Category: Holidays Around The World

The feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord or Jesus Christ celebrates His revelation or disclosure of divine glory on the top of Mount Tabor of Galilee.

After disclosing the fact that He would be crucified and killed in Jerusalem to His disciples, Jesus Christ along with Ss. James, John and Peter went on top of the mountain. According to what St Matthews had written that on reaching the top, Christ transfigured in front of their eyes with his face shining as brightly as the sun and his clothes became as white as untouched snow.

This feast is held on the 6^th of August in the remembrance of this holy event. This is observed by various Christian communities all over the world. The feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord was turned into a universal feast on the 6^th of August in the honor of the raising of Siege of Belgrade by Pope Callixtus III.

Date of celebration-

In the Revised Julian Calendars, Syriac Orthodox Calendars, Indian Orthodox Calendars, Old Catholic Churches, Anglican Catholic Churches and Roman Catholic Churches, this day is celebrated on the 6^th of August. However in the Orthodox Churches which still follows the Julian Calendar,  this day is observed on the 19^th of August as  6^th of August on the Julian Calendar falls on 19^th of August on the Georgian Calendar. In Orthodoxy, the Feast of the Transfiguration is considered to be one of the twelve Great Feasts and is of major importance. If this feast falls on a Sunday, the liturgy of it is not combined with Sunday liturgy but it completely replaces the Sunday liturgy. In the United Methodist, Lutheran and some other liturgical calendars, the very last Sunday of the Epiphany season which comes immediately before the Ash Wednesday, is devoted to the celebration of this feast. However in the Church of Finland and in the Church of Sweden, the Feast of Transfiguration of the Lord is observed on the 7^th Sunday after Trinity or the 8^th Sunday after Pentecost.

Celebration in Eastern Orthodox Church-

In these particular Churches, the Transfiguration of the Lord is observed during the time of Dormition Fast. But since this is a feast, the fasting is relaxed to some extent and consumption of wine, oil and fish are allowed on this special occasion. In the Orthodox Church this feast is not held only in the honor of Jesus Christ but also in the honor of the Holy Trinity hence this event is like the smaller version of Epiphany. This feast is one of the twelve Great Feasts in Orthodoxy. On the day of Transfiguration, grapes are brought to the church and are blessed after Divine Liturgy.

Celebration in Coptic Orthodox Church-

In the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ is celebrated on 19^th of August which in the Coptic Calendar is 13^th of Mesri. This feast is considered to be one of the seven minor feasts observed in the church and is celebrated in a cheerful manner.

Celebration in Old Catholic Church-

Traditionally, according to the Roman rite Calendar, the Feast of the Transfiguration is celebrated on 6^th of August in the Old Catholic Church however all the local Old Catholic Churches can celebrate it on a different date. The Old Catholic perspective of the Transfiguration has many things in common with that of the Eastern Orthodox Church’s belief. In the Old Catholic Church this marks the great event in which Lord Jesus disclosed his divinity. Even in this Church if the feast falls on a Sunday it replaces the Sunday Liturgy.

Celebration in Roman Catholic Church-

Centuries back, in the Roman Catholic Church, the Transfiguration of the Lord was celebrated locally on various days including 6^th of August but none were recognized universally. In the year of 1456, Hungary had repulsed an invasion by the Ottoman Empire of the Balkans by breaking Siege of Belgrade. The news of victory against the Ottomans had reached Rome on the 6^th of August. For celebrating the victory, Pope Callixtus III raised the Transfiguration to a day of feast which was to be celebrated throughout Rome.

Also called as the mid-autumn festival, this is essentially a harvest celebration enjoyed by the people of Chinese and Vietnamese origin.

This festival is observed on the 15^th day of the 8^th month of the lunar calendar on a full moon night. This date corresponds to the span of late September and early October by the Gregorian calendar. It was made a public holiday in China in 2008.

This festival is considered to be the second most important Chinese festival after the Chinese New Year and for the people of Vietnam; it comes after their most important holiday Tet.

This festival is known by various other names like the Lantern Festival (Singapore and Malaysia), Children’s Festival (Vietnam), Harvest Moon Festival and Moon Cake Festival (China). The August Moon Festival is going to take place on the 14^th of September in the year 2019.

What This Festival Is All About?

This festival mainly revolves around the following concepts and all its traditions and customs have evolved from them:

• Gathering And Reunions – This festival is all about coming together and spending time with friends and family. All the family members jointly celebrate the end of autumn harvest crops on this day. The moon is believed to the biggest and fullest on this day. The full moon signifies prosperity, happiness and family reunions.

• Thanksgiving – The people convey their gratitude and give thanks for their autumn harvest.

