Religious Holy Days

June 21

Litha (Northern Hemisphere)

Pagan/Wiccan holyday. The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Many agricultural societies have observed the longest day of the year in some way: Stonehenge was created to glorify the rising of the sun on the summer solstice, the Saxons and Celts built bonfires to celebrate the power of the sun over darkness, and the Romans had a festival for Juno, wife of Jupiter and the goddess of marriage, women, menstruation, and children during Midsummer. A time of fertility, growth, warmth, and light, Litha is one of the 8 Sabbats of the Wheel of the Year for modern Pagans and Wiccans.

June 21

Yule (Southern Hemisphere)

Pagan/Wiccan holyday in the southern hemisphere. In the darkest of winter, Yule celebrates the return of the sun, when the days begin to get longer again and bring more light into the world, with feasting and merrymaking. Decorating a tree, wreathes, the Yule log, and caroling come from ancient Norse traditions. Yule is also associated with Odin and the Wild Hunt, a ghostly procession of horsemen through the sky — which became Santa Claus and his flying reindeer. Romans held feasts, decorated trees with tin ornaments, practiced fertility rites under mistletoe, and exchanged gifts during the week-long festival of Saturnalia. The Celts believed the Oak King and the Holly King fought at this time of year to see if light or darkness would win out, which some Wiccans re-enact as part of their celebrations today. Yule is one of the 8 Sabbats of the Wheel of the Year for modern Pagans and Wiccans

June 21

World Humanist Day

Humanist groups around the world mark World Humanist Day with a wide variety of activities ranging from activism to parties. World Humanist Day may be recognized with official proclamations or promotional campaigns to educate people about the growth of the secular community and the ethical values of humanists.

June 28 - 29

Eid al Adha

Islamic holyday, Eid al-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice), also known as The Greater Eid, begins at sundown and commemorates when Abraham fully submitted to Allah on Mount Arafat, but was spared from sacrificing his child. Pilgrims celebrate Eid al-Adha after descending from Mount Arafat, near Mecca, as part of the Hajj. The festival lasts 4 days and is celebrated worldwide.

July 10

Martyrdom of the Bab

In the Baha’i faith, the Martyrdom of the Ba̒b is a solemn commemoration of the sacrifice of the life of the Bab in 1850.

July 18-19

Al-Hijra

Al-Hijra, the Islamic New Year, is the first day of the month of Muharram.

July 24

Pioneer Day

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints celebrates Pioneer Day on July 24th, the anniversary of the day when the first Church of Latter-Day Saints pioneers entered the Great Salt Lake Valley. Celebrations include pageants, concerts, parades, reenactments, and other pioneer-themed events.

July 27-28

Ashura

Beginning at sunset, on the tenth day of the month of Muharram, Shia Muslims observe Ashura or Yom Ashura. This holyday commemorates the martyrdom of Husayn Ibn Ali at Karbala.

August 1

Asalha Puja Day

This Theravada Buddhist festival, celebrated on the full month during the eighth lunar month, pays homage to the first sermon given by the Buddha after enlightenment. This sermon introduced the Sangha, or the Four Noble Truths.

August 1

Imbolc (Southern Hemisphere)

Wiccan/Pagan holyday in the Southern Hemisphere that begins at sundown the evening before. Imbolc is a Gaelic traditional festival marking the beginning of spring, held about halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It was originally a pagan festival associated with the goddess Brigid, during which feasts were held, holy wells were visited, and Brigid was invoked to protect homes and livestock. Although many of its customs died out in the 20th century, it is still observed as a religious holyday by Celtic Neopagans and Wiccans today.

August 1

Lughnassad (Northern Hemisphere)

Wiccan/Pagan holyday in the Northern Hemisphere that begins sundown the evening before. Lughnasadh is a Gaelic traditional festival marking the beginning of harvest season, held about halfway between the summer solstice and the fall equinox. The festival itself is named after the god Lugh, and involved great gatherings including religious ceremonies, ritual athletics, feasting, matchmaking, and trade. Although many of its customs died out in the 20th century, it is still observed as a religious holyday by Celtic Neopagans and Wiccans today.

August 6

Transfiguration of Christ (Roman Catholic)

The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event reported in the New Testament when Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant in glory upon a mountain. On the mountain, Jesus begins to shine with bright rays of light. Then, the prophets Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus and Jesus speaks with them. The Feast of the Transfiguration is celebrated by various Christian denominations, and falls at different points in the liturgical calendar depending on the denomination.

August 15

Dormition of the Theotokos/Mother of God

The Feast of Dormition of the Mother of God is celebrated in Orthodox Christian Churches, and it commemorates the ‘falling asleep’ or ‘death’ of the Mother of God, her resurrection, and ascension.

August 15

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Roman Catholic holyday commemorating the ascension of the Virgin Mary to heaven. For many, her bodily assumption symbolizes what Jesus promised for all who will rise to paradise.

September 1

Installation of Scriptures as Guru Granth

Sikh holyday. On this day in 1708 CE, the 10th Sikh guru announced that following his death, Sikhs should look to the sacred text known as Granth Sahib for guidance.

