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Holy Days with fixed date

March 1 Orthodox Orthodox Christian The Sunday of Orthodoxy is the first Sunday of Great . The dominant theme of this Sunday since 843 has been that of the victory of the icons. In that year the iconoclastic controversy, which had raged on and off since 726, was finally laid to rest, and icons and their veneration were re- stored on the first Sunday in Lent. Ever since, this Sunday has been commemorated as the "Triumph of Orthodoxy." From the vesper service of this Sunday evening: “Inspired by your Spirit, Lord, the prophets foretold your birth as a child in- carnate of the Virgin. Nothing can contain or hold you; before the morning star you shone forth eternally from the spiritual womb of the Father. Yet you were to become like us and be seen by those on earth. At the prayers of those your prophets in your mercy reckon us fit to see your light, for we praise your resurrection, holy and beyond speech. Infinite, Lord, as divine, in the last times you willed to become incarnate and so finite; for when you took on flesh you made all its properties your own. So we depict the form of your outward appearance and pay it relative respect, and so are moved to love you; and through it we receive the grace of healing, following the divine traditions of the apostles.”

March 1 St. David’s Day Christian St David's Day is celebrated in Wales (and by those of Welsh descent) on 1 March, in honor of Dewi Sant or St David, the patron saint of Wales. Little is known about him for certain. What little information is available is based on an account of his life written by Rhigyfarch towards the end of the 11th century. According to this Latin manuscript, Dewi died in the year 589. His mother was called Non, and his father, Sant, was the son of Ceredig, King of Ceredigion. After being educated in Cardiganshire, he went on pilgrimage through south Wales and the west of England, where it is said that he founded religious centers such as Glastonbury and Croyland. He even went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where he was made archbishop. He eventually settled at Glyn Rhosyn (St David's), in south-west Wales, where he established a very strict ascetic reli- gious community. Many miracles have been attributed to him, the most incredible of which was performed when he was preaching at the Synod of Llanddewibrefi- he caused the ground to rise underneath him so that he could be seen and heard by all. How much truth is in this account of his life by Rhigyfarch is hard to tell. It must be considered that Rhigyfarch was the son of the Bishop of St David's, and that the Life was written as propaganda to establish Dewi's superiority and defend the bishopric from being taken over by Canterbury and the Normans. From the 12th century onwards, Dewi's fame spread through- out South Wales and as far as Ireland and Brittany. St David's Cathedral became a popular center of pilgrimage, particularly after Dewi was officially recognized as a Catholic saint in 1120. From this period on, he was frequently referred to in the work of medieval Welsh poets such as ILolo Goch and Lewys Glyn Cothi. In 1398, it was ordained that his feast-day was to be kept by every church in the Province of Canterbury. Though the feast of Dewi as a religious festival came to an end with the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, the day of his birth became a national festival during the 18th century. Now March 1 is celebrated by schools and cultural societies throughout Wales. It is the custom on that day to wear either a leek or a daffodil- two of the national emblems - and for young girls to wear the national costume. Photo: wallpaperswide.com Page 3

March 2 The Baha'i Nineteen Day Fast begins Bahá’u’lláh designated a nineteen-day period each year during which adult Baha'is fast from sunrise to sunset each day. This period coincides with the Baha'i month of Alá—meaning Loftiness—from 2 to 20 March, which immediately precedes the Baha'i new year. It is a time of prayer, meditation, and spiritual rejuvenation. A number of special prayers have been revealed specifically for the period of the fast. One, for example, begins with these words: “This is, O my God, the first of the days on which Thou hast bidden Thy loved ones to observe the Fast. I ask of Thee by Thy Self and by him who hath fasted out of love for Thee and for Thy good-pleasure—and not out of self and desire, nor out of fear of Thy wrath—and by Thy most excellent names and attributes, to purify Thy servants from the love of aught except Thee and to draw them nigh unto the Dawning-Place of the lights of Thy coun- tenance and the Seat of the throne of Thy oneness. Illumine their hearts, O my God, with the light of Thy knowledge and brighten their faces with the rays of the Daystar that shineth from the horizon of Thy Will.”

