 's Day of the Dead '' . Comparative Studies in Society and History . 39 ( 2 ) : 270 -- 299 . doi : 10.1017 / S0010417500020624 . Brandes , Stanley ( 1998 ) . `` The Day of the Dead , Halloween , and the Quest for Mexican National Identity '' . Journal of American Folklore. 442 : 359 -- 80 . doi : 10.2307 / 541045 . Brandes , Stanley ( 1998 ) . `` Iconography in Mexico 's Day of the Dead '' . Ethnohistory . Duke University Press . 45 ( 2 ) : 181 -- 218 . Brandes , Stanley ( December 15 , 2006 ) . Skulls to the Living , Bread to the Dead . Blackwell Publishing . p. 232 . ISBN 1 - 4051 - 5247 - 8 . Cadafalch , Antoni . The Day of the Dead . Korero Books , 2011 . ISBN 978 - 1 - 907621 - 01 - 7 Carmichael , Elizabeth ; Sayer , Chloe . The Skeleton at the Feast : The Day of the Dead in Mexico . Great Britain : The Bath Press , 1991 . ISBN 0 - 7141 - 2503 - 2 Conklin , Paul . `` Death Takes a Holiday '' . U.S. Catholic 66 ( 2001 ) : 38 -- 41 . Garcia - Rivera , Alex . `` Death Takes a Holiday '' . U.S. Catholic 62 ( 1997 ) : 50 . Haley , Shawn D. ; Fukuda , Curt . Day of the Dead : When Two Worlds Meet in Oaxaca . Berhahn Books , 2004 . ISBN 1 - 84545 - 083 - 3 Lane , Sarah and Marilyn Turkovich , Días de los Muertos / Days of the Dead . Chicago 1987 . Lomnitz , Claudio . Death and the Idea of Mexico . Zone Books , 2005 . ISBN 1 - 890951 - 53 - 6 Matos Moctezuma , Eduardo , et al. `` Miccahuitl : El culto a la muerte , '' Special issue of Artes de México 145 ( 1971 ) Nutini , Hugo G. Todos Santos in Rural Tlaxcala : A Syncretic , Expressive , and Symbolic Analysis of the Cult of the Dead . Princeton 1988 . Oliver Vega , Beatriz , et al . The Days of the Dead , a Mexican Tradition . Mexico City 1988 . Roy , Ann . `` A Crack Between the Worlds '' . Commonwealth 122 ( 1995 ) : 13 -- 16 . 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Question: where is dia de los muertos celebrated in mexico

throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions


I Can Only Imagine ( MercyMe song ) - wikipedia I Can Only Imagine ( MercyMe song ) Jump to : navigation , search `` I Can Only Imagine '' Single by MercyMe from the album The Worship Project and Almost There A-side `` Word of God Speak '' Released 2001 Format CD digital download Recorded 1999 and 2001 in the United States Ivy Park The Indigo Room Paradise Sound IBC Studios Genre Christian alternative rock pop rock contemporary Christian Length 4 : 08 Label INO Curb Songwriter ( s ) Bart Millard Producer ( s ) Pete Kipley MercyMe singles chronology `` Bless Me Indeed ( Jabez 's Song ) '' ( 2001 ) `` I Can Only Imagine '' ( 2001 ) `` Spoken For '' ( 2002 ) `` Bless Me Indeed ( Jabez 's Song ) '' ( 2001 ) `` I Can Only Imagine '' ( 2001 ) `` Spoken For '' ( 2002 ) `` I Can Only Imagine '' ( sometimes shortened to `` Imagine '' ) is a single recorded by Christian rock band MercyMe . Written and composed by lead vocalist Bart Millard , the song , based around a main piano track , was inspired by the death of Millard 's father and considers what it would be like in Heaven and to be standing before God . The song was first issued as a track on MercyMe 's 1999 album The Worship Project , which was released on an independent record label . The song was re-recorded and included on their 2001 major - label debut album Almost There as the fifth song on the album . `` I Can Only Imagine '' was released in 2001 as the album 's lead single . It gained significant airplay on Christian radio formats before crossing over to mainstream radio formats such as adult contemporary and Top 40 in late 2003 and into 2004 ; to aid in promotion to these markets , a double A-side physical single ( combined with `` Word of God Speak '' ) was released in 2003 . It charted on several formats , including the Billboard Adult Contemporary ( where it peaked at No. 5 ) and the Hot 100 ( where it peaked at No. 71 ) . In 2002 , `` I Can Only Imagine '' earned the Dove Awards for ' Pop / Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year ' and ' Song of the Year ' ; Millard earned the Dove Award ' Songwriter of the Year ' at the same ceremony . With 2.5 million copies sold , it is the best - selling Christian single of all time , having been certified 2x platinum by the RIAA . As of 2018 , it is the only Christian song to reach that milestone . Contents ( hide ) 1 Background 2 Composition 3 Release and promotion 4 Impact 5 Music video 6 Reception 6.1 Critical response 6.2 Chart performance 6.3 Awards and accolades 7 Other