April dates for your diary

Calendar snapshots

4th – Mahavir Janma Kalyanak, Jain

This is one of the most important Jain festivals, celebrating the birth of Mahavir, the 24th and last spiritual teacher of the dharma in our current time cycle. Across India, statues of Mahavir are anointed and special prayers are said, with many Jains giving extra to charity on and around this day.

6-13th – Passover, Judaism

Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is the Jewish festival celebrating the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt where they were held as slaves under Pharoah Ramses II. In a battle with the Egyptians to secure the slaves’ freedom, God had sent the Angel of Death to kill all the firstborn children. The Israelites were told to mark their doors so that their children were spared by the passing Angel; hence ‘passover’.

22nd – Eid al-Fitr, Islam

The festival that marks the end of Ramadan, Muslims believe that Eid al-Fitr was created by the Prophet Muhammed himself. It is a very lively and joyous celebration, where people dress up in new clothes, give extra to charity and share their first daytime meal for a month.

This month’s dates at a glance

Religious/cultural

2 – Palm Sunday, Christian

4 – Mahavir Janma Kalyanak, Jain

6 – Maundy Thursday, Christian

6 – Hanuman Jayanti, Hindu

6-8 – Theravada new year, Buddhist

6-13 – Passover, Judaism

7 – Good Friday, Christian

8 – Lazarus Saturday, Orthodox Christian

9 – Palm Sunday, Orthodox Christian

Easter Sunday, Christian

10 – Easter Monday, Christian

13 – Songkran, Thai new year, Buddhist

14 – Vaisakhi, Hindu and Sikh

14 – Puthandu, Hindu

Holy Friday, Orthodox Christian

16 – Pascha (Easter), Orthodox Christian

18 – Birthday of Guru Angad Dev, Sikh

Laylat al-Qadr, Islam

Yom HaShoah,Judaism

21 – First day of Ridvan, Baha’i

22 – Akshaya Tritiya, Hindu and Jain

Eid al-Fitr, Islam

23 – Saint George’s Day, Christian

25 – Yom HaZikaron, Judaism

25 – Feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist, Catholic Christian

26 – Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Judaism

29 – Ninth day of Ridvan, Baha’i

30 – Saint James the Great’s Day, Orthodox Christian

Awareness and events

1 – April Fool’s Day

2 – World Autism Awareness Day

6 – International Asexuality Day

7 – World Health Day

8 – International Romani Day

22 – Earth Day

24-30 – Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week

25 – World Malaria Day

26 – Lesbian Visibility Day

28 – World Day for Health and Safety At Work