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Dates come from interfaith calendar http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/ and RE online
http://www.reonline.org.uk/.Information sources as per each item.
2nd April is Maundy Thursday for our Christian friends. Maundy Thursday commemorates Jesus Christ’s
institution of the Eucharist during the Last Supper, which is described in the Christian Bible. The day is also
known as Holy Thursday, Passion Thursday, Paschal Thursday or Sheer (or Shere) Thursday. It is the day before
Good Friday and occurs during Holy Week. The Eucharist, also called Holly Communion (the liturgy and
partaking of a piece of bread and sip of wine representing the body and blood of Jesus Chris) is observed in
different ways and with different meaning in many Christian churches. Maundy Thursday in the United
Kingdom features the monarch offering Maundy money, also known as Royal Maundy, to selected senior
citizens – one man and one woman for each year of the monarch’s age. The monarch presents each man and
woman with a red and white purse during the service. The red purse traditionally contains an allowance for
clothing and provisions and the white purse holds Maundy coins to match the monarch’s age. Many Catholic
and Anglican churches continue traditional Maundy Thursday rites that may include handing out special coins
known as “Maundy money” to the aged and poor. Churches may also have the blessing of holy oil and feet
washing as part of their Maundy Thursday service. Some churches have a tradition that involves priests
washing the feet of 12 people to symbolize Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. For more
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/uk/maundy-thursday for more on the Eucharist and Maundy Thursday in the United
kingdom see http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/ritesrituals/eucharist_1.shtml
3rd April is when some of our Jewish friends observe the Fast of the Firstborn, for the day ending with
the celebration of the Passover Seder. This fast is a minor one (from dawn to dusk as opposed to 25 hour fast
for major fasts). It commemorates the miracle which spared the firstborn Jewish sons from the plague which
struck down the firstborn sons of the Egyptians. The firstborn of the Jews were saved in Egypt because on that
day, they renounced their idol worshipping, humbled themselves before God, admitting and declared that all
greatness belonged to Him, something that the Egyptians of the time, through their Pharaoh stringently
refuted. Source http://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/1678/jewish/The-Fast-of-the-First-Born.htm For
more http://www.dailyhalacha.com/Display.asp?ClipDate=3/26/2010 . For more on the 10 plagues which culminated in the
death of the firstborn, see http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/epidemics/tp/10PlaguesEgypt.htm
3rd April is Good (Holy) Friday for our Christian friends. Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of
Jesus Christ following his time in the desert and his triumphal re-entrance into Jerusalem. This is a very
important event in many Christian churches and is seen by some as the foundation of the Religion. Many
churches hold special services on Good Friday to remind their congregations about Christ's suffering. Good
Friday falls on the Friday before the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox. Many
people in different countries observe this anniversary which involves fasting and praying. Many church services
are held in the afternoon, usually around noon or midday to 3pm, to remember the hours when Jesus hung on
the cross. Many churches also observe the day by re-enacting the procession of the cross as in the ritual of the
Stations of the Cross, which depicts the final hours of Jesus’ life. Processions are held in many countries such
as India, Italy, Malta, the Philippines, and Spain. Specifically in the United Kingdom, the day is a bank holiday.
People who regularly attend church will probably attend a special church service on Good Friday. Many
Catholics do not eat meat on Good Friday. This means that, in some areas, it is common to eat fish on this day.