versions 8 Track listing 9 Release history 10 Charts and certifications 11 Film adaptation 12 References Background ( edit ) `` I Can Only Imagine '' was the debut single for United States contemporary Christian and Christian rock band MercyMe . Bart Millard , the band 's vocalist , lost his father , Arthur Wesley Millard Jr. , in 1991 . Millard was 18 at the time . Millard began writing the words `` I can only imagine '' on items when he was thinking about his father . During the recording of the band 's 1999 independent album The Worship Project , MercyMe needed one more song to fill out the album . Millard , alone on a bus in the middle of the night , finally wrote the lyrics to the song by drawing on his thoughts and personal faith about what one would experience standing before God in Heaven . Millard attests that `` ( ' I Can Only Imagine ' ) is one of the only songs I have ever written where there was n't any mistakes , it was just written the way it is and left at that '' , and estimated that it took him only ten minutes to write the lyrics . In writing the music for the song , however , the band faced more difficulty ; Millard noted that `` at first it was a fast song ... it was all these random ideas '' . Keyboardist Jim Bryson noted that , `` we were literally tearing down the stuff ... ( Millard ) and I were talking about arranging it differently and doing a slower version , so we just tried out a piano intro ... it was literally the first thing I played . It was n't anything to do with me , I think it was just a God thing . ( Millard ) said ' here it is , this is what 's going to happen ' , and we laid the song down in about five minutes . '' At that time , the other MercyMe members were Robby Shaffer on drums and percussion , Nathan Cochran on bass guitar and Michael Scheuchzer on guitar . This line - up recorded the first version of the song for The Worship Project . In 2006 , it was included in the ' Platinum Edition ' of Almost There . Composition ( edit ) I Can Only Imagine A sample of `` I Can Only Imagine '' . MercyMe 's debut single , `` I Can Only Imagine '' is `` a passionate piano - driven ballad . The song considers what it would be like to be in the presence of God . Delivered with conviction , the song is emotionally compelling '' . Problems playing this file ? See media help . `` I Can Only Imagine '' is a ballad with a length of four minutes and eight seconds . The song is set in the key of E major and has a moderately slow tempo of 80 beats per minute with a vocal range from B -- G ♯ . The song opens up with only a piano , and builds up to include guitar and drums . Millard is credited with both the lyrics and music to the song . The song was produced by Pete Kipley , who had worked with MercyMe previously as well as with artists including Rebecca St. James , Phil Wickham and Lincoln Brewster . The lyrics to the song are based around the narrator wondering what it will be like in Heaven and to be standing before God . Regarding this theme , Millard explained to Fox News that `` I was always told that if he could choose , he would rather be in Heaven than here with me . As a Christian I believed that , but as an 18 - year - old it was a little hard to swallow . So the questions in the song came from me asking God what was so great about Him that my dad would rather be there . '' Release and promotion ( edit ) MercyMe 's lead singer - songwriter , Bart Millard ( left ) and drummer , Robby Shaffer , performing in February 2008 . `` I Can Only Imagine '' was re-recorded for their major - label debut record Almost There and released as its lead single in 2001 . The album was recorded in various locations : Ivy Park , The Indigo Room , Paradise Sound and IBC Studios . The single gained radio airplay on some contemporary Christian formats ; by November , it peaked at number - one on the Radio & Records Christian AC format and in the top twenty of the Radio & Records Christian CHR chart . In 2003 , a Dallas mainstream radio station , 100.3 Wild - FM , first played the song on its morning show , The Fitz Radio Program . They had responded to a caller 's repeated requests and the urgings of the program 's producer , Todd Sheppard . The song soon became the most requested and most played song on the station . After hearing the song played on the station , Millard called - in and spoke with the crew ; MercyMe then came in and played the song live . As other stations around the country caught on , MercyMe 's label , INO