Quick Facts and Stats Summary: Hindu celebration of the Birth of Lord Ramachandra, the Seventh Avatar of Vishnu. 2020 Date: 2nd April Celebrated by: Hindus Linked Holidays: Maha-Shivaratri, Ratha Yatra, Kalashtami, Navaratri. Background and Theological Significance Central to Hindu theology is the concept of divinities returning again and again in different forms or Avatars. In […]
Quick Facts and Stats Summary: Christian celebration of the Angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary to tell her she is pregnant with Jesus. 2020 Date: March 25 Celebrated by: Christians Linked Holidays: Epiphany, Christmas, Pentecost. Background and Theological Significance The theological significance of the festival for Christians is twofold. The first is the fact that Mary […]
Quick Facts and Stats Summary: Hindu celebration of Spring, Love, and Forgiveness 2020 Date: March 9th – 10th Celebrated by: Hindus, Indians Linked Holidays: Diwali, Lohri, Easter Background and Theological Significance Holi is an ancient festival from the Indian subcontinent that traditionally marks the arrival of Spring and the end of Winter. The celebrations are […]
Quick Facts and Stats Summary: Christian Festival marking the beginning of Lent, a period of penitence leading to Easter. 2020 Date: February 26th Celebrated by: Christians, especially Western Christians. Linked Holidays: Easter, Lent, Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Carnival, Palm Sunday, Ramadan Background and Theological Significance One of the most enduring symbolic practices of Ash Wednesday […]
Quick Facts and Stats Summary: A Festival dedicated to the god Shiva. 2020 Date: 21st February Celebrated by: Hindus Linked Holidays: Ram Navami, Janmashtami, Raksha Bandhan. Background and Theological Significance Maha-Shivaratri, ‘The Great Night of Shiva’ is the most important night of the year for the worshippers of Shiva. The day before each month’s New […]
Quick Facts and Stats Summary: Festival marking the death of Buddha, his achievement of Parinirvana, final enlightenment. 2020 Date: 15th February Celebrated by: Buddhists, particularly Mahayana Buddhists Linked Holidays: Vesak Background and Theological Significance Nirvana is the ultimate aim for a Buddhist. Buddha himself is seen as the first to have achieved it, at around […]
Quick Facts and Stats Summary: Christian Festival celebrating the presentation of Jesus to the Temple and the purification of Mary, Jesus’ mother. 2020 Date: February 2nd Celebrated by: Christians Linked Holidays: Epiphany, Imbolc, Groundhog Day Background and Theological Significance It was traditional, forty days after giving birth, for Jewish parents to bring their newborn baby […]
Quick Facts and Stats Summary: Gaelic Festival celebrating the beginning of Spring 2020 Date: 1st February Celebrated by: Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Gaelic, Pagans Linked Holidays: Beltane, Samhain, Candlemass, Maghi, Lohri. Background and Theological Significance Imbolc’s history stretches back back for perhaps thousands of years. But at its core it has always been motivated by the […]