March 4—5 Purim (begins at sundown on the 4th) Jewish Purim is one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar. It commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination. The story of Purim is told in the Biblical book of Esther. The heroes of the story are Esther, a beautiful young Jewish woman living in Persia, and her cousin Mordecai, who raised her as if she were his daughter. Esther was taken to the house of Ahasuerus, King of Persia, to become part of his harem. King Ahasuerus loved Esther more than his other women and made Esther queen, but the king did not know that Esther was a Jew, because Mordecai told her not to reveal her identity. The villain of the story is Haman, an arrogant, egotistical advisor to the king. Haman hated Mordecai because Morde- cai refused to bow down to Haman, so Haman plotted to destroy the Jewish people. In a speech that is all too to Jews, Haman told the king, "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your realm. Their laws are different from those of every other people's, and they do not observe the king's laws; therefore it is not befitting the king to tolerate them." Esther 3:8. The king gave the fate of the Jewish people to Haman, to do as he pleased to them. Haman planned to exterminate all of the Jews. Mordecai persuaded Esther to speak to the king on behalf of the Jewish people. This was a dangerous for Es- ther to do, because anyone who came into the king's presence without being summoned could be put to death, and she had not been summoned. Esther fasted for three days to prepare herself, then went into the king. He welcomed her. Later, she told him of Haman's plot against her people. The Jewish people were saved, and Haman and his ten sons were hanged on the gallows that had been prepared for Mordecai. The book of Esther is unusual in that it is the only book of the Bible that does not contain the name of G-d. In fact, it includes virtually no reference to G-d. Mordecai makes a vague ref- erence to the fact that the Jews will be saved by someone else, if not by Esther, but that is the closest the book comes to mentioning G-d. Thus, one important message that can be gained from the sto- ry is that G-d often works in ways that are not apparent, in ways that appear to be chance, coincidence or ordinary good luck. The primary commandment related to Purim is to hear the reading of the book of Esther. The book of Esther is commonly known as the Megillah, which means scroll. Although there are five books of Jewish scripture that are properly referred to as megillahs (Esther, Ruth, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Lamentations), this is the one people usually mean when they speak of The Megillah. It is cus- tomary to boo, hiss, stamp feet and rattle gragers (noisemakers) whenever the name of Haman is mentioned in the service. The purpose of this custom is to "blot out the name of Haman." [excerpted from Judaism 101] Photo : jewisheyesonthearts.com Page 4

March 5 Magha Puja Buddhist Magha Puja (also spelled Makha Bucha) is an important Buddhist festival that occurs on the full moon day of the month of Magha in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. It occurs in the Gre- gorian calendar in or March. The feast of Magha Puja venerates the Buddha and his teachings. It commemorates the anniversary of four marvel- ous events that occurred on the same day at Veluvana Bamboo Grove.  1,250 disciples came to see Gautama Buddha from different places on their own initiative and without a prior ar- rangement.  All of them were arhats (those who have achieved enlightenment), and all were ordained by the Buddha himself.  Gautama Buddha gave the 1,250 arhats the three principles of Buddhism: to cease from all evil, to do what is good, and to cleanse one's mind.  It was the day of the full moon. All these auspicious occasions happened ten months after the Buddha's Enlightenment. Magha Puja is a traditional merit-making day when Buddhists go to temples for special observances and other activi- ties. On the occasion, Buddhist temples hold candlelight . In some cities, large pagoda festivals are orga- nized.

March 6 Holi Hindu (work restrictions apply) Holi is a festival celebrated in north India. It marks the coming of Spring, usually in March. Some families hold religious ceremonies, but for many Holi is more a time for fun than religious observance. Holi is a colorful festival, with dancing, singing, and throwing of powder paint and colored water. Bonfires are lit and roasting grains, pop corn, coconut and chick peas are thrown on by Hindu families The next day, people of all ages go into the streets for fun and paint-throwing. Everyone gets involved - with no dis- tinctions between caste, class, age or gender. Hindus have fun by smearing each other with paint and throwing colored water at each other, all done in a spirit of celebration Holi also celebrates Krishna, and the legend of Holika and Prahlad. Some believe the origin of the festival lies with Krishna who was very mischievous as a young boy and threw colored water over the gopis (milkmaids). This developed into the practical jokes and games of Holi. The story of Prahlad is seen to symbolize good overcoming evil and is why traditionally bonfires are lit at Holi. Prahlad was a prince. His father, the king wanted everyone in his kingdom to worship him. But Prahlad refused and worshipped Lord Vishnu instead. The king's sister Holika, who was supposed to be immune to fire, tricked her nephew Prahlad into sitting on her lap in a bonfire in order to destroy him. But because she was using her powers for evil, the plan failed and Prahlad emerged from the fire unharmed, while Holika was devoured by the flames. In some parts of India effigies of Holika are burnt on the fire. Ashes from Holi bonfires are thought to bring good luck. Photo: nationalgeographic.com