September 6

Krishna Janmashtami

Hindu celebration of the birth of the god Krishna. Celebrations typically include fasting, devotional singing, prayer, night vigils, and dance-drama events reenacting the life of Krishna.

September 11

Paryushana

Jain holyday meaning “abiding and coming together.” Jains will take on vows of study and fasting, and there are no set rules of celebration.

September 15

Rosh Hashanah Eve

Jewish High Holy Day: Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) begins at sundown on the 1st day of the month of Tishrei, when the world was created, and ends on the 3rd of Tishrei at sundown. At synagogue, the shofar (ram’s horn) is blown 100 times both days, beginning the 10-day period from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, which is known as the Yamim Nora’im (Days of Awe). During this time, G-d decides who will live and die in the coming year, and Jews reaffirm G-d as their creator and sustainer, repent for their sins of the previous year, make amends with those they have wronged, resolve to improve themselves, bless one another, pray for prosperity, and eat apples dipped in honey for a sweet year.

September 21

Ostara (Southern Hemisphere)

Wiccan/Pagan holyday. Spring equinox in the Southern Hemisphere, which begins at sundown the evening before. It is a time of new beginnings at which light and darkness are in balance.

Mabon (Northern Hemisphere)

Wiccan/Pagan holyday. Fall equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, which begins at sundown the evening before. It is a ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth.

September 24

Eve of Yom Kippur

Jewish High Holy Day: Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) begins at sunset and continues through the next day, 10 days after Rosh Hashanah (the Head of the Year). A day of reconciliation, Yom Kippur is the longest synagogue service of the year, where Jews seek forgiveness for their sins through teshuva (repentance), prayer, and fasting, striving to improve themselves and make amends with those they have wronged to make peace with G-d and their fellow human beings.

September 28

Meskel

Ethiopian Christian holyday commemorating the discovery of the True Cross by the Roman Empress Helena. The traditional celebration involves burning a large bonfire decorated with daisies to commemorate the bonfire Empress Helena used to determine the location of the True Cross.

September 29 - October 6

Sukkot

Jewish holyday begins at sundown: Sukkot (the Festival of the Huts) takes place five days after Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) and commemorates the 40-year period that the Jewish people wandered in the desert after their enslavement in Egypt, living in temporary shelters. During this time, Moses was given the Torah on Mt. Sinai. The Season of Our Rejoicing, as it is also known, is celebrated by building a sukkah (hut) that Jews make their “home,” where they eat, entertain, and sometimes even sleep for the 7-day festival, in thanksgiving for G-d’s protection and the harvest.

October 4

Feast Day of Saint Francis

Roman Catholic holyday commemorating the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and the environment.

October 6-8

Shemini Atzeret

Jewish holyday begins at sundown. Shemini Atzeret (the Eighth Day of Assembly) immediately follows the harvest festival of Sukkot, and marks the beginning of the rainy season. Numbers 29:35 instructs: "On the eighth day you should hold a solemn gathering; you shall not work at your occupation." In Israel, Shemini Atzeret is one day, but in the Diaspora, it is often two days. Simchat Torah is either celebrated on the same day, or on the second day.

October 7-8

Simchat Torah

Jewish holyday begins at sundown. After the festival of Sukkot, which commemorates when the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years and G-d gave Moses the Torah, Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in the Law) marks the end of the annual cycle of Torah readings. The Torah scrolls are taken from the Ark and carried in a procession, with singing and dancing, around the synagogue seven times to celebrate the way Jews incorporate the Torah into their lives. The last book of D’varim (Deuteronomy) is read followed by the first book of B'reishit (Genesis), starting the cycle of Torah reading again.

October 16

Birth of Bab

Baha'i holyday commemorating the birth of Siyyid Ali-Muhammad, who came to be known as the Bab (meaning “the Gate” in Arabic). The Bab marked the gate between past ages of prophecy and a new age of unification of humanity through shared spiritual and material prosperity.

October 17

Birth of Baha’u’llah

Baha'i holyday. On this day in 1817, Mirza Husayn ‘Ali, who came to be known as Baha’u’llah (the Blessed Perfection), was born in Persia. As the last Manifestation of God in the world’s great succession of prophets including Moses, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad, the founder of the Baha’i faith proclaimed the beginning of the age of universal love and the equality of humanity.

October 24

Dasara

Hindu festival celebrated in different regions throughout South Asia. Depending on where it is celebrated, this holyday can commemorate either Durga’s victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura, Rama’s victory over the Ravan, or reverence for aspects of the goddess Devi. Celebrations include processions to a body of water where individuals will carry clay statues of figures such as Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha, and Kartikeya.

October 31

Reformation Day

Protestant Christian holyday. Martin Luther, a Roman Catholic priest, nailed 95 Theses to the doors of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31st in 1517, protesting many Roman Catholic practices and seeking to reform the Roman Catholic Church. This sparked the Protestant Reformation which led to bloody clashes and the many Protestant denominations that exist today. Protestants commemorate this event, which led to profound religious and social changes for Christianity worldwide, on Reformation Sunday.

