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