Records , partnered with Curb Records . They marketed the single to wider audiences , such as Top 40 radio . In September , INO and Curb also released a double A-side physical single , `` I Can Only Imagine / Word of God Speak '' . The latter track was co-written by Millard with the band 's producer , Kipley . Eventually , the song cracked into secular charts , including the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts . Impact ( edit ) MercyMe did not expect `` I Can Only Imagine '' to gain mainstream success , in part due to its explicit references to Jesus and Heaven . Millard noted that the band joked around about `` the top five songs never to cross over , and they had included `` I Can Only Imagine '' on that list . Millard also believed some radio stations were playing the song to prove it could not succeed on mainstream radio . The song had a significant effect on the band 's musical image ; in an interview , Millard commented that `` We were a rock band when we started 11 years ago . But we kind of became the ' adult contemporary poster child ' when ' I Can Only Imagine ' took off '' . Music video ( edit ) Millard holding his father 's photograph in the music video . A music video was released for `` I Can Only Imagine '' . Millard recalled the video 's inspiration : `` I just kept seeing all these people holding picture frames ( at MercyMe concerts ) that are empty because we all carry these people with us in some way . I 've had so many people after a show pull out a picture of someone they 've lost . These people embrace these photos and I just thought how can we tap into that '' . The video features everyday people as well as several music artists including Michael Tait , Tammy Trent , Bob Herdman , and Jesse Katina , each holding an empty picture frame to signify their loss of a loved one ; as the video progresses , they are holding pictures of their loved ones including Millard with his father 's photograph . The video opens with a shot of an empty room and a chair , shifting to show a young boy climbing up a flight of stairs . The camera then shifts to the band before returning to the boy , now in an attic which is filled with many empty picture frames . The video alternates between shots of the boy and the band before shifting to individual shots of other people , each holding an empty picture frame . As the other instruments join in , the camera comes back to the band , focusing on them before returning to shots of the people , whose picture frames now contain pictures of deceased relatives . At the end of the video , the camera returns to the boy , now running down a street with an empty frame , climaxing with him lying down in a field with the empty frame . Reception ( edit ) Critical response ( edit ) Critical reception for `` I Can Only Imagine '' was positive . Steve Losey of Allmusic commented that `` ( the song ) is a passionate piano - driven ballad . The song considers what it would be like to be in the presence of God . Delivered with conviction , the song is emotionally compelling '' . Jesus Freak Hideout 's reviewer Kevin Chamberlin felt `` The lyrics for the song are amazing . If you have n't listened to the lyrics , because you 're afraid of hearing pop music , get over it and listen to it . '' Kevin McNeese of NewReleaseTuesday commented that `` The definite highlight on ( Almost There ) is the worship / ballad ' I Can Only Imagine ' ... The song starts out with just piano that instantly invokes chills and builds dynamically into a powerful display of drums and guitar . But what makes the song are the lyrics , penned by Bart Millard himself . The song speaks about that day that we all dream about when we finally meet Jesus ... It 's a song that ca n't be listened to with eyes open '' . Chart performance ( edit ) `` I Can Only Imagine '' debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 for the chart week of 11 October 2003 at No. 76 . The song peaked at No. 71 for two weeks and spent 16 non-consecutive weeks on the Hot 100 . On the Adult Contemporary chart , `` I Can Only Imagine '' debuted at No. 29 for the chart week of 23 May 2003 , with an eventual peak of No. 5 for the chart week of 8 September 2003 ; in all , `` I Can Only Imagine '' spent 30 weeks on the chart . On the Adult Top 40 chart , `` I Can Only Imagine '' debuted at No. 39 for the chart week of 9 August 2003 and reached a peak position of No. 27 , holding that spot for three consecutive weeks ; in all , the song spent 26 