October 31

Beltane (Southern Hemisphere)

Pagan/Wiccan holyday in the Southern Hemisphere, begins at sunset. As Pagans in the Northern Hemisphere celebrate Samhain and the coming of winter, Pagans in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate Beltane and the fertility and new life of the spring, often with a Maypole dance and Goddess ritual celebrating the sacred feminine and fertility.

October 31

Samhain (Northern Hemisphere)

Pagan/Wiccan holyday in the Northern Hemisphere begins at sunset. Samhain, one of the 8 Sabbaths of the Wheel of the Year, is a Celtic Festival of the Dead that honors the ancestors, when the veil between this world and the next is the thinnest. This ancient tradition survives in secular culture as Halloween. Neo-pagans reclaiming this harvest festival consider it the Witches’ New Year and the most important holyday of the year.

November 1

All Saints Day

Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian holyday. For Roman Catholics, All Saints’ Day is a solemnity for all the saints, especially those who do not have their own feast day. Services on the night before gave it the name All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween) and appear to have been purposely planned on top of the Celtic Pagan Festival of the Dead, Samain. Similarly, Dia De Los Muertos is a mixture of the Roman Catholic Church’s All Saints’ Day and Aztec traditions from 3,000 years ago. For Protestants, All Saints’ Day is a time to remember all those who have died in one’s family and congregation (like All Souls’ Day for Roman Catholics).

November 2

All Souls Day

Roman Catholic Christian holyday. Immediately after All Saints’ Day, which commemorates all the saints of the Roman Catholic Church, All Souls’ Day is when Roman Catholics honor all the souls of the deceased, praying for all who have died, especially in one’s family and congregation.

November 12

Diwali

Hindu, Jain, Sikh, & Buddhist holyday. Diwali (the Festival of Lights) is the biggest festival in India. An ancient harvest festival, Diwali is a 4-day celebration for Hindus of the triumph of good over evil, grounded in tales of the Gods & Goddesses including Rama, Kali, Ganesha, Krishna, Lakshmi, Parvati, and Shiva, associated with wealth, prosperity, and goodness, and celebrated by lighting lamps and exchanging gifts. Some Buddhists celebrate this as the day Emperor Ashoka converted from Hinduism to Buddhism in 262 BCE. For Jains, it marks Lord Mahavir’s attainment of Nirvana in 527 BCE and the beginning of the New Year. Sikhs remember Diwali as Bandi Chhor Diwas (Day of Liberation) when the 6th Guru and 52 princes were freed from prison by the Muslim Mughal emperor in 1619 CE. Diwali is a significant occasion for South Asians from many religious traditions.

November 25

Day of the Covenant

Baha’i holyday that celebrates the appointment of `Abdu'l-Bahá as the Centre of Baha'u'llah's Covenant.

November 27

Birth of Guru Nanak

Sikh holyday. Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was born in the Punjab in 1469. Sikhs honor the birthdays of all 10 Gurus, with Guru Nanak’s birthday being one of the most sacred, celebrated with a 48-hour reading of the Adi Granth (the sacred text), hymns, poetry, and praise.

November 27-28

Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Baha

Baha’i holyday that commemorates the death of Abdu’l-Baha, the eldest son of Baha’u’llah.

December 3

First Sunday in Advent

Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian holyday. Advent is a month of reflection that precedes Christmas, which commemorates the arrival of Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago and anticipates the Second Coming. One candle is lit each Sunday during Advent, reminding Christians of hope, peace, love, and joy. Purple, the color of penitence, fasting, and royalty, is associated with Advent.

December 6

Saint Nicholas Day

Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic Christian holyday. The Feast Day of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra, who was influential in present-day Turkey in the 4th century during the reign of Constantine the Great. In parts of Europe on St. Nicholas Eve, St. Nicholas is said to visit in his red bishop’s robe and hat to reward good children with gifts and to punish bad children. The British “Father Christmas” and American “Santa Claus” were derived from the St. Nicholas tradition and conflated with the celebration of Christmas.

December 8

Bodhi Day

Buddhist holyday. Bodhi Day (Day of Enlightenment) celebrates Siddhartha Gautama’s attainment of Enlightenment while meditating under a fig tree 2,600 years ago, when he perceived the nature of the world and the cause of suffering, becoming the Buddha (Awakened One). On this day of remembrance and meditation, Pure Land Buddhists reflect on the cycle of life, the Eightfold Path, and the Four Noble Truths throughout the night. They eat a meal of rice and milk, which the young girl Sujata offered the Buddha after the Awakening. Homes may be decorated with fig trees and images of the Buddha, and candles may be lit or lights may be turned on in the evening for the next 30 days to symbolize Enlightenment. In Japan, Bodhi Day is celebrated on December 8 every year; in other parts of the world, it is instead celebrated on the 8th day of the 12th lunar month of the Chinese calendar, which is January 21, 2021 by the western calendar.

