Some Religious Days are not fixed, so 2024 has been used as an example year.

Note: All days marked with "*" begin the prior evening.

In Eastern Christianity, this feast day is known as the Theophany. It commemorates the visit of the Magi, Jesus' baptism, and the Wedding at Cana. It is also known as Three Kings' Day or Little Christmas.

This is the day Orthodox Christians celebrate Jesus' birth. It corresponds with the date Dec 25 on the Julian Calendar.

This Hindu festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated after the mid-winter celebration of Lohri, where bonfires are lit in Northern India. Hindus enjoy this festival the following morning, which involves ritual baths in rivers and ponds.

This date marks the beginning of the Julian calendar.

First observed in 1950, this Baháʼí faith day is inspired by their idea of the oneness and evolution of religion. The purpose of this day is to highlight their principles and the role that all world religions play in uniting all humans.

This Jewish holiday is celebrated as an ancient Earth Day, where trees are planted annually.

Pagans and Wiccans celebrate this festival as the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, honouring light, fire, and the return of life after a long winter.

This Christian festival occurs 40 days after Christmas and celebrates the birth of light. It commemorates the presentation of Jesus at the Temple, which appears in Luke 2:22-40. All candles to be used in the church for the next year are blessed on this day. Candlemas is also known as the Feast of the Holy Encounter, the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ.

Muslims remember Prophet Muhammad's pilgrimage from Mecca to Jerusalem on this holy day. After his arrival, he ascended to Heaven.

This celebration of the new year on the lunisolar Chinese Calendar is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture. It also influences the Lunar New Year celebrations of nearly 56 other ethnic groups, including Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

This day marks the start of Lent, 40 days of fasting and prayer for Christians before Easter. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday when all leaven is used up before the Lent fast.

Lent is a period of preparation to celebrate Christ's Resurrection at Easter. During Lent, Christians seek the Lord in prayer by reading Sacred Scripture, serve by giving alms, and practice self-control through fasting. Christians are called to abstain from luxuries during Lent and to a true inner conversion of heart as they seek to follow Christ's will more faithfully. They recall the waters of baptism in which they were baptised into Christ's death, died to sin and evil, and began a new life in Christ.

Known as Nirvana Day in Mahãyãna Buddhism, this day honours Buddha's death and his attainment of final Nirvana.

This Bahá'í celebration and period of fasting celebrate giving back to the community and giving gifts to loved ones, which honours the Divine Essence of God. This celebration marks the start of the fasting month, during which Bahá'ís 15 years and older abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset.

The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. Established by Baháʼu'lláh, it initially developed in Qajar, Iran, and parts of the Middle East, where it has faced ongoing persecution since its beginning. The religion is estimated to have 5 to 8 million adherents, known as Baháʼís, spread throughout most countries.

This marks the start of the holy month of fasting for Muslims.

The vernal equinox marks the start of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of the esoteric year for many spiritual groups, including Pagans, Wiccans, and Esoteric Existentialists.

The Persian and the Baha'i New Year is also celebrated on the Vernal Equinox.

Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter. On this day, the people waved palm branches to honour Christ's entry into Jerusalem.

Holi is one of the most important Hindu holy days. It celebrates the arrival of spring and new life. Holi lasts for a night and a day, starting on the evening of the Full Moon Day.

This Christian holy day honours Jesus' crucifixion and death. From noon to 3 p.m., it is known as the Service of the Great Three Hours' Agony, when it is believed Jesus died on the cross. It is also known as Great Friday, Holy Friday, Great and Holy Friday, and Black Friday.

One of the most important Christian holy days, Easter, memorialises the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is believed that this occurred on the third day of his burial. The week before Easter is known as Holy Week, which starts with Palm Sunday and includes Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Last Supper, and Good Friday and ends on Easter Sunday - also known as Resurrection Sunday or Pascha.

Laylat al-Qadr is the holiest night of the year for Muslims, as it's believed that this was the night that the Quran was sent down from Heaven. The last ten nights of Ramadan are dedicated to praying and scripture reading, and Muslims believe this night of decree took place during one of those ten nights.

This is one of the most important Islamic holy days. A large meal marks the end of Ramadan, and celebrations last three days.

This Bahá'í 12-day festival commemorates Bahaullah's declaration that he was a manifestation of God. The name means Paradise and is named after a garden found outside of Baghdad, where he was exiled before travelling to Constantinople.

This 7-day Jewish holiday week honours the freeing of enslaved Israelis. It is one of three pilgrimage festivals** and is a major Jewish holiday celebrated on the 15 days of Nisan, a Hebrew month.

(**The Three Pilgrimage Festivals in the Hebrew Bible are: 1) Pesach (Passover, or the Feast of Unleavened Bread), 2) Shavuot (the Feast of Weeks), and 3) Sukkot (the Feast of Booths). They are collectively known as Shalosh Regalim.)