It is traditional for all denominations to eat hot cross buns. There are a number of theories as to why the day
marking the crucifixion of Jesus is known as "Good" Friday The word 'Good' may be a different spelling or
rendering of 'God' or it may have another, now lost, meaning of 'holy'. Another theory is that the tragedy of
the crucifixion of Jesus brought great 'good' to his followers. Source http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/uk/goodfriday
3rd April is Mahavir Jayanti for our Jain friends. A Bank holiday in India, Mahavir Jayanti marks the
birthday of Mahavira, founder of the modern Jain religion and the last in the galaxy of 24 Teerthankaras (Jain
Prophets). He was born on the 13th day of the rising moon of Chaitra, in either 599 BC or 615 BC. Celebrations
take place at Jain Temples throughout India. Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated widely throughout the Jain
community. Due to the high numbers of Jains in Rajasthan and Gujarat, most celebrations are seen in these
states. Nevertheless, follower of Jainism travel to acknowledged Jain shrines to celebrate Mahavir Jayanti. In
Gujarat, the shrines are located at Girnar and Palitana. Others flock to Mahavirji in Rajasthan. Lord Mahavira
was born in Vaishali, which also hosts a majestic celebration. Temples that host Mahavir Jayanti festivals are
decorated with flags to mark the birthday of Lord Mahavira. Each locality holds a traditional bath (abhishek)
for a deity of Lord Mahavira. Following the bath, the deity is carried in a parade throughout the region. Each
parade varies but generally includes drummers, horses, elephants, singers and lamps. Depending on the
region, the parade ends at a temple, shrine or large communal area where people may pray and meditate. The
four kinds of donations recommended for every Jain on this day include: Gyan daan: sharing of knowledge,
Abhay daan: protecting people from bad actions, Aushad daan: donating medicines, Ahaar daan: giving food.
http://www.aasthatv.com/index.php/festivals/189-mahavir-jayanti for more http://www.theholidayspot.com/mahavirjayanti/
4th April is the Theravada New Year for some of our Buddhist friends. It is celebrated for three days
from the first full moon day in April .Buddhists of the Theravada tradition celebrate the New Year with
symbolic elements often found at the beach: sand and water. The beginning of a new year is, generally, a time
for "taking stock" of one's karma, cleansing, and well-wishing. In Theravada communities the New Year is
celebrated in mid-April on the lunar calendar and lasts for two or three days. The laity ritually bathes the
Buddha-images and sprinkle water on the monks and the elders, showing respect and offering good wishes.
The monks chant blessings on the laity, and together they share the merit of the occasion with the dead. The
New Year appropriately begins at the end of the dry season and the beginning of new life in nature. The
pouring of water is not only an honouring of the Buddha, the monks, the elders, and the dead but also an
offering for plentiful rain and prosperity in the days to come. In Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, the laity builds
sand mounds (stupas) at the monastery or on the bank of the river. Each grain of sand represents a demerit,
and placing the grains in the monastery or letting them be washed away by the river symbolizes a cleansing
from bad deeds. Bringing sand to the monastery also serves to renew the floor of the compound. For more
http://www.buddhistgateway.com/library/rituals/ and http://www.readthespirit.com/religious-holidaysfestivals/buddhist-theravada-new-year-with-sand-and-water/
4th April is Hanuman Jayanti for our Hindu friends. Hanuman Jayanti is the birth day of Lord
Hanuman. Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated on Chaitra Poornima or the full moon day of the Chaitra masam of
the Telugu calendar. Lord Hanuman is well known for his strength and his devotion for Lord Sri Rama.