December 8

Immaculate Conception of Mary

Roman Catholic Christian holyday. The Immaculate Conception of Mary celebrates that Mary was conceived in the womb of her mother, Saint Anne, free from the stain of original sin by a singular grace granted by God. The Immaculate Conception of Mary on December 8th is exactly 9 months before the Nativity of Mary on September 8th.

December 10

Second Sunday in Advent

Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian holyday. Advent is a month of reflection that precedes Christmas, which commemorates the arrival of Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago and anticipates the Second Coming. One candle is lit each Sunday during Advent, reminding Christians of hope, peace, love and joy. Purple, the color of penitence, fasting, and royalty, is associated with Advent.

December 17

Third Sunday in Advent

Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian holyday. Advent is a month of reflection that precedes Christmas, which commemorates the arrival of Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago and anticipates the Second Coming. One candle is lit each Sunday during Advent, reminding Christians of hope, peace, love and joy. Purple, the color of penitence, fasting, and royalty, is associated with Advent.

December 20

Litha (Southern Hemisphere)

Pagan/Wiccan holyday. The Summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. Many agricultural societies have observed the longest day of the year in some way: Stonehenge was created to glorify the rising of the sun on the Summer Solstice, the Saxons and Celts built bonfires to celebrate the power of the sun over darkness, and the Romans had a festival for Juno, wife of Jupiter, the Goddess of marriage, women, menstruation, and children during Midsummer. A time of fertility, growth, warmth, and light, Litha is one of the 8 Sabbaths of the Wheel of the Year for modern Pagans and Wiccans.

December 21

Yule (Northern Hemisphere)

Pagan/Wiccan holyday: The Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. In the darkest of winter, Yule celebrates the return of the sun, when the days begin to get longer again and bring more light into the world, with feasting and merrymaking. Decorating a tree, wreathes, the Yule log, and caroling come from ancient Norse traditions. Yule is also associated with Odin and the Wild Hunt, a ghostly procession of horsemen through the sky—which became Santa Claus and his flying reindeer. Romans held feasts, decorated trees with tin ornaments, practiced fertility rites under mistletoe, and exchanged gifts during the week-long festival of Saturnalia. The Celts believed the Oak King and the Holly King fought at this time of year to see if light or darkness would win out, which some Wiccans re-enact as part of their celebrations today. Yule is one of the 8 Sabbaths of the Wheel of the Year for modern Pagans and Wiccans.

December 24

Fourth Advent in Sunday

Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian holyday. Advent is a month of reflection that precedes Christmas, which commemorates the arrival of Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago and anticipates the Second Coming. One candle is lit each Sunday during Advent, reminding Christians of hope, peace, love and joy. Purple, the color of penitence, fasting, and royalty, is associated with Advent.

December 25

Christmas Day

Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian holyday. Christmas (Christ’s Mass) is the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus, the Child of God, born to the Virgin Mary. Christians typically go to Christmas Eve service and decorate their homes with nativity scenes. Many Christmas traditions such as Christmas trees, wreaths, Yule logs, mistletoe, feasting, gift-giving, and caroling have roots in Pagan celebrations of Yule, the Winter Solstice. Other deities including Horus, Attis, Mithra, Dionysus, Krishna, and some historical figures such as Zoroaster, Romulus, and Alexander the Great were also believed to have been born of a virgin, a number of them on December 25th. Various cases have been made in the history of the church for celebrating Christ's birth in May, April, March, January, and December.

December 26

Zartosht No-Diso (Death of Prophet Zarathushtra)

Zoroastrian holyday. On this solemn occasion, Zoroastrians pray at home or at fire temples and hear discourses on the life and teachings of Zarathustra to commemorate his death. Zarathustra, the world’s first Prophet, lived in Iran three or more millennia ago. Zoroastrianism, an ancient monotheistic religion concerned with the battle between good and evil, harmony between nature and humanity, purity, honesty, final judgment, and the reordering of the world, has ties to Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Male priests in a hereditary line offer prayers to God, known as Ahura Mazda (the Wise “Lord”), on behalf of individuals in the sacred Avestan language. Today, Zoroastrians number only 100,000 worldwide and are a tolerated minority in Muslim Iran.

January 1

Feast of Saint Basil

Orthodox Christian holy day.

January 1

Gantan Sai

Shinto holyday marking a new year. Traditionally, Shinto practitioners observe this New Year holiday by visiting the shrines, mostly at midnight and praying for the renewal of their heart, prosperity and health in the year to come. It is also common to visit close friends and family to express good wishes. Much like Christmas for Christians, Gantan Sai has become a national holiday in Japan and expanded out past the Shinto religious practices.

January 1

Mary, Mother of God

The Solemnity of Mary the Holy Mother of God is a feast day within the Roman Catholic Church, and is considered a “holy day of obligation,” meaning that Roman Catholics are expected to attend Mass on this day. It is meant to commemorate the part played by Mary in the incarnation of Jesus, who Christians believe to be divine.

January 6

Day of the Holy Kings – Dia de los Reyes

Roman Catholic holyday is celebrated in multiple Spanish speaking countries and it commemorates the Three Holy Kings. Many Roman Catholic children in the Spanish-speaking world receive presents on this day.

