world festivals

February dates for your diary

Calendar snapshots

2^nd      Imbolc, Pagan/Wicca

Falling at the midway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, this ancient festival marks the beginning of spring. Where Christianity and the old traditions have merged, the day is also celebrated by honouring St Brigid. Traditionally, straw dolls were made in her image and beds laid out in each home, to welcome her visit and blessing of the livestock.

18^th     Lailat al Miraj, Islamic

Lailat al Miraj remembers the Prophet Mohammed’s ascension into heaven. It is celebrated by Muslims across the world, with special prayers and a telling of the story, in which the Prophet received instructions from God for the Salat, the requirement for Muslims to pray five times per day.

22^nd    Ash Wednesday, Christian

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in the Western Christian calendar. It is observed by attending special services at church, where ashes are used to mark people’s foreheads. These are made by burning the palm crosses from Palm Sunday, the weekend before. Christians often leave the ash on their foreheads all day as a public profession of their faith.

This month’s dates at a glance

Religious/cultural

2 – Imbolc*/Candlemas - Wicca and Pagan

3 – Setsunbun-sai - Shinto

5 – Triodion begins - Orthodox Christian

5 – Thaipusam - Hindu

6 – Tu BiShvat - Judaism

12 – Sunday of the prodigal son - Orthodox Christian

14 – Valentine’s day - Christian

15 – Nirvana day - Buddhist

18 – Maha Shivratri - Hindu

Lailat al-Miraj - Islam

19 – Meatfare Sunday - Orthodox Christian

21 – Losar begins - Buddhist

21 – Shrove Tuesday - Christian

22 – Ash Wednesday (start of Lent)- Christian

22 – Feast of the chair of Saint Peter - Catholic Christian

26 Feb-1 Mar – Intercalary days - Baha’i

26 – Cheesefare Sunday – Orthodox Christian

27 – Great Lent begins – Orthodox Christian

 Awareness and events

1 – World Hijab Day

1-7 – World Interfaith Harmony Week

2 – Time To Talk Day

4 – World Cancer Day

6 – International Day Of Zero Tolerance To Female Genital Mutilation

6-12 – UK Race Equality Week

6-12 – Children’s Mental Health Week

7 – Safer Internet Day

11 – International Day Of Women And Girls In Science

12 – Red Hand Day For Child Soldiers

15 – International Childhood Cancer Day

17 – World Human Spirit Day

20 – World Day Of Social Justice

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January dates for your diary

Calendar snapshots

9^th       Seijin no hi, Shinto

Seijin no hi is an ancient Japanese ceremony to mark young people’s coming of age at 20 years old. This is the age at which Japanese people are legally allowed to gamble, drive and drink alcohol. In most towns, young people will gather to hear a local dignitary speak, and then go with their families to a Shinto shrine to pray.

19^th     Timkat, Ethiopian Orthodox

This is the Ethiopian Orthodox feast of the Epiphany, the baptism of Christ. Ethiopian Orthodox Christians celebrate by praying over the entire holiday. Priests take models of the Ark of the Convenant and lead processions to the nearest bodies of water, where worshipers are blessed.

26^th     Vasant Panchami, Hindu/Jain/Sikh

Vasant Panchami ushers in the spring in India, and is celebrated by wearing bright colours (usually yellow, to represent the blossoming mustard fields) and decorating with flowers. There are variations on how the festival is celebrated; in some parts of India, people fly kites to celebrate Vasant Panchami, and for Hindus there is a link to the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati, so the festivities often feature idols or statues.