Devotees throng the temple of Lord Hanuman on Hanuman Jayanti and offer their prayers. Red Shoe flowers
are offered to Lord Hanuman on Hanuman Jayanti. Appalu a sweet prepared using rice flour and jaggery is
offered as Naivedyam on Hanumna Jayanti. Reciting of Hanuman Chalisa on Hanuman jayanti for 108 times is a
common ritual. Reciting the name of Lord Sri Rama also would please Lord Hanuman. Source
http://www.indiacelebrating.com/festivals/hanuman-jayanti/ . For more, see http://www.indiaonlinepages.com/festivals/hanumanjayanti.html
4th April is Lazarus Saturday for our Eastern Orthodox Christian friends. Lazarus Saturday, in the
Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite, is the day before Palm
Sunday, and is liturgically linked to it. The feast celebrates the resurrection of Lazarus of Bethany, the narrative
of which is found in the New Testament Gospel of John (John 11:1-45). It is the first day of Holy Week. Lazarus
Saturday and Palm Sunday together hold a unique position in the church year, as days of joy and triumph
interposed between the penitence of Great Lent and the mourning of Holy Week. For more
http://lent.goarch.org/saturday_of_lazarus/learn/
4th April is Holy Saturday for our (Western) Christian friends. Holy Saturday, often but wrongly called
Easter Saturday, is the final day of Lent, of Holy Week, and of the Easter Triduum, the three days (Holy
Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday) immediately preceding Easter, during which Christians
commemorate the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ and prepare for His Resurrection. It is a day of sadness
and joy intermingled. The Easter vigil service is the first Easter service, and takes place on the night of Holy
Saturday. The idea behind the service is for faithful Christians to wait and watch, hopeful and confident that
Christ will return at midnight. The Easter, or Paschal, candle is lit during this service. The service traditionally
begins outside the church, where minister and some worshippers gather around a fire - a charcoal brazier is
common. After readings and prayers, the Paschal candle is lit from the fire using a taper, while a prayer is said.
The lit candle is now a symbol of Christ, risen as the light of the world, and come into the midst of the people.
After being lit outside, the candle is carried into the church, where most of the worshippers are waiting in
darkness, which symbolises the darkness of Christ's tomb. After more prayers and readings, the candles held
by the congregation are lit from the Paschal candle. The Paschal candle is made of pure white wax and is
marked with a cross, an Alpha, and an Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. The 4 numbers
of the year are marked between the arms. For Christians, this symbolises that Christ has been, is now and
always will be with humanity. Paschal candles are usually large, and can cost over £100. For much of the year
many churches stand the paschal candle near the font used for baptisms. There it provides a reminder that
baptism is a symbolic death and rebirth with Christ; just like Christ's death and Resurrection. Holy Saturday is
often a day of fasting for believers. Holy Saturday is followed by Easter Sunday. For more
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07424a.htm and http://catholicism.about.com/od/Holy-Week/p/Holy-Saturday.htm
April 4th to 11th marks Pesach (Passover) for our Jewish friends. Beginning at sundown on the 3rd
April, with a Seder or meal in which symbolic foods and liturgical texts claim equal importance around the
table, this is a whole family holiday. Passover is one of the most important religious festivals in the Jewish
calendar. Every year, Jews celebrate the Feast of Passover to commemorate the liberation of the Children of
Israel who were led out of Egypt by Moses. The story of Passover is told in the Book of Exodus. Jews have
celebrated Passover since about 1300 BC, following the rules laid down by God in Exodus 13. The Children of
Israel had been slaves in Egypt for 210 years. God promised he would release them from slavery, but not
before Pharaoh had refused their release and God had visited ten plagues on Egypt to demonstrate his power.