January 6

Epiphany

Protestant and Roman Catholic Christian holyday celebrating the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ. In Western Christianity, this holyday commemorates the visit of the Magi and Jesus’ physical manifestation to the Gentiles, whereas in Eastern Christianity, it commemorates the baptism of Jesus and his manifestation to the world as Child of God.

January 7

Nativity of Christ

Orthodox Christian churches that follow the Julian calendar (the calendar created under the reign of Julius Caesar in 45 BCE) celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on what most of the world views as January 7. Recent studies in Russia have shown that 72 percent of the general population mark Christmas on January 7 as opposed to December 25. As with Pascha, or Easter, the Feast of the Nativity is preceded by 40 days of fasting and austerity, similar to Lent.

January 24- 25

Tu B’Shvat

Tu B'Shvat, the 15th day of the Jewish month of Shevat, is a holiday known as the New Year for Trees and begins at sundown. Judaism has several different new years - Tu B’Shvat is the new year for the purpose of calculating the age of trees for tithing. The Torah states that fruit from trees may not be eaten during the first three years; the fourth year's fruit is for G-d, and after that, you can eat the fruit. Each tree is considered to have aged one year as of Tu B’Shvat. One custom is to eat a new fruit on this day, or to plant a new tree.

January 25

Mahayana New Year

Mahayana Buddhist New Year. Many Mahayana Buddhists celebrate the New Year on December 31 or January 1 together with the rest of the world, but some wait for the first full moon in January. The New Year is celebrated by visiting a nearby temple to light candles to bring happiness and good luck for the coming year. Righting the mistakes of the previous year is a common New Year’s resolution.

February 1

Lughnasadh (Southern Hemisphere)

Wiccan/Pagan holyday in the Southern Hemisphere, begins sundown evening before. Lughnasadh is a Gaelic traditional festival marking the beginning of harvest season, held about halfway between the summer solstice and the fall equinox (making its placement dependent on whether you live in the northern or southern hemisphere). The festival itself is named after the god Lugh, and involved great gatherings that included religious ceremonies, ritual athletic, feasting, matchmaking, and trade. Although many of its customs died out in the 20th century, it is still observed as a religious holiday by Celtic neopagans and Wiccans today.

February 1

Imbolc in the Northern Hemisphere

Wiccan/Pagan holyday in the Northern Hemisphere, begins at sundown the evening before. Imbolc is a Gaelic traditional festival marking the beginning of spring, held about halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It was originally a pagan festival associated with the goddess Brigid, during which feasts were held, holy wells were visited, and Brigid was invoked to protect homes and livestock. Although many of its customs died out in the 20th century, it is still observed as a religious holiday by Celtic Neopagans and Wiccans today.

February 2

Presentation of Christ in the Temple

Also called “Candlemas,” this Christian holyday celebrates the baby Jesus being presented at the temple in Jerusalem. Traditionally, this is when the last Christmas decorations are taken down, and clergy bless the candles that will be used by the church for the rest of the liturgical year.

February 3

Setsubun

“Setsubun” literally means “seasonal division” and it is celebrated in Japan the day before the beginning of the spring. Buddhist and Shinto temples all across the country celebrate Setsubun as part of the Spring Festival.

February 10

Lunar New Year

Confucian & Taoist holyday. Many East Asian cultures celebrate a New Year that follows a calendar coordinated to the cycles of the moon as well as the sun. The first day of the New Year falls on the new moon between 21 January and 20 February, and is celebrated with food, fireworks, and a thorough cleaning living spaces of the dust and bad feelings from the previous year.

February 13

Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday (known in some countries as Pancake Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras) is a Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian holyday that takes place the day before Ash Wednesday. Shrove Tuesday is observed by many Christians, including Anglicans, Lutherans, United Methodists, and Roman Catholics, who make a special point of considering amendments of life or areas of spiritual growth that they especially need to ask God's help in dealing with. In many communities this is a carnival day, and the last day of indulging in foods and luxuries before the fasting period of Lent.

February 14

Ash Wednesday

Roman Catholic and Protestant holyday. Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent. It is traditionally celebrated with prayer, fasting, and repentance. Participants receive ashes on their foreheads with the instructions, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

February 14

Vasant Panchami

Vasant Panchami is a Hindu holyday marking the preliminary preparations for the arrival of spring and celebrated forty days before Holika and Holi. Also known as Saraswati Puja, for many Hindus this festival is dedicated to Saraswati, goddess of knowledge, language, music, and arts.

February 15

Nirvana Day

Nirvana Day, also called Parinirvana Day is a Mahayana Buddhist holiday celebrated in East Asia. It celebrates the day when the Buddha is said to have achieved complete Nirvana, upon the death of his physical body. Passages from the Nirvana Sutra describing the Buddha's last days of life are often read on Parinirvana Day. Other observances include meditation and visits to Buddhist temples and monasteries. Also, the day is a time to think about one's own future death and on the deaths of loved ones. This thought process reflects the Buddhist teachings on impermanence.

