Religious Holidays Information

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D - G
H - L
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Advent - Christianity

Advent is the Christian time of preparation for observing the birth of Jesus Christ. It begins on the Sunday nearest November 30 and is the beginning of the Christian worship year. Advent is observed with the lighting of advent candles, the display of wreaths and special ceremonies. In many Christian traditions each of the four Sundays of the season represents a particular theme. Advent continues through December 24.

Ash Wednesday - Christianity

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the forty-day period (excluding Sundays) of prayer, repentance and self-denial that precedes Easter. Ashes are marked on worshippers as a sign of penitence.

Beltane - Wicca

Beltane is one of the four major holidays of Wicca. Beltane is the emergence of the God into manhood. He falls in love with the Goddess, and their union results in the Goddess being with child. Beltane is a celebration of their union and the fertility of the Earth Goddess and all living things. Beltane marks the return of vitality and passion.

Buddha Day (Vesak) - Buddhism

Vesak is the major Buddhist festival of the year, celebrating the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha and is observed on the first full moon day in May (except in leap years, when the celebration is held in June).

Chinese New Year - Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism

New Year festivities begin on the first day of the first Chinese month, when the moon is darkest, and continue through the fifteenth day of that month, when the moon is the brightest. Legend says that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each of them, announcing that people born in each animal's year would have some of the animal's personality.

Christmas - Christianity

Christmas celebrates the anniversary of the birth of Jesus. Christmas is given more importance in Western Christianity than in Orthodox. The day is observed with prayer, the giving of gifts and family gatherings.

Diwali - Hinduism (also observed in Sikhism and Jainism)

Diwali (pronounced, Dee-va-lee) is a very popular five-day Hindu festival known as the Festival of Lights. Dedicated to the Goddesses Kali in Bengal and Lakshmi (the Goddess of Wealth) in the rest of India, it is associated with a story about the destruction of evil by Lord Vishnu in one of his many manifestations. Diwali symbolizes the human urge to move toward the light. It is observed with gift exchanges, fireworks and festive meals.

Easter/Pascha - Christianity

Easter, or Pascha as it is known in Eastern Orthodox churches, is the most holy of Christian sacred days, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus following his death by crucifixion. The day is observed with worship services beginning at sunrise, special music, feasting and family gatherings. Easter marks the end of the forty-day period of Lent and begins a fifty-day period leading to Pentecost.

Eid al Adha - Islam

Eid al Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice) is the most important festival of Islam and concludes the Hajj (the pilgrimage to Mecca). It is a three-day festival (that begins and ends at sundown) commemorating Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, in obedience to Allah. Muslims worldwide sacrifice a lamb or other animal and distribute the meat to relatives or the needy.

Eid al Fitr - Islam

Eid al Fitr (the Breaking of the Fast) marks the end of Ramadan and begins at sundown. It is a festival of thanksgiving to Allah for enjoying the month of Ramadan (the month of fasting) and involves wearing finest clothing, saying prayers and fostering understanding with other religions. The festival begins at sundown.

Epiphany - Christianity

Epiphany is the Christian commemoration of the manifestations of the divine nature of Jesus Christ. The evening preceding is known as Twelfth Night. The Western Church associates the day with the journey of the Magi to Bethlehem (as celebrated by Dia de los Reyes - Day of the Kings). In the Eastern Church, where it is called Theophany, the day is connected to the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist and to the miracle of Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana.

Good Friday/Holy Friday - Christianity

Good Friday, known as Holy Friday by Eastern Orthodox Christians, is a day of remembrance of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the events immediately preceding it. The story is retold during special worship services.

Hannukah - Judaism

Hanukah is the Jewish Festival of Lights commemorating religious freedom and the Maccabean recapture and rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in 165 BCE. The festival is observed with special readings, praise songs, games and gifts. Candles are lit on the menorah each night of the festival as a reminder that when the Jewish army returned to the Temple there was only oil enough to burn in the Eternal Light for one night, but it burned for eight. The festival begins and ends at sundown.

Imbolc - Wicca

Imbolc (also called Imbolg or Candlemas) is one of the four major holidays of Wicca. Imbolc marks the growth of the God into a strong boy as the days grow longer and the sun gets stronger. It also marks the recovery of the Goddess from giving birth to the God. It is a time of initiation, a beginning, as the seeds begin to wake from their winter sleep. Traditionally many initiation rituals and self-dedication rituals are done at this time.

Kol Nidre

Kol Nidre is both the opening prayer and the name for the evening service that begins Yom Kippur. It marks the beginning of the holiest day of the year for Jews.

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa, a seven-day holiday, was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966. This African-American and Pan-African festival celebrating family, community and culture, was modeled after African first-fruits celebrations. The candles of a seven-branched candelabrum representing the seven principles (the Nguzo Saba) of Kwanzaa - unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith - are lit successively over the seven days of the festival.

