| Date | Festival | Description | Faith |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05 January | Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh | Anniversary of the tenth Guru who installed the 5 Ks and established the Order of the Khalsa (Community of Sikhs) on Vaisakhi. The main feature of the festival is an 'Akhand Path', a complete uninterrupted reading of the Sikh holy scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib, over 48 hours. | Sikhism |
| 06 January | Epiphany | Celebrates the coming of the magi (wise men) to the baby Jesus. It is the twelfth day of Christmas. It is particularly important in the Orthodox church: here the baptism of Jesus and His first miracle at Cana are remembered. | Christianity |
| 10 January | Al-Hijra (New Year's Day) | This commemorates the Hijra, or migration of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) from Makkah to Medina in 622 CE which led to the establishment of the Muslim community there. Muslim years are dated from this time and are termed AH (After the Hijrah). | Islam |
| 04 February | First day of Lent (Orthodox) | Unlike the Western tradition, which starts Lent on the Wednesday before the first Sunday of Lent, Eastern churches start Lent on the Monday before the first Sunday. This is the beginning of the Lenten Fast which involves abstinence from meat, fish and dairy products until after Easter. | Christianity |
| 05 February | Shrove Tuesday | This day is set aside for repentance and absolution in preparation for Lent. The word has to do with absolution from sin. It is more popularly known as a day of eating and enjoyment. In Britain it is known as 'Pancake Day' as pancakes were originally made to use up all the rich foods before Lent. | Christianity |
| 06 February | Ash Wednesday | The first day of Lent when Christians remember the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness and the temptations He faced during this time. In Catholic and some Anglican churches, services are held where the worshipper's forehead is marked with a cross of ash, made from the burning the palm crosses of the previous year - hence the name Ash Wednesday. | Christianity |
| 08 February | Parinirvana | Mahayana Buddhists mark the passing away of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. Pure Land Buddhists call this Nirvana Day. | Buddhism |
| 20 March | Eid Milad (Mawlid) | The birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is celebrated in the UK in the mosque with recitations from the Qur'an, poetry and songs in praise of the Prophet (pbuh). Not all Muslims celebrate this festival. The term Mawlid is also used in some parts of the world, such as Egypt, as a generic term for the birthday celebrations of other historical religious figures such as Sufi saints. | Islam |
| 21 March | Naw Ruz | New Year's Day and the end of the nineteenth day fast that concludes the old year. | Baha'i |
| 21 March | Good Friday | This commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus. It is called 'Good', since for Christians it is the ultimate example of God's sacrifice when Jesus gave up His life for the world. Services are held to mark the time Jesus spent on the cross. Hot cross buns were associated with Good Friday. | Christianity |
| 21 March | Holi | A festival lasting up to 5 days. Bonfires are lit and coloured powers and dyes thrown over people. A number of stories are associated with the festival including that of Prahlada and Holika. Prahlada worshipped Vishnu in defiance of his father, King Hiranyakashipu. Prahlada survived when his aunt, Holika, supposedly immune to fire, held him while she sat on a bonfire. | Hindu Dharma (Hinduism) |
| 21 March | Purim | Celebrates the saving of the Jewish community of Persia which is retold in the Book of Esther. When this is read in the synagogue, the name of Haman is drowned out with rattles and hooters by the congregation, whenever it is read. | Judaism |
| 23 March | Easter Day | Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Easter eggs are given, which symbolise new life. Easter Day is calculated on a lunar calendar and it moves each year. The Orthodox Church calculates the date of Easter differently. In 2008 Easter Day is on 27 April for the Eastern Orthodox Church. | Christianity |
| 14 April | Vaisakhi | Vaisakhi is the Sikh new year festival. In 1699 on Vaisakhi, the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, founded the Order of the Khalsa. Five men, the Panj Piare (The Five Beloved Ones) were prepared to offer their lives when the Guru asked for volunteers. According to tradition on this day, the 5 Ks, the five outward signs of Sikhism, were made obligatory and Sikh men took the name 'Singh' and women, 'Kaur'. The Order of the Khalsa was founded and the initiation ceremony, amrit, was introduced. | Sikhism |
| 20 April | Pesach (Passover) | A major eight day festival when Jews commemorate the exodus from their slavery in Egypt. A highlight is the Seder meal, held in each family's home at the beginning of the festival, when the story of their deliverance is recounted in the Haggadah (the Telling, the Story). Matzah (unleavened bread) is eaten as are other foods that contain no leaven. | Judaism |
| 01 May | Ascension Day | This day commemorates the last human appearance of the Risen Christ, who, according to Christian belief, ascended into heaven. | Christianity |
| 11 May | Pentecost | Pentecost is seen as the 'birthday' of the Church since this is when the disciples of Jesus first proclaimed the Gospel after receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is named after the Jewish festival day on which this event happened. | Christianity |