February 24-25

Lailat al Bara’ah

Begins at sunset. This Muslim holyday marks Allah’s writing of everyone’s destiny for the coming year. Many Muslims try to stay awake the entire night in prayer and worship, hoping for good fortune and forgiveness. For the majority of Muslims worldwide, Lailat al Bara’ah is a cause for celebration, fireworks, and food. Families that have lost a member in the past year are showered with sweet treats by friends, and acts of charity are performed.

February 24

Maghi

Sikh holyday. Maghi is the Punjabi name for the festival of Makar Sankranti which is celebrated all over India as a winter harvest festival. Maghi is celebrated on the first day of Magh as per the Punjabi calendar and is celebrated in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana. It is a cultural, seasonal, and religious festival marking the agricultural New Year and the increase in daylight. For Sikhs, the day of Maghi is observed to honor the heroic fight of the Chali Mukte, or the Forty Liberated Ones, who sacrificed their own lives defending an attack by the imperial army on 29 December 1705. Pilgrims take a holy dip in sacred waters and also visit several shrines.

March 8

Maha Shivaratri

Beginning at sunset, Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honor of Shiva. It is a major festival in Hinduism, but one that is solemn. It marks a remembrance of "overcoming darkness and ignorance" in life and in the world. It is observed by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, doing yoga, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as self-restraint, honesty, non-injury to others, forgiveness, and the discovery of Shiva. Ardent devotees stay awake all night. Others visit one of Shiva’s temples.

March 10 - April 9

Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which may begin at sunset. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Qur’an to Muhammad. Observant Muslims fast from dawn to sundown, and refrain from other indulgences as well (smoking, arguing, sexual relations, etc.) This annual observance is obligatory for all healthy adults, and is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month lasts 28–30 days based on the visual sightings of the crescent moon.

March 10

Meatfare Sunday

This is traditionally the last day before Easter for eating meat in the Orthodox Christian tradition.

March 17

Cheesefare Sunday

Also known as Maslenitsa or Forgiveness Sunday, Cheesefare is an Orthodox Christian religious holyday and Slavic folk festival celebrated during the last week before Great Lent. Friends and relatives offer each other small gifts and ask for each other’s forgiveness. Since Lent excludes parties, secular music, dancing, and other distractions from spiritual life, Cheesefare represents the last chance to take part in social activities that are not appropriate during the more prayerful, sober, and introspective Lenten season. This includes eating foods that are forbidden during Lent, such as cheese and wine.

March 17

Feast Day of Saint Patrick

Roman Catholic holyday also known as Saint Patrick’s Day. The Feast of St. Patrick commemorates the death of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.

March 18

Clean Monday

Clean Monday is the first day of Great Lent, as Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox refer to the Lenten season. Clean Monday is a reminder that we should begin Lent with good intentions and a desire to clean our spiritual house. It is a day of strict fasting for Eastern Catholics, including abstinence not only from meat but from eggs and dairy products as well. It is customary to go to confession during this week, and to clean the house thoroughly.

March 19

Feast Day of Saint Joseph

The Feast Day of St. Joseph is a Roman Catholic holyday that commemorates Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary.

March 20

Mabon (Southern Hemisphere)

Mabon is a Pagan harvest festival, the second of three, encourages pagans to “reap what they sow,” both literally and figuratively. It is the time to reflect on the previous year, to celebrate successes (likened to bringing in the harvest) and assess which crops, projects, or dreams didn’t come to fruition.

March 20

Ostara (Northern Hemisphere)

Ostara is a Pagan celebration of the Spring equinox, named for a Germanic goddess of Spring and fertility. Similar to those observed at Easter, symbols for Ostara include eggs, rabbits, flowers and seeds. These symbols represent the fecundity of spring and are incorporated into rituals, altars and celebratory feasts.

March 20-23

Nowruz

Norouz, meaning “New Day,” is the Zoroastrian New Year, and is observed by people of diverse faiths (including Baha'i) in Iran, the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, Central Asia, and Western Asia. Norouz is typically celebrated with fireworks, flowers, and spring cleaning.

March 23

Fast of Esther

The Fast of Esther is Jewish holyday, a fast from dawn until dusk on Purim eve, commemorating the three-day fast observed by the Jewish people in the story of Purim. As the Fast of Esther is not one of the four public fasts ordained by the Prophets, the laws concerning its observance are more lenient; pregnant women, nursing mothers, and those who are weak are not required to observe it

March 23-24

Purim

Purim, which begins at sunset, is one of the most joyous holidays on the Jewish calendar. It commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination. It is customary to hold carnival-like celebrations on Purim, to perform plays and parodies, to give to charity, and to eat and drink to excess. Americans sometimes refer to Purim as the Jewish Mardi Gras. The primary commandment related to Purim is to hear the reading of the book of Esther. It is customary to boo, hiss, stamp feet and rattle noisemakers whenever Haman, the genocidal king in the story, is mentioned in the service. The purpose of this custom is to "blot out the name of Haman."

March 24

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is a Christian holy day that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The celebration commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, before his crucifixion. In many Christian denominations, worship services on Palm Sunday include a procession carrying palms, representing the palm branches the crowd scattered in front of Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem. April 14 marks the Roman Catholic and Protestant celebration in 2018.