This month’s dates at a glance

 Religious/cultural

1                Solemnity of Mary, mother of God, Catholic Christian

Gantan-sai (new year), Shinto

5                  Twelfth night, Christian

Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh, Sikh

6                 Epiphany, Christian

7                 Feast of the nativity Orthodox, Christian

7-9                Mahayana new year, Buddhist

8                   Baptism of the Lord Jesus, Catholic Christian

9                 Seijin no Hi, Shinto

13                Lohri/Maghi, Hindu and Sikh

14                Old new year, Orthodox Christian

Makar Sankranti, Hindu

15-18          Pongal, Hindu

18-25          Week of prayer for Christian unity, Christian

19                Timkat, Ethiopian Orthodox Christian

22                Lunar new year Confucian, Daoist and Buddhist

25                Conversion of Saint Paul, Christian

26               Vasant Panchami, Hindu, Sikh and Jain

29               Zacchaeus Sunday, Orthodox Christian

31               Birthday of Guru Har Rai, Sikh

Awareness and events

4                  World Braille Day

8                  Ethnicity Pay Gap Day

15                World Religion Day

16                Martin Luther King Jr Day

24                International Day of Education

25                Robert Burns Night

27                Holocaust Memorial Day

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December dates for your diary

Calendar snapshots

This month’s dates at a glance

1st       World AIDS Day

2nd     International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

3rd      International Day of Persons with Disabilities

5th      International Volunteer Day

8th      Rohatsu (Bodhi Day) – Buddhist,

Feast of the Immaculate Conception– Christian

10th    Human Rights Day

12th    International Universal Health Coverage Day

18th    International Migrants Day

19th    Chanukah begins – Judaism

20th    International Human Solidarity Day

21st     Winter Solstice, Yule – Litha – Wicca/Pagan Northern and Southern hemispheres

24th    Christmas Eve – Christian

25th    Christmas Day – Christian

Feast of the Nativity – Orthodox Christian

26th    Saint Stephen’s Day – Christian

Zarathosht Diso (Death of Prophet Zarathushtra) – Zoroastrian

Boxing Day

Kwanzaa begins

Bank Holiday – England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and ROI

27th    Bank Holiday – England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and ROI

28th    Holy Innocents – Christian

30th    Feast of the Holy Family – Catholic Christian

31st     Watch Night – Christian

New Year’s Eve/Hogmanay

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November dates for your diary

Calendar snapshots

8^th       Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev, Sikh

Guru Nanek Dev was the first Sikh guru and original founder of the religion. In India, in preparation for his birthday, there is akhand path, a 48 hour non-stop recitation of the Guru Granth Sahib in the gurdwaras. The day before the celebrations, there are processions and on the day of the festival itself, people gather for langar, a communal free lunch at the gurdwaras.

14^th     World Diabetes Day

Since 1991, World Diabetes Day has been marked on 14 November, the birthday of Frederick Banting, the man who co-discovered insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. The theme for this day for the years 2021-23 is access to diabetes care, and organisers call on governments to provide better education and equality of access.

18^th     UK Disability History Month begins

Since 2010, during UK Disability History Month, we have celebrated the achievements of disabled people in this country. We also take the month to pay homage to the disability rights movements and activists who have fought for equity and equality for disabled people.

This month’s dates at a glance

1st      All Saints’ Day – Christian

2nd    All Souls’ Day – Christian, Coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie I – Rastafari

8th     Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev – Sikh, Intersex Day of Solidarity

9th     Dedication of the Lateran Basilica – Catholic Christian,

11th    Armistice Day

13th    Remembrance Sunday, World Kindness Day, UK Interfaith Week begins

14th    World Diabetes Day  

15th    Nativity Fast begins – Orthodox Christian

16th    International Day for Tolerance

17th    International Students’ Day

18th    International STAND UP to Bullying Day, UK Disability History Month begins

19th    International Men’s Day

20th    Feast of Christ the King – Christian, Transgender Day of Remembrance, Universal Children’s Day

21st    Presentation of the Theotokos – Orthodox Christian

24th    Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur – Sikh  

25th    International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

26th    Day of the Covenant – Baha’i

27th    Advent Sunday – Christian

28th    Ascension of Abdu’l-Bahá – Baha’i

30th    Saint Andrew’s Day – Christian, Bank Holiday – Scotland.

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