| 20 May | Wesak or Buddha Day | Theravadan Buddhists celebrate the birth, enlightenment and passing away of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. Houses are decorated, cards are sent and celebrations are held in Buddhist monasteries. | Buddhism |
| 09 June | Shavuot | Seven weeks after Pesach, Shavuot celebrates the revelation of the Torah on Mount Sinai and the early harvest season in Israel. Synagogues are decorated with flowers and dairy foods are eaten. | Judaism |
| 23 July | Birthday of Haile Selassie | One of the holiest days of the Rastafarian year. It is celebrated with Nyahbinghi drumming, hymns and prayers. | Rastafarianism |
| 30 July | Lail-ul-Isra' Wal Mi' Raj | The Prophet's (pbuh) Night Journey and Ascension is a festival which celebrates the journey of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) from Makkah to Jerusalem and through the heavens to the presence of Allah, all in one night. It was on this journey that the command to pray five times a day was given. The rock in Jerusalem from which Muhammad (pbuh) ascended is now marked by the Dome of the Rock. Muslims celebrate by reading the Qur'an and saying additional prayers. | Islam |
| 16 August | Raksha Bandhan | This festival takes place on the full moon of Shravana. Raksha means 'protection' and 'bandhan' means 'to tie'. Girls and married women of North Indian origin tie a rakhi (amulet) on the right wrist of brothers, wishing them protection from evil influences of various kinds. | Hindu Dharma (Hinduism) |
| 11 September | Ethiopian New Year's Day | Rastafarians have a four year cycle, each named after an evangelist. September 2007 is the beginning of the year of Mark. | Rastafarianism |
| 13 September | Ramadan | The month of fasting from dawn until sunset. To Muslims this means abstaining from all food, drink, smoking and marital relations during daylight hours. It is an exercise in self-discipline. Fasting (sawm) is one of the five pillars of Islam. After the custom of the Prophet (pbuh), the fast is traditionally broken each evening by taking dates and water. Travellers, those who are sick and women who are pregnant or menstruating are temporarily excused from fasting, but they will make this up at another time. The full fast is not compulsory until a child has reached maturity. Since the Muslim year observes a lunar calendar, Ramadan moves forward by 10/11 days each year. | Islam |
| 13 September | Rosh Hashanah | The Jewish New Year's Day which begins ten days of repentance and self examination in which God sits in judgement on every individual. The blowing of a ram's horn (shofar) in the synagogue is a reminder of Abraham's sacrifice of a ram instead of his son Isaac. Apples dipped in honey are eaten in the hope of a 'sweet' new year. | Judaism |
| 22 September | Yom Kippur | The Day of Atonement. This is the final day of the ten days of repentance. It is the holiest day of the year in the Jewish calendar. The Bible calls it the 'Sabbath of Sabbaths' and it is marked by a total fast of 25 hours. Jews spend the evening and most of the day in prayer, asking for forgiveness for past wrongs and resolving to improve in the future. The Book of Jonah is read. | Judaism |
| 27 September | Sukkoth | A harvest festival commemorating the 40 years that the Jews spent in the wilderness on the way from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. A temporary hut called a sukkah is used during this time for eating meals and socialising. The roof is open in parts to the elements. | Judaism |
| 05 October | Simchat Torah | This festival marks the completion of the annual cycle of reading from the Torah. As the reading should be continuous, a second scroll is begun as soon as the final portion of the Torah has been read; so, as the reading from Deuteronomy ends, with the next breath Genesis begins. The Torah scrolls are paraded around the synagogue, with children dancing and singing. | Judaism |
| 07 October | Pavarana | The last day of the Rains Retreat (the Vassa). Pavarana means 'to invite' and on this day monks who have completed the Retreat invite their colleagues to admonish them for any failings. It is also named 'Sangha Day'. Pavarana is mainly celebrated by Theravadan Buddhists | Buddhism |
| 09 October | Lailat-ul-Qadr | The Night of Power commemorates the night on which the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) received the first revelation of the Qur'an. Many Muslims spend the night studying the Qur'an at their local mosque. It is usually celebrated on the 27th day of Ramadan. | Islam |
| 11 October | Navaratri | Navaratri means 'nine nights' which is the length of the festival. The final 3 days are the most important. In Northern India, the performance of the Ram Lila during Durga Puja commemorates Rama's victory over the demon king Ravana. | Hindu Dharma (Hinduism) |
| 13 October | Eid-ul-Fitr | The festival of the breaking of the fast comes at the end of Ramadan and at the start of the first of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Muslim calendar. This Eid is known as the Small Festival, as it lasts just 3 days, compared with the 4 days of Eid-ul-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice. It is a time for almsgiving: the charity of the fast, Zakat-ul-Fitr, paid during Ramadan, must be paid before the Eid prayer. This is a time for new clothes, food, presents for children and family get-togethers. The community will assemble for the Eid prayer at the mosque or at a large place that will accommodate the whole community of the town or village. The traditional greeting is 'Eid Mubarak' (a happy and blessed Eid). | Islam |
