Quick Facts Summary: A Sikh festival celebrating the birth of the founder of the faith Guru Nanak 2018 Date: 23rd November Celebrated by: Sikhs, Nanakpanthis, parts of India (as a National Holiday) Linked Holidays: Gurpurab festivals, Vaisakhi (Sikhism) Background and Theological Significance Guru Nanak Gurpurab, also known as Guru Nanak Jayanti and Guru Nanak’s Prakash […]
Quick Facts Summary: an Islamic festival commemorating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad 2018 Date: 20th November (Sunni), 25th November (Shi’a) Celebrated by: Muslims, most Islamic countries around the world Linked Holidays: Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Christmas Background and Theological Significance Mawlid al-Nabi al-Sharif (in Arabic, مَولِد النَّبِي, literally meaning ‘the birth of the prophet’) […]
Quick Facts Summary: a five-day ‘festival of lights’ celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists 2018 Date: 6th or 7th November (regional variations) and two days either side Celebrated by: Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Indians Linked Holidays: Tihar and Swanti (Nepalese variations of Diwali), Bandi Chhor Divas (Sikhism), Raksha Bandhan (Hinduism), Galungan (Balinese Hinduism), Kali […]
Quick Facts Summary: a three-day Christian commemoration of the saints and all the faithful departed. 2018 Date: 31st October, 1st November, 2nd November Celebrated by: Western Christians, Western Culture Linked Holidays: Hallowe’en (Western), Samhain (Pagan) Background and Theological Significance Hallowtide, also called Allhallowtide or the Hallowmas season, is a triduum (three day observance) in the […]
Quick Facts Summary: a nine-night Hindu festival that celebrates the goddess Durga and the triumph of good over evil 2018 Date: 10th – 19th October (ten days inclusive) Celebrated by: Hindus Linked Holidays: Vijayadashami/ Dussehra, Durga Puja (Hinduism) Background and Theological Significance Navaratri (from the Sanskrit, नवरात्रि, meaning ‘nine nights’) is a Hindu festival that […]
Quick Facts Summary: a Christian feast day commemorating the beloved saint and religious founder St Francis of Assisi 2018 Date: 4th October Celebrated by: Christians (predominantly Roman Catholics, Anglicans and some Protestants), animal rights activists, many other individuals Linked Holidays: World Animal Day (international), feast days of Christian saints Background and Theological Significance The Feast […]
Quick Facts Summary: a celebration of the discovery of the True Cross in the Ethiopian Orthodox and Eritrean Orthodox Churches 2018 Date: 27th September Celebrated by: Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Christians, Ethiopia and Eritrea (as a National Holiday) Linked Holidays: Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Christianity) Background and Theological Significance Meskel (from […]
Quick Facts Summary: a celebration of the autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and the vernal equinox in the Southern Hemisphere 2018 Date: 23rd September (exact timing depends on location) Celebrated by: Numerous cultures worldwide, modern pagans Linked Holidays: March Equinox, Wiccan Wheel of the Year festivals, Harvest Festival Background and Theological Significance The September […]
