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Cultural and Religious Observances title with an image of a man smiling, a religious stained glass window, a woman wearing a hijab and colorful Indian art made with sand and flower petals

Cultural and religious observances – May 3-9, 2021

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Cinco de Mayo

1901 poster for Cinco de Mayo showing a woman, man, the sun and the flag of Mexico
1901 poster for Cinco de Mayo. Image credit: wikimedia.org.

Culture/religion: Mexican heritage
Date: May 5

Cinco de Mayo, Spanish for “Fifth of May,” is celebrated annually on May 5 to commemorate the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

The date is more popularly celebrated in the United States than in Mexico and has become associated with the celebration of Mexican-American culture – beginning in California in 1863. In Mexico, the commemoration of the battle continues to be mostly ceremonial with military parades or battle reenactments. The city of Puebla marks the event with an arts festival, a festival of local cuisine and reenactments of the battle.

(Not to be confused with Mexican Independence Day, which occurs on September 16.)

Sources:

Cinco de Mayo, Wikipedia

Laylat al-Qdar

Iranians observing Qdar Night in Imam Reza shrine
Iranians observing Qdar Night in Imam Reza shrine. Photo credit: Tasnim News Agency, Wikimedia.org

Culture/religion: Islamic
Date: May 9

Laylat-al-Qadr is known as the Night of Power and is said to be the holiest night in the Islamic calendar.

Laylat-al-Qadr is the night when the first verses of the Holy Qur’an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The night falls in the last 10 days of Ramadan, and while the exact date is unknown, it is believed to fall on the 27th of the Holy month.

Observances include dedicating the day to worship, reciting the Holy Qur’an to learn the teachings and giving to those in need.

Sources:

The Night of Power – Laylat-ul-Qadr, MuslimAid.org