This Pagan and Wiccan festival honours and represents the peak time of Spring and the beginning of Summer.

This is precisely 40 days after Easter when Christians believe Jesus ascended to Heaven.

May 19 - Pentecost/Whitsun - Moveable Feast (2024)

Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday, or Whitsun) is a Christian holiday on the 49th day (50th day when inclusive counting is used) after Easter Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Mary, mother of Jesus, and the Apostles of Jesus while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1–31).

This Roman Catholic feast day memorialises Jesus' love for all humans.

This major Jewish festival marks the harvest of wheat in Israel. According to Orthodox Judaism, the date also aligns with the revelation of the Ten Commandments to Moses and the Israelites. It is also known as the Feast of Weeks.

This annual pilgrimage to Mecca is perhaps the most important Muslim holy day. If they are physically or financially able, all Muslims must make this trip of a lifetime.

This Islamic faith holiday ends the Hajj pilgrimage. It celebrates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Ishmael, his son, to obey God. Because of this, a lamb is given to him to sacrifice in place of his son. On this day, animals, typically sheep or goats, are sacrificed and enjoyed by the family and those in need. It is also known as the Feast of Sacrifice.

This Pagan and Wiccan festival is held on the Summer Solstice.

The Islamic New Year marks the beginning of the lunar Hijri year.

For Buddhists, this day marks the start of a three-month mandatory retreat for all monks. Buddhists visit temples to give offerings, pray, meditate, and listen to sermons. It is intended to be a day of new beginnings and renewal.

Celebrated in Utah, this day marks the Church of Latter-Day Saints pioneers settling along the Great Salt Lake.

This Gaelic festival and Irish holiday honours the first day of the harvest season. It occurs on the halfway point between the summer solstice and the fall equinox, and it is also known as Lughnasa.

This Jewish holiday is an annual fast day that remembers Jewish history and the destruction of Solomon's Temple and the Second Temple.

This Catholic holy day celebrates the day Mary's body and soul ascended into heaven. It is also known as the Feast of the Assumption.

This day marks the end of the 40-day mourning period after Ashura for Shia Muslims. It marks the day God delivered Israelites from the Egyptian Pharaoh by parting the Red Sea where they could safely cross.

This annual Hindu festival celebrates Krisha, a supreme God in the faith. It includes reading religious texts, reenactments of his life, and dance. It is celebrated primarily in India and is known as Gokulashtami, Janmashtami, or Krishanashtami.

Wiccans and Pagans celebrate the Autumnal Equinox, a day when the amount of sunlight and darkness is the same. This represents balance and harmony.

Muslims celebrate Prophet Muhammad's birthday today. They honour this day as they believe he is a messenger of God.

This 10-day Hindu festival celebrates the Goddess Durga and is a major crop season event. A new goddess is worshipped each day, and Hindu scriptures are changed. There is also a period of fasting.

These two Jewish holy days remember the time the world was created. They mark the 10 Days of Awe, which focus on repenting and reflecting.

One of the most important Jewish holy days is Yom Kippur. The 10 Days of Awe period commemorates this day, which focuses on asking for forgiveness for sins. This was the only day a high priest could enter the most sacred part of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem during biblical times. Yom Kippur is also known as the Day of Atonement.

This 7-day holiday commemorates the journeying of the Jews through the desert to the promised land.

This Hindu Festival of Lights symbolises the fight of good over evil and its victory. Sikhs, Hindus, Jains, and mostly Newar Buddhists celebrate it.

This day honours all holy men and women the Catholic Church has canonised.

This holy day honours the birthday of the founder of the Baha'i faith. He challenged people to fight against racial prejudice and be one human family.

This Baha'i Holy Day celebrates the day that Abdu'l-Baha was appointed the Covenant. His role is to safeguard the faith from any division.

This day honours the day that Abdu'l-Baha, the Servant of Baha, died. Over 10,000 people of different religious backgrounds attended his funeral. He is believed to be an exemplary example of living Baha'i principles to the fullest for his followers.

This day celebrates the patron saint of Romania, Ukraine, Barbados, Greece, Russia, and Scotland by remembering his accomplishments and canonisation in the Catholic Church.

This Buddhist holiday remembers the day Gautama Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment. It is also celebrated on the lunar date of Jan 18.

Pagans and Wiccans celebrate the Winter Solstice.

Christians commemorate the birth of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

This seven-day celebration of African-American culture focuses on seven main principles***, Nguzo Saba. They all correspond to values that help a person, family, and community prosper.

(***The seven candles (Mishumaa Saba): These represent the seven principles of Kwanzaa - 1) unity, 2) self-determination, 3) collective work and responsibility, 4) cooperative economics, 5) purpose, 6) creativity, and 7) faith.)

The 8-day Jewish celebration of the victory of Jews over Syrian Greeks.

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