• Praying – This festival is also associated with traditions like moon gazing and praying to the moon for virtues and materialistic grants like wealth, beauty, children, life partner, good health or a lucky future. The moon is worshipped on this day and hence the name.

Origin And History Of This Festival

• The Chinese people have begun celebrating this festival from as early as 3000 years ago.

• This tradition of celebrating the harvest during the autumn full moon night dates back to the Shang Dynasty (1600 – 1046 BC).

• The ritual of harvest celebration has its origin in the worship of the mountain Gods after the harvest would be accomplished and done with.

• This event is considered important right from the olden times and many stories, poems and legends are widespread about this cultural festival. As a festival, this occasion started to gain popularity in the beginning of the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 CE).

• One of the legend talks about the Emperor Xuanzong of Tang starting to host these celebrations in his own palace following his visit to the moon-palace.

• Another of the legends state that Empress Dowager Cixi loved celebrating this festival to such an extent that she would engage in elaborate and extravagant rituals all throughout the thirteenth to seventeenth day of the eighth lunar month.

• The ancient Chinese believed moon to be associated with rejuvenation and hence worshipping the moon was commenced.

• Offerings were made to lunar deity Chang’e who is the Moon Goddess of Immortality.

• Hence, still today the customs of praying to the moon and offering sacrifices to Chang’e on this full moon night are prevalent.

Traditions And Celebration

This festival is an occasion to celebrate the successful harvest of rice and wheat along with food offerings prepared in honor of the moon deity. This day is enjoyed by performing various traditions and customs like the burning of incense sticks to respect the moon God as well as the staging of acts like lion and dragon dances more prevalent in Southern China and Vietnam.

One of the most prominent features of this festival is the involvement of lanterns. Lanterns are lit and carried around the town. They are also lit up on towers or floated into the sky. Also, riddles are written on them. Anciently, Lantern used to symbolize fertility but now it is closely associated with the on goings of this festival. A hallmark tradition of this festival is the act of preparing and eating moon cakes.

These cakes are round in shape which signifies completeness and reunion. During this festival, Moon cakes are thus shared amongst eaten by all the members of the family to maintain their unity. It’s also a ritual that the senior most member of the household would cut the moon cake and distribute it among the rest of the family symbolizing reunion. Other important dishes served during this festival are nine-jointed lotus roots signifying peace, watermelon signifying reunion, cassia cakes and candy.

The drink of the festival is cassia wine regarded as the “reunion wine”. The food sacrificing and offerings that are made to the moon deity are kept arranged on an altar in the courtyard. These comprise of pears, grapes, apples, oranges, pomegranates and pomelos. This is an occasion also known for celebrating the essence of marriage and match making. Young girls offer their prayers to Chang’e to get a desired romantic partner. Dances are hosted for young men and women to find their suitable partners. Various traditional games are also played amongst men and woman on this day.

This is a secular holiday which had started in the United States in the year 1978 and in recent times is celebrated in quite a few numbers of countries all around the world.

This is a day to honor one’s grandparents and shower them with love and importance. Observed in the US on the first Sunday of September right after Labor Day, this day holds a very special place in the hearts of all grandparents. Different countries observe this day on different dates but the essence remains the same.

Every year on this day, the US witnesses almost four million greeting cards being posted to grandparents. This day grants the perfect opportunity for the grandchildren to express their love and care for their grandparents through actions like inviting them for dinner or giving them gifts.

In spite of not being a public holiday in the US, this day is celebrated by all near and far.

History

There are quite a few background tales about the origin of this festival. One of them says that it was first initiated by Michael Goldgar in the 1970’s following his visit to the Atlanta Nursing home to see his ailing aunt. Another says that Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade who was a housewife in West Virginia was the main driving force behind this day being observed. In either of the cases, this day was lawfully signed and officially accepted by President Jimmy Carter in the year 1978. A presidential declaration went out on the 6^th of September, 1979, which proclaimed the 9^th of September, 1979, (the first Sunday after Labor Day) as the First Grandparent’s Day and it’s been followed likewise ever since. Each year, whoever is the current president, issues a proclamation to assign the first Sunday of September to be observed as Grandparent’s Day.

Symbols

The official flower for this day in the US is the forget-me-nots which bloom in the spring season. There is a song too in the US designated especially to this day. In the year 2004, “A Song for Grandma and Grandpa” by Johnny Prill was announced as the official song dedicated to this day.

Celebrations

On this day, people in the US give gifts or cards to wish their grandparents. Grandchildren who stay far away call them up to convey their wishes. Grandparents are invited to schools where their grandchildren participate in special programs and stage performances for them. Grandparent care centers also allow interested people to adopt them on this day for a day out so that they can have a happy and memorable time. Many students participate in story telling sessions where they speak about their grandparents. Grandparents are invited for lunch or dinner and it serves for a happy family reunion.