(Exodus 3: 19-20). Passover lasts for seven (in Israel) or eight days (everywhere else). Before Pessah, the house
is thoroughly cleaned to remove all chametz (leaven) from the home. This commemorates the Jews leaving
Egypt who did not have time to let their bread rise, but also symbolises removing 'puffiness' (arrogance, pride)
from their souls. Jews may not eat any chametz or derive benefit from it during Passover. The highlight of
Passover observance takes place on the first two nights, when friends and family gather together for ritual
Seder meals. Special plates and cutlery are used which are kept exclusively for Passover. Seder means 'order'
and the ceremonies are arranged in a specific order found in the Haggadah, (a book which tells in fourteen
steps the story of the Jewish experience in Egypt and of the Exodus and revelation of God). Although a
celebration, the Seder reminds Jews that their liberation was tinged with sadness at the suffering of the
Egyptians. Passover, also called The Festival of Freedom, is a celebration of freedom, not just in Biblical times,
but its importance to the individual today and throughout history. Jews believe freedom to be one of the c
human rights. Passover is also the Festival of Spring as it was an agricultural festival which marked the
beginning of the cycle of production and harvest during the time the Jews lived in ancient Palestine. It
symbolises hope and new life and the importance of starting afresh. Passover is also a pilgrim festival. It is one
of the three occasions in the year when, according to the commandments of the Torah, Jews were to go to the
Temple in Jerusalem. Passover began as a ceremony celebrated in the home, but once the Jews settled in
Jerusalem they constructed the Temple and the celebrations moved there. After the destruction of the Second
Temple in 70 CE, Passover celebrations returned to the home where they remain until today. This makes
Passover the most popular Jewish holiday. Families travel great distances to be together at Passover. In the
synagogue there are special readings for each day of the festival. Source
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/holydays/passover_1.shtml . For more
http://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/871715/jewish/What-Is-Passover.htm
5th April is Easter for all our Christian friends. The culmination of the Holly week Easter commemorates
the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the most important Christian festival, and the one celebrated with the
greatest joy. The date of Easter changes each year, and several other Christian festivals fix their dates by
reference to Easter. Churches are filled with flowers, and there are special hymns and songs. But not all Easter
customs are Christian; some, such as the Easter Bunny, are pagan in origin. The Easter story is at the heart of
Christianity. On Good Friday, Jesus Christ was executed by crucifixion. His body was taken down from the
cross, and buried in a cave. The tomb was guarded and an enormous stone was put over the entrance, so that
no-one could steal the body. On the following Sunday, some women visited the grave and found that the stone
had been moved, and that the tomb was empty. Jesus himself was seen that day, and for days afterwards by
many people. His followers realised that God had raised Jesus from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus Christ
is the centrepiece of the Christian faith. The Apostle Paul even goes so far to say that if Jesus Christ has not
been resurrected then the Christian faith is worthless and futile (1 Cor. 15:14-17). Therefore, without Easter
there is no Christianity. Easter is the oldest Christian holiday and the most important day of the church year.
All the Christian movable feasts and the entire liturgical year of worship are arranged around Easter. Easter is
preceded by the season of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and repentance culminating in Holy Week, and
followed by a 50-day Easter Season that stretches from Easter to Pentecost. See
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/holidays/easter.htm .For more http://www.historyofeaster.info/
10th April is Holy Friday for our Orthodox Christian friends. Millions of Orthodox Christians
commemorate Good Friday, also known as “Great Friday” to remember the events leading up to Jesus'
crucifixion. The Orthodox Easter dates usually differ from the dates used by western churches because most
Orthodox churches retained some version of the Julian calendar, which is older than the Gregorian calendar,
commonly used today. Good Friday commemorates the moments leading up to and including the crucifixion of
Jesus Christ, as told in the New Testament of the Bible. The most common symbols in observing Good Friday
are the cross and crucifix and traditions include the venerations of the cross and the preaching or singing of
the Passion of Christ. On Good Friday, many Orthodox Christian churches hold special liturgies with readings
from the Gospels of the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In countries such as the United
Kingdom, some Orthodox churches hold evening liturgies throughout Holy Week, with some special afternoon
liturgies for children on Good Friday. Church activities may include: a family retreat with children’s activities;
discussion groups; the wrapping of the red eggs to be distributed on Easter Sunday; and a Lenten lunch. Many
adult Orthodox Christians observe Good Friday with fasting, prayer, cleanliness, self-examination, confession
and good works. In Greece, Good Friday is a day of mourning so many people may avoid household chores. A
ritual lament called the “Procession of the Epitáphios of Christ” mourns the death of Christ on the cross with a
symbolic decorated coffin carried through the streets by the faithful. Families attend their church to decorate
the Epitaph (Bier of Christ) with flowers. In the morning of Good Friday, Christ’s burial is re-enacted in many
churches and in the evening the Epitaph procession takes place. Source
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/common/orthodox-good-friday for more please see http://oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodoxfaith/worship/the-church-year/holy-friday
12th April is Pascha (Easter) for our Orthodox Christian friends. Easter is calculated on a lunar calendar,
and thus moves each year in relation to the solar calendar. Orthodox and Western churches calculate
differently when the necessary intercalary adjustments should be made; consequently there is no consistent
relationship between the dates of Orthodox and Western timings of Easter. Easter Day is the most important
festival of the Christian year, as it is when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. A vigil is kept during
the preceding night and the resurrection of Christ greeted with the lighting of candles and the affirmation
‘Christ is risen’. Customs include colouring and decorating hard boiled eggs as symbols of new life – cracking
them symbolises the opening of Christ’s tomb. All Orthodox Christian communities celebrate Easter and the
associated cycle of festivals at the same time. Matthew 28:1-11, Mark 16:1-10, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-10.