March 25

Holi

Holi is an important festival to Hindus, as well as many other Indians and other people of south Asian origin. It is celebrated at the end of winter, on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalgun, which usually falls in March, sometimes in late February. The festival has many purposes; most prominently, it celebrates the beginning of Spring. The night before Holi, bonfires are lit in a ceremony known as Holika Dahan or Little Holi. People gather near fires, sing and dance. The next day, people pour into the streets and temples to spray colored powder solutions at each other, laugh and celebrate. After playing with colors, people bathe, put on clean clothes, and visit friends and family. In recent years, some Western communities have taken Holi-style celebrations out of their religious context in the form of popular “color-runs.

March 25

Annunciation of the Virgin Mary

The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus, the child of God. Many Christians observe this event with the Feast of the Annunciation on 25 March, an approximation of the northern vernal equinox nine full months before Christmas, the ceremonial birthday of Jesus.

March 28

Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday is the Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter. It commemorates the Last Supper and foot washing of followers by Jesus Christ. It is the fifth day of Holy Week, and is preceded by Holy Wednesday and followed by Good Friday. The worship service is normally celebrated in the evening, and includes worshipers washing each other’s feet.

March 29

Good Friday

Good Friday is a Roman Catholic and Protestant holy day commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. It is observed on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday Specific practices of observance vary greatly between Christian denominations, but are generally somber and ascetic.

March 31

Easter

On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is typically the most well-attended Sunday service of the year. Christians believe that Jesus was raised from the dead three days after his death on the cross, and that through his death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for sin and purchased salvation for all who believe in him. Easter Sunday marks the end of Lent, a period of fasting and spiritual discipline.

April 17

Ram Navami

Hindu holyday that commemorates the birth of Rama. This day is typically celebrated with Rama Katha recitals, or reading of the stories of Rama. Some celebrate by visiting a temple or organizing community meals, while others pray or fast at home. It is often considered an opportunity for moral reflection.

April 21

Mahavir

Jayanti Jain holyday that commemorates the birth of Mahavir, the twenty-fourth and last Tirthankara of present Avasarpiṇ. It is celebrated with a procession called rath yatra in which the idol of Lord Mahavir is carried out on a chariot. On this day, many Jains will practice acts of charity, pray, fast, and make offerings.

April 24-26

Theravadin New Year

In Theravadin Buddhist communities – primarily in Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Lao – the New Year is celebrated for three days from the first full moon day in April. Practitioners may bathe Buddha images and sprinkle water on monks and elders, or build sand mounds at monasteries or on river banks. In Buddhist tradition, each grain of sand is representative of a wrongdoing, and when the sand is washed away by the river or by other means, that bad deed is washed away, for a clean slate at the start of the year.

April 22-30

Passover

Passover is an eight-day Jewish commemoration of liberation from slavery in Egypt. In the narrative of the Exodus, the Hebrew Bible tells that God helped the Children of Israel escape from their slavery in Egypt by the death of all Egyptian first-borns. The Israelites were instructed to mark the doorposts of their homes with the blood of a slaughtered spring lamb and, upon seeing this, the spirit of death knew to pass over the first-born in these homes, hence the English name of the holiday. When Pharaoh freed the Israelites, it is said that they left in such a hurry that they could not wait for bread dough to rise. In commemoration, matzo (flat unleavened bread) is eaten during this holiday.

April 9-10

Eid al-Fitr

Muslim holyday may begin at sunset. Eid al Fitr, or the Festival of Breaking the Fast, commemorates the end of Ramadan. It begins with the first sighting of the new moon, and it is the only day on which Muslims are not permitted to fast. Celebrations begin with the Eid prayer in large, open-air spaces and move on to feasts and festivals that vary by region.

April 20

First Day of Ridvan

Begins at sunset. Ridvan is a 12-day Baha’i festival that is one of the holiest celebrations in the Baha’i calendar. "Ridván" means paradise, and is named for the Garden of Ridván outside Baghdad, where Bahá'u'lláh stayed for twelve days before commencing his journey to Constantinople after the Ottoman Empire exiled him from the city. The festival starts two hours before sunset on the first day, and major celebrations also occur on the ninth and twelfth days. On those days, work is prohibited, and the celebration is usually observed with a community gathering where prayers are shared.

May 1

Beltane (Northern Hemisphere)

Pagan/Wiccan holyday in the Northern Hemisphere that begins at sunset on the evening before. Beltane celebrates the fertility and new life of the spring, often celebrated with a Maypole dance and goddess ritual celebrating the sacred feminine and fertility.

May 1

Samhain (Southern Hemisphere)

Pagan/Wiccan holyday begins in the Southern Hemisphere at sunset the evening before. Samhain, one of the 8 Sabbats of the Wheel of the Year, is a Celtic Festival of the Dead that honors the ancestors, when the veil between this world and the next is the thinnest. As Pagans in the Northern Hemisphere celebrate Beltane and the coming of Spring, Pagans in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate Samhain. This ancient tradition survives in secular culture as Halloween. Neo-pagans reclaiming this harvest festival consider it the Witches New Year and the most important holyday of the year.

