Vesak Festival Culture/religion: Buddhist Date: May 16 Vesak, also known as Buddha Day, is one of the most important of the Theravada Buddhist festivals, which commemorates three milestones in the life of Gautama Buddha: his birth, his enlightenment and his death. Vesak is recognized on the day of the full moon of the sixth lunar month (May). The observance of … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – May 16-22, 2022
Yom HaShoah Culture/religion: Judaism Date: April 28 Yom Hashoah, known by the full name of Yom Hashoah Ve-Hagevurah (“Day of (Remembrance of) Holocaust and the Heroism”), is a day of commemoration of the victims of the Holocaust. The day is observed on the 27th day in the month of Nisan – a week after the seventh day of Passover. The date of Yom Hashoah was … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – April 25-May 1, 2022
Holy Thursday Culture/religion: Christianity Date: April 14 Holy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter and commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, when he established the sacrament of Holy Communion prior to his arrest and crucifixion, as well as his institution of the priesthood. Jesus celebrated the dinner as a Passover feast. The Last Supper was the final … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – April 11-17, 2022
Purim Culture/religion: Judaism Date: March 17 Purim is a Jewish festival celebrated every year on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar. The celebration commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian empire from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day,” as told in the Megillah … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – March 14-20, 2022
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Culture/religion: National observance Date: January 17 The third Monday of each January is dedicated to commemorating the achievements of Martin Luther King, Jr. King advocated the use of nonviolent means to end racial segregation, first coming to national prominence during the bus boycott of African Americans in Montgomery, Alabama in … [Read more...] about Cultural and religious observances – January 17-23, 2022