Beltane, also spelled Beltine, Irish Beltaine or Belltaine, also known as Cétamain, festival held on the first day of May in Ireland and Scotland, celebrating the beginning of summer and open pasturing. Beltane is first mentioned in a glossary attributed to Cormac, bishop of Cashel and king of Munster, who was killed in 908. Cormac describes how cattle were driven between two bonfires on Beltane as […]
Shavuot, (“Festival of the Weeks”), second of the three Pilgrim Festivals of the Jewish religious calendar. It was originally an agricultural festival, marking the beginning of the wheat harvest. During the Temple period, the first fruits of the harvest were brought to the Temple, and two loaves of bread made from the new wheat were offered. This aspect of the holiday […]
Eid al-Adha, (Arabic: “Festival of Sacrifice”) also spelled ʿĪd al-Aḍḥā, also called ʿĪd al-Qurbān or al-ʿĪd al-Kabīr (“Major Festival”), Turkish Kurban Bayram, the second of two great Muslim festivals, the other being Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Adha marks the culmination of the hajj (pilgrimage) rites at Minā, Saudi Arabia, near Mecca, but is celebrated by Muslims throughout the world. As with Eid al-Fitr, it is distinguished by the […]
Believers observe the midsummer festival of Maidyoi-shema on days 101 to 105 of the year, typically June 29 to July 3. It celebrates the creation of water, the spring harvest’s end, and the start of the summer harvest. Zoroastrians observe six seasonal festivals (Gahambar) that celebrate the sanctity of God’s universal creations. Each Gahambar lasts […]
Lammas, also known as Lughnasad, or Lughnassadh, is a pagan holiday and one of the eight Wiccan sabbats during the year. Each sabbat marks a seasonal turning point. The sabbat occurs on August 1, which is about halfway between the summer solstice (Litha) and the fall equinox (Mabon). This holiday celebrates the grain harvest. Grain is a […]
Zoroastrians following the Shenshai calendar observe Muktad during the last 10 days of the religious year. During this time, they believe, the fravashis (spirits) of the righteous departed return to Earth. Believers welcome them with special rituals and offerings. Families dress in white and cover their heads before visiting the fire temple. Each day, they […]
Urabon, shortened as Obon is a Japanese term translated from the Sanskrit word ‘Ullambana’ which actually means ‘to hang upside down’. It is used to imply the excruciating suffering, be it physical or spiritual, when one is hung upside down. The festival is considered an Invitation to the Dead because it is believed to be […]
Originating from Sanskrit, the term Raksha Bandhan translates as “bond of protection.” Observed on the full-moon day during Shravana (July-August), the 5th month in the Hindu lunar calendar, Raksha Bandhan is a popular Hindu holiday celebrating the love between a brother and sister. On this day, a sister ties a threaded amulet, known as a rakhi, around a […]
Janmashtami, Hindu festival celebrating the birth (janma) of the god Krishna on the eighth (ashtami) day of the dark fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada (August–September). The number eight has another significance in the Krishna legend in that he is the eighth child of his mother, Devaki. The occasion is observed especially in Mathura and Vrindavan (Brindaban), the scenes of Krishna’s childhood and early youth. On […]
Janmashtami, Hindu festival celebrating the birth (janma) of the god Krishna on the eighth (ashtami) day of the dark fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada (August–September). The number eight has another significance in the Krishna legend in that he is the eighth child of his mother, Devaki. The occasion is observed especially in Mathura and Vrindavan (Brindaban), the scenes of Krishna’s childhood and early youth. […]
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