March 6 Hola Mohalla Sikh Hola Mahalla begins on the first day of the lunar month of Chet in the Nanakshahi calendar and follows the Hindu festival of col- ors, Holi. Guru Gobind Singh started this festival as a day for Sikhs to practice their military ex- ercises and hold mock battles. Today, Sikhs celebrate by watching and partaking in martial arts parades, led by the nishan sahibs of the Gurdwaras. These are followed by poetry readings and music. Page 5

March 6 World Day of Prayer World Day of Prayer is a worldwide movement of Christian women of many tradi- tions who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year, and who, in many countries, have a continu- ing relationship in prayer and service.  It is a movement initiated and carried out by women in more than 170 countries and regions.  It is a movement symbolized by an annual day of celebration – the first Friday of March– to which all people are welcome.  It is a movement which brings together women of various races, cultures, and traditions in closer fellowship, un- derstanding, and action throughout the year. Through World Day of Prayer, women around the world affirm their faith in Jesus Christ, share their hopes and fears, their joys and sorrows, their opportunities and needs. Through World Day of Prayer, women are encouraged to become aware of the whole world and no longer live in isolation, to be enriched by the faith experience of Christians of other countries and cultures, to take up the burdens of other people and pray with and for them, to become aware of their talents and use them in the service of society. Through World Day of Prayer, women affirm that prayer and action are inseparable and both have immeasura- ble influence in the world. The symbol for World Day of Prayer was developed by the women of Ireland and adopted as the international logo in 1982. Its design is made up of arrows converging from the four points of the compass, persons kneeling in prayer, the Celtic cross, and the circle, representing the world and our unity through all our diversity. Photo: en.wikipedia.org

March 14 Memorial of Shan-tao/ Zendo Daishi Buddhist Shan-tao was a Chinese priest of Tang Era who died in 681 C.E. He developed the practice of reciting the name of Maida Buddha.

March 14 Sikh New Year Sikh (work restrictions apply) Determined by the Nanakshahi Calendar, this marks the beginning year 547.

March 16—20 Ghambar Hamaspathmaedem Zoroastrian A celebration of the creation of human beings and a commemoration of souls who have died. Prayers are offered to the fravashis (the divine spark within each human, which lives forever), asking for their blessings and protection.

March 17 Festival of Higan-e Buddhist The Higan-e Ceremony is widely practiced in all forms of Buddhism in Japan and is usually conducted on the days of the vernal and autumnal . On these two days, the length of daylight and darkness in a day is exactly the same, and the sun rises due east and sets directly in the west. The memo- rial service conducted on these days for departed ancestors is called the Higan-e Ceremony. The word "higan" is a translation of the Sanskrit word "paramita" (Japanese: haramitsu), and it means "arriving on the other shore," or "to extend." In other words, it signifies "getting across. " Buddhism teaches that the world in which we live, called the impure world or saha realm (literally "realm of endur- ance "), is a place of suffering and troubles. In this world view, the saha world is located on this side of the shore. The source of all suffering- the three paths of earthly desires, karma and suffering - is likened to a great river. And the life condition of enlightenment is likened to the other shore. In order to cross from this impure world, over the life and death sufferings of the great river, and reach the pure land on the other shore, people must embark upon the boat of the Buddha's teachings. Photo: ryosetsu.com Page 6 Page 6