Source http://www.reonline.org.uk/supporting/festivals-calendar/ For more, see http://oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodox-faith/worship/thechurch-year/easter-sunday-the-holy-pascha and http://www.orthodox.net/pascha/
14h April is Vaisakhi /Baisakhi for our Sikh friends. Vaisakhi, the Sikh New Year, is the holiest day of the
calendar for over 20m Sikhs worldwide it is of particular importance for the Sikh community and farmers of
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Punjab and Haryana. It is usually celebrated on 13 April but occasionally on the 14 April each year. On this
day in 1699, Sikhism was born as a collective faith. Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th Master of the Sikhs, initiated
the Sikhs as the Khalsa or the pure and sincere. He bound the Sikhs to a strict code of conduct and, with uncut
hair, beard and turban, gave the Sikhs a distinct identity. The celebration of Vaisakhi takes the form of
continuous reading of the Sikh Scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, over a period of three days. That is followed
by the recitation of sacred hymns. The service ends with a final prayer for the good and well-being of the
whole of humanity, and the serving of sacramental food. For more, http://www.sikhismguide.org/vaisakhi.aspx
15th April marks the Birthday of Guru Nanak (in the Gregorian calendar) for our Sikh friends. Guru
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Nanak's birthday is celebrated by Sikhs on April 14 which corresponds to 1 day of the month Vaisakh in the
Nanakshahi calendar. (The date according to the lunar calendar changes annually but is usually in November.
For more about the Nanakshahi calendar http://www.sikhs.org/dates.htm) . Guru Nanak Sahib, the founder of Sikhism,
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was born on 15 April, 1469 at Rai-Bhoi-di Talwandi in the present district of Shekhupura (Pakistan), now
Nanakana Sahib. Guru Nanak's religious ideas developed from both Hindu and Islamic thought, but are more
than a simple synthesis. Nanak was an original spiritual thinker and he expressed his thoughts and ideas in
poetry that forms the basis of Sikh scripture. Little is known about the life of Nanak, but it is accepted that
Nanak was born approx. 40 miles from Lahore in modern day Pakistan) in 1469. Sikh traditions teach that his
birth and early years were marked with many events that demonstrated that God had marked him out for
something special and was keeping an eye on him. The Sikh community celebrates Gurupurav all over India,
and notably at the Shrine (Gurdwara) representing the home of Baba Kalu (Father) and Mata Tripta (Mother)
called Gurdwara Janam Asthan, situated at Rai-Bhoi-di-Talwandi in the present district of Shekhupura (now
Nanakana Sahib in Pakistan).. Sikhs from all over the world gather here and celebrate the Gurupurab every
year with great devotion and enthusiasm. http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/india/guru_nanak.php. For more
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/sikhism/gurunanak.shtml. For an animation for children
https://www.truetube.co.uk/assembly-script/guru-nanaks-birthday
16th April is the Jewish Holocaust Memorial Day or Yom HaShoah for our Jewish friends. Yom
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HaShoah (begins sundown on the 15 ).It is a day of remembrance when Jewish people remember the six
million Jews, including one and a half million children, who were victims of the Nazi Holocaust. Memorial
candles are lit and special services are held. The date is chosen as the closest date (in the Jewish calendar) to
the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. More Information: http://www.virtualjerusalem.com/holidays/yomhashoa/home.htm and
http://history1900s.about.com/cs/holocaust/a/yomhashoah.htm
16th April marks the death of two Gurus and two accessions to gurudom for our Sikh friends. Guru
Angad, the second Sikh Guru, of Guru Harkrishan, the eighth Guru of the Sikhs and the day Guru Amar Das
becomes the third Guru and Guru Tegh Bahadur becomes the Ninth Guru of the Sikhs. In Sikhism death is
considered a natural process and God's will. Any public displays of grief at the funeral such as wailing or crying
out loud are discouraged. Cremation is the preferred method of disposal, although if it is not possible any
other methods such as burial or submergence at sea are acceptable. Worship of the dead with gravestones,
etc. is discouraged, because the body is considered to be only the shell, the person's soul is their real essence.
