Advent 2024

Advent, (from Latin adventus, “coming”), in the Christian church calendar, the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and also of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ. In Western churches, Advent begins on the Sunday nearest to November 30 (St. Andrew’s Day) and is the beginning of the liturgical year. In many Eastern churches, the Nativity Fast is a […]

Unduvap Poya (Sanghamitta Day)

Unduvap Poya is the last Full Moon Poya day of the year and commemorates the arrival of Sangamitta Theri in Sri Lanka during the month of Unduwap with a Bo […]

Christmas

Christmas, Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus. The English term Christmas (“mass on Christ’s day”) is of fairly recent origin. The earlier term Yule may have derived from the Germanic jōl or the Anglo-Saxon geōl, which referred to the feast of the winter […]

Zartosht No-Diso

On this important day (Zartosht No-Diso), Zoroastrians mark the death anniversary of the prophet Zoroaster, founder of their faith. Falling on the 10th of the month of Dae, it is […]

Maidyarem

The midwinter festival of Maidyarem celebrates the evolution of animals. The fifth Gahambar falls on days 286 through 290, typically December 31 to January 4. Zoroastrians observe six seasonal festivals […]

Feast Day of St. Basil

Saint Basil the Great, (born AD 329, Caesarea Mazaca, Cappadocia—died Jan. 1, 379, Caesarea; Western feast day January 2; Eastern feast day January 1), Early church father. Born into a Christian family […]

Maghi

Sikhs and Hindus, especially in India’s Punjab region, both observe the first day of the month of Magh. In Sikhism, Maghi honors the martyred Chali Mukte (40 Liberated Ones), killed […]

Hamaspathmaidyem

Zoroastrians observe Hamaspathmaidyem - the Festival of All Souls - on days 361 to 365 days (March 16 to 20). It marks the spring equinox and humans’ evolution on the […]

Eid al Adha 2025

Eid al-Adha, (Arabic: “Festival of Sacrifice”) also spelled ʿĪd al-Aḍḥā, also called ʿĪd al-Qurbān or al-ʿĪd al-Kabīr (“Major Festival”), Turkish Kurban Bayram, the second of two great Muslim festivals, the other being Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Adha […]

St. James the Greater Day

St. James, also called James, son of Zebedee, or James the Greater, (born, Galilee, Palestine—died 44 CE, Jerusalem; feast day July 25), one of the Twelve Apostles, distinguished as being in Jesus’ innermost circle and […]