Quick Facts Summary: A Sikh festival celebrating the birth of the founder of the faith Guru Nanak 2019 Date: 12th 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 […]
by Andrew Sarle This is a revised version of an article submitted to Second Generation Voices, the journal for the children of victims or survivors of the Holocaust, when one of the editorial board realised that I was a Second Generation member who was a Church of Scotland minister. This gave me the opportunity to […]
Quick Facts Summary: an Islamic festival commemorating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad 2019 Date: 9th November (Sunni), 10th 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 three-day Christian commemoration of the saints and all the faithful departed. 2019 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 five-day ‘festival of lights’ celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists 2019 Date: 27th October (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 Puja (Hinduism) […]
Quick Facts Summary: Vassa is an annual three-month retreat undertaken by Buddhist monks, whilst Kathina is a festival of celebration that occurs immediately after it 2019 Date: 17th July – 13th October (Vassa); 14th October – 12th November (Kathina) Celebrated by: Theravada Buddhists Linked Holidays: Asalha Puja (Buddhism), Lent (Christianity) Background and Theological Significance Vassa […]
By Omar RanaI think it would be fair to say that I am not a believer. I think it is highly unlikely that a divine power created this universe and think it is even less likely that this divine power has any care, or role, in the life of myself or any other organism. I […]
Quick Facts Summary: a nine-night Hindu festival that celebrates the goddess Durga and the triumph of good over evil 201 Date: 29th September – 8th 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 […]