May 3

Holy Friday

Holy Friday is an Orthodox Christian holyday commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. It is observed on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday.

May 5

Orthodox Easter

Orthodox Christian holyday. On Easter, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is celebrated. It is typically the most well-attended Sunday service of the year. Many Christians believe that Jesus was raised from the dead three days after his death on the cross, and that through his death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for sin and purchased salvation for all who believe. Easter Sunday marks the end of Lent, a period of fasting and spiritual discipline.

May 5-6

Yom HaSho’ah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)

Begins at sunset. Yom Ha Sho’ah is a holyday of remembrance for the events of the Holocaust. Most Jewish communities hold a solemn ceremony on this day, but there is no institutionalized ritual accepted by all Jews. Lighting memorial candles and reciting the Kaddish — the prayer for the departed — are common. In Israel, Yom HaShoah is a state holyday. Flags on public buildings are flown at half-mast. At 10:00 a.m., an air raid siren sounds throughout the country and almost everyone stops what they are doing, including motorists who stop their cars in the middle of the road, for two minutes of silent reflection as the siren is sounded.

May 9

Ascension of Jesus Christ (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian holyday. The Ascension of Jesus is the departure of Christ from Earth into the presence of God. It takes place 40 days after the Resurrection. The Feast of the Ascension is always celebrated on a Thursday on the 40th day of Easter. The Orthodox tradition has a different calendar up to a month later than in the Western tradition.

May 19

Pentecost

The Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian holyday of Pentecost is celebrated 50 days from Easter Sunday to commemorate events described in the New Testament, in which the Holy Spirit descends upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ.

May 22 - 23

Declaration of the Bab

Baha’i holyday celebrating the day on which The Bab (“the Gate”) declared a mission as a messenger of God and taught that the Baha’u’llah would soon appear with further revelations.

May 23

Vesak

Vesak, also called Buddha Day, is a holyday traditionally celebrated in Mahayana Buddhism to commemorate the birth of the Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Gautama Buddha and the founder of Buddhism. Celebrations vary between the many East Asian countries that observe this holyday, but some commonalities are public processions, visits to shrines, and offerings of food and flowers.

May 25-26

Lag B’Omar

This Jewish holyday begins at sunset and commemorates Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a sage in the 2nd century, and the day on which he revealed the deepest secrets of kabbalah in the form of the Zohar (Book of Splendor), a landmark text of Jewish mysticism. This association has spawned several well-known customs and practices on Lag B’Omar, including the lighting of bonfires and pilgrimages to the tomb of Bar Yochai in the northern Israeli town of Meron.

May 27

Ascension of Baha’u’llah

This Baha’i holyday commemorates the anniversary of the day that Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, passed away from this life in 1892. During this holyday, celebrants abstain from attending work and school, and reflect on their founder’s suffering and resilience throughout the whole day. This day is seen as a time to read through Baha’u’llah’s writings to understand a better vision for the world. 

June 16-19

Eid al Adha- Expected

Islamic holyday, Eid al-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice), also known as The Greater Eid, begins at sundown and commemorates when Abraham fully submitted to Allah on Mount Arafat, but was spared from sacrificing his child. Pilgrims celebrate Eid al-Adha after descending from Mount Arafat, near Mecca, as part of the Hajj. The festival lasts 4 days and is celebrated worldwide.

June 20

Litha (Northern Hemisphere)

Pagan/Wiccan holyday. The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Many agricultural societies have observed the longest day of the year in some way: Stonehenge was created to glorify the rising of the sun on the summer solstice, the Saxons and Celts built bonfires to celebrate the power of the sun over darkness, and the Romans had a festival for Juno, wife of Jupiter and the goddess of marriage, women, menstruation, and children during Midsummer. A time of fertility, growth, warmth, and light, Litha is one of the 8 Sabbats of the Wheel of the Year for modern Pagans and Wiccans.

June 21

Yule (Southern Hemisphere)

Pagan/Wiccan holyday in the southern hemisphere. In the darkest of winter, Yule celebrates the return of the sun, when the days begin to get longer again and bring more light into the world, with feasting and merrymaking. Decorating a tree, wreathes, the Yule log, and caroling come from ancient Norse traditions. Yule is also associated with Odin and the Wild Hunt, a ghostly procession of horsemen through the sky — which became Santa Claus and his flying reindeer. Romans held feasts, decorated trees with tin ornaments, practiced fertility rites under mistletoe, and exchanged gifts during the week-long festival of Saturnalia. The Celts believed the Oak King and the Holly King fought at this time of year to see if light or darkness would win out, which some Wiccans re-enact as part of their celebrations today. Yule is one of the 8 Sabbats of the Wheel of the Year for modern Pagans and Wiccans.

June 21

World Humanist Day

Humanist groups around the world mark World Humanist Day with a wide variety of activities ranging from activism to parties. World Humanist Day may be recognized with official proclamations or promotional campaigns to educate people about the growth of the secular community and the ethical values of humanists.