| 20 October | Anniversary of the birth of the Bab | The Bab (meaning Gate) was born in Shiraz in 1819. He called people to religious renewal and to await the coming of a new messenger from God. Baha'is believe that this latter figure was Baha'u'llah. | Baha'i |
| 01 November | All Saints' Day | Thanks are offered for the witness of all saints, recognising that not all are known or specially celebrated. All Saints' Day occurs the day after Halloween. | Christianity |
| 02 November | Anniversary of the Crowning of Haile Selassie | One of the holiest days of the Rastafarian year, it celebrates Haile Selassie's accession to the Ethiopian throne. | Rastafarianism |
| 05 November | Kathina Day | During the month that follows the Rains Retreat, cloth is presented to the Sangha (community of Buddhists) by members of the lay Buddhist community. This is made into a Kathina robe and presented to a particularly deserving or virtuous monk in a special ceremony. It is mainly celebrated by Theravadan Buddhists. | Buddhism |
| 09 November | Divali | This is a Hindu New Year festival lasting up to 5 days, during which lights are hung out and fireworks set off. This festival of light coincides with the darkest night of the lunar month. The festival is associated with Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and with the return of Rama and Sita to the kingdom of Ayodhya after their exile. Divali marks the beginning of the Indian financial year. | Hindu Dharma (Hinduism) |
| 09 November | Divali (Bandi chhor Divas) | Sikhs also celebrate Divali as the sixth Guru; Guru Hargobind was released from Gwalior prison on this day. The Guru refused to accept release when it was offered by the Emperor Jehangir unless 52 imprisoned Hindu princes were also given their freedom. To meet the Emperor's condition that only those who could hold on to his cloak could leave the prison, the Guru had a cloak with long tassels made. The Golden Temple in Amritsar is illuminated at this time. It is a time of new clothes, presents and sweets. | Sikhism |
| 12 November | Anniversary of the birth of Baha'u'llah | Founder of the Baha'i faith, he was born the eldest son of a Persian nobleman in Tehran, Persia, in 1817. | Baha'i |
| 24 November | Birthday of Guru Nanak | The first Sikh Guru. To celebrate such birthdays, an 'Akhand Path', a complete uninterrupted reading of the Sikh holy scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib, is begun 48 hours before, so it will be finished on the morning of the festival. Sikhs gather at the gurdwaras to hear sermons and sing hymns about the life of Guru Nanak. The congregation will share a free meal (langar). | Sikhism |
| 30 November | Advent Sunday | The start of the Christian year, four Sundays before Christmas. It is often celebrated by lighting the first candle in the advent crown - a wreath of greenery. Advent is a time of mental and physical preparation. | Christianity |
| 05 December | Hanukkah | Celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after it was captured from the Syrian Greeks by the Maccabee brothers in 165 BCE. For the eight evenings of the festival, candles are lit in a hanukkiah, a nine branched menorah - one candle for each evening. The ninth candle is the shamash - the servant candle - from which the other candles are lit. Foods cooked with oil - such as doughnuts and latkes (potato cakes) - are traditional to remember the miracle with oil that happened at this time. A game of dreidel is popular with children to commemorate the miracle. | Judaism |
| 08 December | Bodhi Day | A day to celebrate the enlightenment of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama under the Bodhi Tree in Northern India. It is celebrated mainly by some Mahayana schools of Buddhism. | Buddhism |
| 20 December | Eid-ul-Adha | The Festival of Sacrifice marks the end of the Hajj - the Pilgrimage to Makkah. The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. Pilgrims sacrifice animals at the village of Mina on their way back to Makkah from Mount Arafat (where they have spent the first day of the festival) in commemoration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael. Muslims all over the world sacrifice an animal if they can afford it. The meat is distributed to the poor and some is shared with relatives and friends. | Islam |
| 24 December | Christmas Eve | The day before Christmas Day when evening carols are sung and Midnight Mass herald the start of Christmas. Santa Claus, a legendary figure based on St Nicholas of Myra, is supposed to bring presents to children on Christmas Eve. | Christianity |
| 25 December | Christmas Day | Celebration of the birth of Jesus, who Christians believe was the son of God. The Christian focus on the incarnation of God becoming human has led this to become a major festival in the Christian faith, although its significance has been obscured by a secularisation and commercialism. Christmas carols, plays and evergreens are associated with this time and nativity sets are displayed in churches and sometimes in homes. Gifts are reminders of the offerings brought to the infant Jesus. Originally these and Christmas boxes were given on 26 December, Boxing Day, now an English Bank Holiday. | Christianity |
Subject and Aspects > Religious Education > Calendar of World Religions