March 17 St. Patrick Christian Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig, "the Day of the Festival of Pat- rick"), is a cultural and religious celebration occurring annually on 17 March, the death date of the most commonly- recognized patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461). Saint Patrick's Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early seventeenth century and is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion (especially the Church of Ireland), the Eastern Orthodox Church and Lutheran Church. The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of in Ireland, as well as celebrating the heritage and culture of the Irish in general. Celebrations generally involve public parades and festi- vals, céilithe, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks. Christians also attend church services, and the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol are lifted for the day. Much of what is known about St Patrick comes from the Declaration, which was allegedly written by Patrick himself. It is believed that he was born in Roman Britain in the fourth century, into a wealthy Romano-British family. His father was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest in the Christian church. According to the Declaration, at the age of six- teen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Gaelic Ireland. It says that he spent six years there working as a shepherd and that during this time he "found God." The Declaration says that God told Patrick to flee to the coast, where a ship would be waiting to take him home. After making his way home, Patrick went on to become a priest. According to tradition, Patrick returned to Ireland to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity. The Declaration says that he spent many years evangelizing in the northern half of Ireland and converted "thousands." Tradition holds that he died on 17 March and was buried at Downpatrick. Over the following centuries, many legends grew up around Patrick and he became Ireland's foremost saint. On St. Patrick's Day it is customary to wear shamrocks and/or green clothing or accessories (the "wearing of the green"). St Patrick is said to have used the sham- rock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish. This story first appears in writing in 1726, though it be older. In pagan Ireland, three was a significant number and the Irish had many triple deities, a fact that aided St Patrick in his evangelization efforts . Photo: timeanddate.com

March 19 St. Joseph Christian In the New Testament, St. Joseph is the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the stepfather of Jesus of Nazareth/Jesus Christ. His feast day is celebrated as a sort of Father’s Day in some Cath- olic countries like Portugal, Spain and Italy. For some, it’s also recognized as the name day for people named Joseph or Josephine. Many Italian-Americans, especially Sicilians, celebrate St. Joseph, since he is regarded as their patron saint. Joseph (San Giuseppe) is believed to have prevented a famine in Sicily during the . That’s why large feasts are typically held on March 19 in his honor.

March 20 March /Ostara This lesser Sabbat is celebrated on the Vernal or spring equinox. The name for this Sabbat comes from the Teutonic Goddess Eostre. Her chief symbols are the rabbit, to represent fertility, and the egg as it represents creation. Ostara is a time to celebrate spring and the rebirth of nature itself and the coming of summer as well. This is the time when light and darkness are equal but light is starting to take over the darkness. This is an excellent time for personal growth, for mending old conflicts and ensuring the continued growth of treasured friendships. This is a great time of the year to start learning something new as well and taking advantage of skills already learned and becoming more adept at them. According to the Ostara signifies the time when the Great Goddess who was a virgin at Im- bolc is now joining with the Sun God, she conceives a child which will be born at . Ostara is a fertility festival that celebrates spring and the reawakening of life in and on earth. Everything begins to emerge from its slumber that the winter months have brought.

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Deities that are invoked on this Sabbat would be Eostre; the Saxon Goddess of fertility and Ostara; the German God- dess of fertility. Some traditions also invoke the Green Goddess and the Lord of the Greenwood as the Goddess blan- kets the earth with fertility and the God starts to grow into maturity. He will walk to earth and take in all its beauty. Other appropriate deities would be any youthful and virile Gods and Goddesses, Sun Gods, Love Goddesses, Moon Gods and Goddesses as well as fertility deities. Examples of these may be Blodeuwedd, Persephone, , Athe- na, the , Cernunnos, the Dagda, the Horned One, Osiris and the list goes on. There are many ways to celebrate Ostara. They range from lighting a fire at sunrise to ringing bells to decorating hard-boiled eggs, which is an old Pagan custom, associated with the Goddess of Fertility. During those times the eggs were gathered up and used as and were then broken and eaten. There is a great deal of symbolism behind the egg as the golden orb represent- ed the Sun God and the white shell was seen as the White Goddess and its en- tirety symbolized rebirth. Ostara is seen as a time of renewal so it is also an excellent time for “Spring Cleaning” not only to clean the physical realm but also to clear away negative influences as well. One way of clearing unpleasant energies from the home might be to hand wash all the floors while rubbing in a “clockwise” direction as this is thought to bring in positive energies and encourages growth. In keeping with the Wheel of the Year Ostara is a time to celebrate new begin- nings and opportunities. So now is a time to start putting into action some of the plans you started to make during . This is an excellent time as well to do spell work for improving communication and group work as well. Photo: pagancentric.org