Lammas - Wicca

Lammas is one of the four major holidays of Wicca. Lammas is the celebration of the successful growing season. The grain is ripe, but is just beginning to be harvested. The God loses strength as the days grow shorter. It is a time to address and overcome fears and anxiety.

Mabon - Wicca

Mabon is the Wiccan celebration of a successful harvest. Celebrated on the Autumnal Equinox, night and day are equal, so it is a time of balance when lives can be brought into harmony. It is a time to address the balance in our lives and to be thankful for our success.

Maundy Thursday - Christianity

Maundy or Holy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus and the Apostles and the beginning of the Lord's Supper (Holy Communion/Eucharist).

Mid-Summer's Eve - Wicca

Midsummer (Litha) falls on the longest day of the year. On this day Wiccans believe the God begins his journey towards death as the days begin to get shorter.

Ostara - Wicca

Ostara, the Spring Equinox, marks the first day of spring. It is the time when the God grows to maturity. The night and day are equal, therefore it is a time of balance when our lives can be brought into harmony. For Wiccans it is a time of beginnings of action.

Palm Sunday - Christianity

Palm Sunday celebrates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and the beginning of Holy Week. The name is taken from the Gospel stories telling of people waving palm branches and spreading them in front of Jesus as he entered the city.

Passover - Judaism

Passover is the eight-day celebration in remembrance of the deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. An important part of Passover is a ceremonial meal, a Seder, in which specific foods representing elements of the Exodus story are eaten. Passover begins and ends at sundown. The first two and last two days of the festival may be observed as holidays from work.

Pentecost - Christian

Pentecost is the Christian observation of the day fifty days following the resurrection of Jesus when the Holy Spirit came to the Disciples in the forms of tongues of fire and rushing wind, an event considered to be the birth of the Church. It is a traditional day for baptism and confirmation of new Christians. The day is also called "Whitsunday," a name believed to be derived from "white Sunday," because of the white robes that are sometimes worn by persons being baptized.

Purim - Judaism

Purim is the Jewish celebration of the deliverance of the Jews from planned genocide as told in the book of Esther. The holiday is observed by reading the Book of Esther, eating Hamantashen, the exchange of gifts and donations to the poor. The festival begins at sundown of the previous day.

Ramadan - Islam

Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar and is devoted to the commemoration of Muhammad's reception of the divine revelation recorded in the Qur'an. The observance begins this year at sundown on Aug. 11. It is the holiest period of the Islamic year and includes strict fasting from sunrise to sundown. Each day ends at sunset with a celebratory Iftar, or breaking-of-the-fast.

Rosh Hashanah - Judaism

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. In observance, the story of Abraham is read, a ram's horn is sounded and special foods are prepared and shared. Observance begins at sundown and marks the start of a period of introspection, abstinence, prayer and penitence that ends on Yom Kippur. Some Jews observe on day away from work, others two.

Samain - Wicca

Samhain (pronounced "Sow-hen or Sow-in") is Celtic New Year and is one of the four major holidays of Wicca. At this time, the God passes into the otherworld to be reborn to the Goddess at Yule. The division between the worlds is thin, and it is a time to remember one's ancestors and to reflect on the past year. (Samhin is generally celebrated on Oct. 31, although some traditions prefer Nov. 1.)

Shemini Atzeret - Judaism

"The Eighth Day of Assembly" is the holiday concluding Sukkot and the fall holiday season. In Israel it is also considered the beginning of winter. Reform Judaism celebrates Shemini Atzeret in conjunction with Simchat Torah.

Shrove Tuesday - Christianity

Shrove Tuesday is a Christian carnival day on the eve Lent, a time of fasting and devotions. Because fats were not allowed in foods during Lent and had to be consumed before it began, the day is also known as Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras).

Simchat Torah - Judaism

The day of rejoicing in the Law. Along with Shemini Atzeret, these two observances conclude the feast of Sukkot, and mark the ending of the year's cycle of readings from the Torah, and the beginning of the new cycle.

Sukkot - Judaism

Sukkot is the week-long Jewish Feast of Booths or Tabernacles, during which meals are eaten out of doors in a sukkah (tent), in remembrance of the years spent by the people of Israel in the wilderness. The festival celebrates God's presence in creation and among the Jewish people. The first two and last two days are times to refrain from work.

Yom HaSho'ah - Judaism

Yom HaSho'ah is the day established to remember the six million Jews killed by the Nazis from 1933 to 1945. It begins at sundown on the previous day.

Yom Kippur - Judaism

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish year. It is observed with strict fasting. To re-establish oneness with God, Jews as forgiveness and forgive others and confess their sins and ask for God's forgiveness. Yom Kippur ends the period of penitence begun on Rosh Hashanah. Observance begins at sundown on the previous day.

Yule - Wicca

Yule is the Wiccan celebration of rebirth and renewal. At Yule, the Goddess gives birth to her son, the God, who is symbolized by the sun. His birth brings hope and the promise of the coming summer. Yule is a remnant of older rituals which hurried the end of winter and the coming of spring.

Chaplains