The body is usually bathed and clothed by family members and taken to the cremation grounds. There hymns
are recited which induce feeling of detachment are recited by the congregation. As the body is being
cremated, Kirtan Sohila, the night-time prayer is recited and Ardas (petitionary prayer) is offered. The ashes
are disposed of by immersing them in the nearest river. A non-continuous reading of the entire Sri Guru
Granth Sahib is undertaken and timed to conclude on the tenth day. This may be undertaken at home or in the
Gurdwara. The conclusion of this ceremony marks the end of the mourning period. Source
http://www.sikhs.org/fest.htm for more on Antam Sanskaar or funeral ceremony see http://thefuneralsource.org/trad0206.html
18th April is the Birthday of Guru Tegh Bahadur (Nanakshahi calendar) for our Sikh friends. Born in
Amritsar, Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth of the ten Gurus who founded. He is honoured and remembered
as the man who championed the rights for all religious freedom. He taught liberation from attachment, fear
and dependence. Strength should be gained through truth, worship, sacrifice and knowledge. During the reign
of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, Islam was imposed on the people. Hindu temples were demolished and turned
into mosques, higher taxes were charged to non-Muslims and the Emperor persecuted those who would not
conform to Islamic law. Guru Tegh Bahadur spoke out amid this persecution. He refused to convert to Islam
and in 1675, was beheaded in Delhi. The site of his execution was later turned into an important Gurdwara.
He's also remembered for his poetry, much of which is included in the Guru Granth Sahib. His son was the
tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. He founded the city of Anandpur which later became a centre of Sikhism. For
more http://www.theworldofgurunanak.com/guru-teg-bahadur-ji.html For more on Gurus in history please see
http://www.sikhs.org/fest.htm
18th April is the Birthday of Guru Angad Dev (Nanakshahi calendar) for our Sikh friends. Born at Mate
Di Sarai in Punjab on March 31, 1504, Guru Angad Dev Ji is the second Sikh Gurus. Being born a Hindu called
Bhai Lehna, he once heard the hymns of Asa Di Var and became fascinated by the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev
ji. Upon meeting him, at Kartarpur he remained in the First Guru's service as his perfect disciple for about
thirteen years. Because of his devotion and obedience, Nanak Dev Ji, selected him for Guruship on September
7th, 1539 when his name was changed to Guru Angad. Guru Angad created the Gurmukhi script, a medium
through which the writings and teachings of the Sikh gurus could be readily understood by their followers
unlike Sanskrit, a script and language largely unknown to the masses. Thus, the Guru emphasised the
widespread accessibility of Sikh religious thought. Moreover, it solidified the idea that Sikhism started as a
distinct and revealed religion. In order to spread the teachings of Guru Nanak far and wide, Guru Angad
improved literacy among the Sikhs, starting a school at Khadur to teach Gurmukhi to the children. He
encouraged physical health through sports and wrestling and mental health through discipline and truthful
living. He consolidated the institution of Langar started by Guru Nanak. He encouraged the Sikhs to do selfless
service to the human race and surrender to the Will of God. Guru Angad Dev Ji was known for his humility,
wisdom and generosity. Excluding his own sons, he bestowed Guruship on Guru Amar Das Ji. He died at Khadur
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on 29 March, 1552. Source http://www.theworldofgurunanak.com/guru-angad-dev-ji.html . For more:
http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/sikh-gurus/sri-guru-angad-dev-ji
21st April to 2nd May, Ridvan is celebrated by our Baha'i friends. The festival actually begins on the 20th
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at sundown. However, the 21 is the First Day of Ridvan i.e. the start of a 12 day festival which is a