March 21 Naw-Ruz Baha'i (work restrictions apply) Naw-Rúz symbolizes the new life of spring. Naw-Rúz is the first day of the month of Baha which is the first month in the Bahá'í calendar. The festival is usually observed with meetings for prayer and celebration. The celebration is often combined with a feast as the sunset before Naw-Rúz sig- nals the end of a 19-day fast. Festivities can also include music and dancing. Time is spent visiting friends and relatives and exchanging gifts. Naw-Rúz is one of the nine Bahá'í holy days on which work is suspended. Naw-Rúz is an old Ira- nian celebration and also marks the start of the Zoroastrian new year.

March 25 Annunciation of Mary Catholic Christian The feast of the Annunciation marks the visit of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, during which he told her that she would be the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is celebrated on 25 March each year. More importantly, since it occurs 9 months before the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day, the Annunciation marks the actual incarnation of Jesus Christ - the moment that Jesus was conceived and that the Son of God became the son of the Virgin. The festival has been celebrated since the 5th century AD. The festival celebrates two things: God's action in entering the human world as Jesus in order to save humanity and humanity's willing acceptance of God's action in Mary's freely given ac- ceptance of the task of being the Mother of God.

Photo: oplaitylancaster.org Page 8

March 26 - 4 Aymbil Ori Jain Jains observe the festival of Shashvati Navpadji Ayambil Oli that lasts for nine days, twice a year. Jains perform Ayambil Tap for Nine days to salute Nine Supreme Posts (Navpads) in the universe. These are Arihant, Siddha, Acharya, Upadhyaya, Sadhu, Samyak-Darshan, Samyak-Gyan, Samyak-Charitra and Tap. The puja and vidhi for each pad will be observed at Jain center on each day. Ayambil is a special type of tap (fast) where one eats only boiled grains that are cooked without oil, sugar or spices as well as no vegetables, no fruits and no milk products.

March 26 , or March 28 Birth of Prophet Zarathustra Zoroastrian This festival is considered one of the most important in the Zoroastrian calendar. Zoroastrians gather in Fire temples for prayers and then celebrate with feast- ing.

March 28 Ramanavami Hindu Rama Navami celebrates the birth of Lord Rama, son of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. Rama was an incarnation of Vishnuand the hero of the Ramayana, the Sanskrit epic of 24,000 stanzas. A continuous recital of the book takes place for about a week prior to the celebration and on the day itself, the high- lights of the story are read in the temple. The house is thoroughly cleaned on Rama Navami and is also decorated. Offerings of fruit and flowers are placed on the family shrine and after an early bath, prayers are recited. The youngest female member of the household leads the puja (prayers) by applying a red tilak (mark) to all the other members of the family before everyone joins together in worship. An image or picture of baby Rama is placed in a covered cradle. At noon the covering is removed and Prasad (special sacred food) is offered to Rama, which may then be shared amongst the congrega- tion. There is an element of fasting. Some people don't eat certain foods, particularly things like onions, garlic, some spices and wheat products. The festival is a focal point for moral reflection and being especially charitable to others. Celebrations at places associated with Sri Rama, like Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh and Ramesvaram in Tamil Nadu, attract thousands of devo- tees. Photo: vaishnava.me

March 29 Christian On Palm Sunday Christians celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, the week before his death and resurrection. For many Christian churches, Palm Sunday, often referred to as "Passion Sunday," marks the beginning of , which concludes on Sunday. The Bible reveals that when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowds greeted him by waving palm branches and covering his path with palm branches. Immediately following this great time of celebration in the ministry of Jesus, he begins his journey to the cross. The biblical account of Palm Sunday can be found in Mat- thew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; and John 12:12- 19.

Photo: hughosb.wordpress.com