weeks on the chart . On the Mainstream Top 40 chart , the song debuted at No. 37 for the chart week of 12 July 2003 , reaching an eventual peak of No. 33 . On the Country Songs chart , the song debuted at No. 58 for the chart week of 27 December 2003 , reaching an eventual peak of No. 52 , which it held for two weeks . According to Mike Curb on the Curb Records website , `` I Can Only Imagine '' also peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales chart for 10 weeks , No. 1 on the Radio & Records Christian AC chart for two weeks , and No. 15 on the Christian CHR chart . In April 2010 , `` I Can Only Imagine '' was certified platinum by the RIAA , signifying sales of over 1,000,000 digital downloads . It is the first single by any artist in the Christian music genre to go platinum . The song was certified 2x platinum in 2014 . As of March 2018 , it has sold 2.5 million copies , making it the best - selling Christian single of all time . Awards and accolades ( edit ) `` I Can Only Imagine '' earned two GMA Dove Awards in 2002 ; ' Pop / Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year ' and ' Song of the Year ' . Millard also won ' Songwriter of the Year ' at the same ceremony . In November 2009 , the song was played on board Space Shuttle Atlantis as a wake - up call for Barry E. Wilmore during STS - 129 . Other versions ( edit ) The original version of `` I Can Only Imagine '' was a track on MercyMe 's 1999 independent release The Worship Project . In August 2006 , both an acoustic and live form ( as well as the original 1999 version ) were included in the ' Platinum edition ' of Almost There . MercyMe recorded a version of the song for their iTunes Originals album . In 2009 , two further variants were included on their compilation album 10 ; a ' symphony version ' featuring the London Symphony Orchestra , and a live version . `` I Can Only Imagine '' has also been covered by several artists . In 2002 Amy Grant released a reworked version of the song ( titled `` Imagine '' and paired with `` Sing the Wondrous Love of Jesus '' ) on her album , Legacy ... Hymns and Faith . In 2003 , Jeff Carson and Kathryn Scott each issued variants of the song ; Carson 's version peaked at No. 50 on the Country Songs chart . In 2005 Wynonna Judd issued her form of the song ; while in 2007 Emerson Drive provided theirs . The song was covered again in 2010 by Marie Osmond and in 2013 by gospel artist Tamela Mann . The song was performed live by Garwin Dobbins , a man struggling with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva , a crippling disease referred to as Stone Man 's syndrome , in which the body 's repair mechanism replaces muscle with bone , causing many joints to become permanently frozen in place . Dobbins , who died in 2004 , sang the song on a broadcast of Austin Awakening , accompanied by pastor Randy Phillips of Phillips , Craig and Dean . Footage of the performance was featured in the finale of the Trevor Glass documentary `` Suffer the Children . '' There is also a German version `` Ich kann nur davon träumen '' . Track listing ( edit ) CD release `` I Can Only Imagine '' -- 4 : 08 ( Bart Millard ) `` Word of God Speak '' -- 3 : 07 ( Peter Kipley , Millard ) Release history ( edit ) Date Territory Label Format 2001 United States INO Airplay 23 September 2003 INO Curb CD 4 January 2005 INO Epic Digital Charts and certifications ( edit ) Weekly charts Chart ( 2001 -- 2002 ) Peak Position Radio and Records Christian AC Radio and Records Christian CHR 15 Chart ( 2003 -- 2004 ) Peak Position US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) 5 US Adult Top 40 ( Billboard ) 27 US Billboard Hot 100 71 US Mainstream Top 40 ( Billboard ) 33 Chart ( 2012 ) Peak Position France ( SNEP ) 65 Chart ( 2017 ) Peak Position US Christian Digital Song Sales ( Billboard ) Chart ( 2018 ) Peak Position US Christian Songs ( Billboard ) US Digital Songs ( Billboard ) 10 Year - end charts Chart ( 2003 ) Position Billboard Adult Contemporary 20 Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales 24 Chart ( 2010 ) Position Billboard Christian / Gospel Digital Songs 9 Chart ( 2011 ) Position Billboard Christian / Gospel Digital Songs 7 Certifications Country Certifications ( sales thresholds ) United States 2x Platinum Film adaptation ( edit ) Main article : I Can Only Imagine ( film ) The story behind the song was made into a feature film starring J. Michael Finley and Dennis Quaid . The film was released on March 16 , 2018 . References ( edit ) Jump up ^ Brad Schmitt , `` MercyMe 's Bart Millard thought his father was going to kill him '' , Tennessean , February 13 , 2018 . Retrieved March 15 , 2018 . ^ Jump up to : Adams , Ramsay ( 6 July 2003 ) . `` Christian Rock Crosses Over '' . Fox News ( News Corporation ) . Archived from the original on 31 October 2011 . Retrieved 11 April 2009 . ^ Jump up to : Jenison , David . `` A Severe Mercy '' . Today'sChristianMusic . CCM Magazine . Salem Publishing ( Salem Communications ) . Archived from the original on 31 October 2011 . Retrieved 18 September 2011 . ^ Jump up to : Correa , Karen ( Fall 2003 ) . `` The Quality of MercyMe '' . American Society of Composers , Authors and Publishers ( ASCAP ) . Archived from the original on 31 October 2011 . Retrieved 11 April 2009 . ^ Jump up to : Bart Millard , Jim Bryson ( interviewees ) ( 2007 ) . Faith & Fame -- MercyMe . NME . UK : IPC Media ( Time Inc . ) . Event occurs at a-d. 12 : 13 -- 13 : 07 . Retrieved 11 August 2011 . Note : video may not be available in your region , e.g. Australia . Supplied by INO Records / Columbia Records . ^ Jump up to : `` The Worship Project -- MercyMe '' . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved 16 September 2011 . ^ Jump up to : `` iTunes -- Music -- Almost There ( Platinum Edition ) by MercyMe '' . iTunes . Apple Inc. 2006 . Archived from the original on 31 October 2011 . Retrieved 11 September 2011 . ^ Jump up to : Losey , Steve . `` '' Almost There '' -- MercyMe ( Review ) `` . Allmusic . Rovi Corporation . Archived from the original on 31 October 2011 . Retrieved 9 August 2011 . ^ Jump up to : `` MercyMe -- `` I Can Only Imagine '' Sheet Music `` . Musicnotes , Inc . ( Kathleen Marsh ) . Archived from the original on 31 October 2011 . Retrieved 10 August 2011 . Note : To access archive , user must click ' bypass ' and then , on the next screen , click ' please click here ' . ^ Jump up to : McNeese , Kevin ( 30 January 2008 ) . `` Almost There by MercyMe ( Review ) '' . NewReleaseTuesday.com ( NRT Media ( Kevin McNeese ) ) . Archived from the original on 31 October 2011 . Retrieved 29 September 2011 . ^ Jump up to : Almost There ( CD liner ) . MercyMe . INO Records . 2001 . 39972 . Jump up ^ `` Pete Kipley ( Credits ) '' . Allmusic . Rovi Corporation . Archived from the original on 31 October 2011 . Retrieved 27 October 2011 . ^ Jump up to : `` '' I Can Only Imagine / Word of God Speak `` , MercyMe , Music CD Single -- Barnes & Noble '' . Barnes & Noble . Archived from the original on 31 October 2011 . Retrieved 21 August 2011 . ^ Jump up to : Curb , Mike . `` Billboard Charted Singles '' ( PDF ) . Mikecurb.com . Curb Records . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 31 October 2011 . Retrieved 21 August 2011 . ^ Jump up to : Curb , Mike . `` Number One Records '' ( PDF ) . Mikecurb.com . Curb Records . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 31 October 2011 . Retrieved 21 August 2011 . ^ Jump up to : Farris , Christa ( September 2003 ) . `` '' I Can Only Imagine '' Is Still The Little Song That Could '' ( PDF ) . CCM Magazine . Salem Publishing ( Salem Communications ) . 26 ( 3 ) : 9 . Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 17 September 2011 . ^ Jump up to : Gillespie , Natalie Nichols ( 2 June 2003 ) . `` '' I Can Only Imagine '' Impacts Mainstream Radio `` . Crosswalk.com . Salem Web Network ( Salem Communications ) . p. 1 . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 18 September 2011 . Jump up ^ MercyMe ( interviewees ) ( 2004 ) . The Story Behind `` I Can Only Imagine '' . INO Records . Event occurs at 5 : 55 -- 6 : 20 . access - date = requires url = ( help ) ^ Jump up to : Cusic , Don ( 2010 ) . `` Curb , Mike '' . In Cusic , Don . Encyclopedia of contemporary Christian music : pop , rock , and worship . ABC - CLIO . pp. 97 -- 98 . ISBN 978 - 0 - 313 - 34425 - 1 . Retrieved 11 September 2011 . ^ Jump up to : Price , Deborah Evans ( 25 October 2003 ) . `` A Yearning for More Meaning '' . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media : 3 , 76 . Retrieved 11 September 2011 . Jump up ^ Bronson , Fred . `` Chart Beat Chat '' . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved 17 September 2011 . ^ Jump up to : `` ACE Title Search `` Word of God Speak '' `` . American Society of Composers , Authors and Publishers ( ASCAP ) . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 27 October 2010 . ^ Jump up to : `` MercyMe Album & Song Chart History -- Hot 100 '' . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved 12 August 2011 . ^ Jump up to : `` MercyMe Album & Song Chart History -- Adult Contemporary Songs '' . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved 12 August 2011 . Jump up ^ Thompson , John J. ( 9 December 2005 ) . `` Well Mercy Me , Children ! '' . Today'sChristianMusic . CCM Magazine . Salem Publishing ( Salem Communications ) . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 28 October 2011 . ^ Jump up to : `` '' I Can Only Imagine '' -- MercyMe ( VEVO ) `` . Vevo ( Universal Music Group , Sony Music Entertainment , Abu Dhabi Media Company , E1 Entertainment ) . Retrieved 15 September 2011 . Note : video may not be available in your region , e.g. Australia . ^ Jump up to : Nentwig , Wendy Lee ( 23 September 2003 ) . `` Song Story : `` I Can Only Imagine '' `` . Crosswalk.com ( Salem Web Communications ( Salem Communications ) ) . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 18 September 2011 . Jump up ^ Chamberlin , Kevin ( 9 September 2002 ) . `` MercyMe , Almost There review '' . Jesus Freak Hideout . John DiBiase . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 9 August 2011 . Jump up ^ `` MercyMe Album & Song Chart History -- Adult Pop Songs '' . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved 12 August 2011 . Jump up ^ `` MercyMe Album & Song Chart History -- Pop Songs '' . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved 12 August 2011 . Jump up ^ `` MercyMe Album & Song Chart History -- Country Songs '' . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved 12 August 2011 . ^ Jump up to : `` RIAA Gold and Platinum '' . RIAA. 14 April 2010 . Retrieved 21 October 2011 . Note : Requires user to input artist , e.g. MercyMe . Jump up ^ `` Mercyme makes history as `` I Can Only Imagine '' surpasses 1 million downloads `` . Christian Today . Andrew Clark . 21 April 2010 . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 24 October 2011 . Jump up ^ `` How did ' I Can Only Imagine ' become the biggest Christian hit ever ( and inspire a movie ) ? '' . ^ Jump up to : `` Dove Awards History Year ( searchable database ) '' . GMA Dove Award . Gospel Music Association ( GMA ) . Archived from the original on 20 August 2011 . Retrieved 12 September 2011 . Note : Search for either MercyMe or Bart Millard . ^ Jump up to : Losey , Steven Douglas ( 26 December 2002 ) . `` Real People , Real Worship '' . CCM Magazine . Salem Publishing ( Salem Communications ) . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 18 September 2011 . Jump up ^ `` STS - 129 Wakeup Calls '' . NASA . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 12 August 2011 . Curator : Kim Dismukes ; responsible official : Amiko Kauderer . Jump up ^ Johnson , Matt ( 8 June 2008 ) . `` MercyMe , iTunes Originals Review '' . Jesus Freak Hideout . John DiBiase . Retrieved 13 August 2011 . Jump up ^ `` iTunes Originals by MercyMe '' . iTunes . Apple Inc . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 13 August 2011 . Jump up ^ Johnson , Matt ( 7 April 2009 ) . `` MercyMe , `` 10 '' Review `` . Jesus Freak Hideout . John DiBiase . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 13 August 2011 . ^ Jump up to : `` ACE Title Search `` I Can Only Imagine '' `` . American Society of Composers , Authors and Publishers ( ASCAP ) . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 27 October 2010 . ^ Jump up to : Jones , Kim . `` Who Sings `` I Can Only Imagine '' ? `` . About.com . About.com ( The New York Times Company ) . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 11 September 2011 . Jump up ^ Breimeier , Russ . `` Satisfy , Christian Music Reviews '' . The Fish . Christianity Today International ( Salem Communications ) . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 14 September Demi Lovato has also covered the song . 2011 . Check date values in : access - date = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` Jeff Carson Album & Song History '' . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved 16 September 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Emerson Drive '' . Emerson Drive . 22 August 2008 . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 14 September 2011 . Jump up ^ Charisma . `` ' Hairpiece Revival ' Spreads Worship Awakening Across the Country -- Charisma Magazine '' . www.charismamag.com . Jump up ^ Spiritwatch Ministries On YouTube ( 30 December 2014 ) . `` Suffer The Children - a film by Trevor Glass '' -- via YouTube . Jump up ^ `` Amazon.com `` I Can Only Imagine '' / `` Word of God Speak '' `` . Amazon.com . Retrieved 9 August 2011 . Jump up ^ `` iTunes -- Music -- Almost There by MercyMe '' . iTunes . Apple Inc . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 24 October 2011 . Jump up ^ `` iTunes -- Music -- Spoken For by MercyMe '' . iTunes . Apple Inc . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 24 October 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Word of God Speak '' Sheet Music `` . Musicnotes , Inc . ( Kathleen Marsh ) . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 23 October 2011 . Jump up ^ `` MercyMe Chart History ( Adult Contemporary ) '' . Billboard . Jump up ^ `` MercyMe Chart History ( Adult Pop Songs ) '' . Billboard . Jump up ^ `` MercyMe Chart History ( Hot 100 ) '' . Billboard . Jump up ^ `` MercyMe Chart History ( Pop Songs ) '' . Billboard . Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- MercyMe -- I Can Only Imagine '' ( in French ) . Les classement single . Retrieved February 8 , 2014 . Jump up ^ `` Christian Digital Songs : Top Worship Music Chart '' . Jump up ^ `` MercyMe Chart History ( Hot Christian Songs ) '' . Billboard . Jump up ^ `` MercyMe Chart History ( Digital Songs ) '' . Billboard . Jump up ^ `` Billboard Magazine Archives ( 12 / 27 / 03 ) '' . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . 27 December 2011 . pp. YE -- 80 . Retrieved 7 September 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Billboard.biz Year - end chart Archives ( AC ) '' . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 12 September 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Billboard.biz Year - end chart archives ( Singles sales ) '' . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 12 September 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Billboard Magazine Archives ( 12 / 27 / 03 ) '' . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . 27 December 2011 . pp. YE -- 34 . Retrieved 7 September 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Billboard.biz Year - end chart archives 2010 ( Digital songs ) '' . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Archived from the original on 1 November 2011 . Retrieved 12 September 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Billboard.biz Year - end chart archives 2011 ( Digital songs ) '' . Billboard . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved 12 September 2011 . MercyMe singles Discography Almost There `` Bless Me Indeed ( Jabez 's Song ) '' `` I Can Only Imagine '' Spoken For `` Spoken For '' `` Word of God Speak '' `` The Change Inside Of Me '' Undone `` Here with Me '' `` Homesick '' `` In the Blink of an Eye '' Coming Up to Breathe `` So Long Self '' `` Hold Fast '' `` Bring the Rain '' All That Is Within Me `` God with Us '' `` You Reign '' `` Finally Home '' The Generous Mr. Lovewell `` All of Creation '' `` Beautiful '' `` Move '' The Hurt & The Healer `` The Hurt & The Healer '' Welcome to the New `` Shake '' Lifer `` Even If '' Other charted songs `` O Holy Night '' `` Silent Night '' `` Rockin ' Around the Christmas Tree '' `` God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen '' `` The Little Drummer Boy '' `` It Came Upon a Midnight Clear '' `` Go Tell it on the Mountain '' `` Sleigh Ride '' Jeff Carson Studio albums Jeff Carson Butterfly Kisses Real Life Singles `` Not on Your Love '' `` The Car '' `` Holdin ' Onto Somethin ' '' `` Butterfly Kisses '' `` Real Life ( I Never Was the Same Again ) '' `` I Can Only Imagine '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I_Can_Only_Imagine_(MercyMe_song)&oldid=837313786 '' Categories : 1990s ballads 1999 songs 2001 singles MercyMe songs Pop ballads Songs written by Bart Millard Curb Records singles Billboard Christian Songs number - one singles Hidden categories : Pages using citations with accessdate and no URL CS1 errors : dates Use dmy dates from November 2012 Good articles Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Billboardadultcontemporary Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardadultpopsongs Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart usages for Billboardpopsongs Singlechart usages for France Singlechart usages for Billboardchristiansongs Singlechart usages for Billboarddigitalsongs Talk Contents About Wikipedia Português Edit links This page was last edited on 20 April 2018 , at 01 : 39 . 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