commemoration of the twelve day period in 1863 when Baha'u'llah declared that he was God's messenger for
this age, the Promised One prophesied by the Bab. The festival is named after the garden outside Baghdad in
which he was staying. The first, ninth and twelfth days are especially significant and are celebrated as holy
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days, when no work is done. Ridvan is the most important Baha’i festival. 29 April is the 9 Day of Ridvan
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and 2 May is 12 day of Ridvan. It is during this period that Baha’i practitionners elect their local, national
and international governing bodies. Source http://www.reonline.org.uk/supporting/festivals-calendar/ more information at
http://bahai-library.com/walbridge_encyclopedia_ridvan and http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/bahai/holydays/ridvan.shtml. Please
note that this Ridvan, Ridvan 2015 is a most important and auspicious one for the Baha’i community as it
marks the implementation of the Badi’ calendar. This will align the festival dates of all Baha’i community
internationally and also establish concordances of dates between lunar and solar calendar, thus fixing the
dates of certain festivals. For more https://senmcglinn.wordpress.com/documents-archive/decisions-affecting-theimplementation-of-the-badi-calendar-as-of-ridvan-2015/
23rd April is St George Day, for our Christian friends. "St George's Day in England remembers St George,
England's patron saint. The anniversary of his death, which is on April 23, is seen as England's national day.
According to legend, he was a soldier in the Roman army who killed a dragon and saved a princess. Many
people in England don’t observe nor know when the national day is at all. However, in recent years,
celebrating St George's Day seems to gradually be regaining popularity in England. From the 15th century, St
George's Day used to be a national holiday in England, and was celebrated as widely as Christmas. But the
celebrations waned by the end of the 18th century after England had united with Scotland on May 1, 1707.
Compared to national day festivities in other countries worldwide, England’s national day is not widely
celebrated. One exception is in the city of Salisbury, where there’s an annual St George’s Day pageant, which
historians believe dates back to the 13th century. Flags with the image of St George's cross are flown on some
buildings, especially pubs, and a few people wear a red rose on their lapel. Church services on the Sunday
closest to April 23 often include the hymn 'Jerusalem', written by the poet William Blake. The words describe a
supposed visit to Glastonbury, England, by Jesus Christ during his youth." Source
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/uk/st-george-day for more, see
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/saints/george_1.shtml
23rd April is when the Jewish community celebrates Yom Ha'Atzmaut (beginning at sundown on the
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– which commemorates the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948. For more information please see
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/uk/yom-haatzmaut and for the way it is celebrated in Israel please see
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/holidays/Jewish_Holidays/Modern_Holidays/Yom_Haatzmaut.shtml
29th April is the Ninth Day of Ridvan for our Baha'i friends. (It begins sundown on the 28th and
practitioners of the faith will abstain from work on that day.) The Baha’i around the world often dedicate the
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9 day to “ bring in the meaning of the garden of Ridvan “ amongst themselves. . Outdoor activitiesin nature
or gardens are often undertaken on that day. For more on celebrating the 9th day of Rdvan please see
http://bahaiteachings.org/celebrating-the-9th-day-of-ridvanor for family oriented activities
http://www.enablemetogrow.com/2012/04/11/bringing-the-ridvan-festival-to-life/