Dates In Other Countries

• France – Here, Grandparent’s Day is celebrated on the 1^st Sunday of March.
• Germany and Hong Kong – This holiday is observed on the second Sunday of October here.
• Italy – 2^nd of October is the official date for this holiday.
• Mexico – 28^th of August is the chosen date.
• Poland – This country witnesses Grandparent’s Day on the 21^st of January.
• Taiwan – This day is celebrated on the last Sunday of August every year.
• Australia – The last Sunday of October is designated as the official Grandparent’s Day.
• United Kingdom – Here, this holiday is being celebrated on the first Sunday of October since 2008.

Rosh Hashanah is the occasion of the Jewish New Year. This Hebrew term literally means the beginning or head of the year. This holiday has a biblical name “Yom Teruah” which means a day of shouting or blasting. “Yom Teruah” is often translated as the “Feast of Trumpets”.

Leviticus talked about certain days known as the Jewish High Holy Days or Days of Awe which generally takes place in the early autumn of the Northern Hemisphere. Rosh Hashannah celebrations extend for a time span of two days and the first day falls on the first day of the month of Tishrei.

Tishrei is the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year and also the first month of the Jewish civil year. It begins on the hour of sundown on the eve of the first day of Tishrei. Another traditional significance of this day is the coming of Adam and Eve who are considered to be the first man and woman as said by the Hebrew Bible.

The first actions of Adam and Eve gave way to humanity’s role in God’s world. In the year 2019, Rosh Hashannah begins on the evening of Sunday, 29^th September and ends on the evening of Tuesday, 1^st of October. There are various rabbinical customs associated with this day.

Etymology

From the etymological point of view, the term Rosh Hashannah can be split into “Rosh” which means head in Hebrew and “shanah” which means year. According to the Siddur and Machzor Jewish prayer books, this festival is also known as “Yom Hazikaron” which implies a day of remembrance. Muslim Law makers have their own version of a name for the Islamic New Year and that’s Arabic Ras as – Sanah. It’s a new year for people, animals and legal business matters and is also taken to be the base for calculating shmita and yovel years by the Mishnah.

Origin And Religious Importance

It has its origins in the starting of the economic year in the agrarian societies based in Ancient Near East and thus marks the beginning of the agricultural cycle. The New Year was considered to be the starting of the cycle of sowing, growth, harvest following agricultural festivals hosted dedicated to a good harvest. The Semites used to consider autumn to be the season of New Year while the Persians or Greek took spring to be the one. Either way, the New Year was chosen based on the time the agricultural season commenced and when the seed was sowed and harvest was brought in. Rosh Hashannah is reffered to and leads to the “day of judgment”. Three books are said to be opened on this day including the fates of the wicked ones, the righteous souls and that of the intermediate classes. The righteous soul’s names are written in the book of life and they are allowed to live. The intermediate ones are granted a chance to resurrect in a time span of ten days leading to Yom Kippur and the wicked names are erased out of the book of the living forever. The Holy One said, “On Rosh Hashanah recite before Me the verses of Sovereignty, Remembrance, and Shofar blasts: Sovereignty so that you should make Me your King; Remembrance so that your remembrance should rise up before Me and through what? Through the Shofar.”

Eve Of The Festival

The evening prior to Rosh Hashannah is called Erev Rosh Hashannah. Elul is the month that comes before Rosh Hashannah during which the Jews are instructed to start a self-examination and repentance process. On the eve of this festival, Hatarat Nedarim is performed which is a sort of a nullification of vows. This takes place after the morning prayers are done with on the 29^th day of the month of Elul which finishes on the sundown after which the eve of Rosh Hashannah starts. On the eve, many orthodox religious men take part in Mikveh that’s actually a bath used in religious immersion ceremonies of Judaism.

Customs And Traditions

• Shofar Blowing – ‘Shofar’ is the ram’s horn that plays a significant role during this festival and is blown on the mornings of both the days. After the Torah readings are done with after the morning services, the shofar is blown for 30 times and during or following the Musaf service, this horn is blasted for 70 times. The shofar blowing is made up of three sorts of blasts: tekiah that’s a long blast resembling a sob, Shevarim that’s a set of three short wails one after the other and teruah that’s nine shrill piercing staccato bursts. The sound of a shofar resembles the sound of a trumpet that is played at a king’s coronation. The cry of a shofar also signifies a call for repentance.
• Prayer Services – The Morning Prayer sessions are longer than usual on these days and the major part of the days are spent in synagogue. The machzor and Torah contain all the prayers and these are read on both the mornings. On the first morning, the recitations are about Isaac’s birth and then the following banishment of Hagar and Ishmael. After this, there’s a haftarah reading about the birth of Samuel the Prophet. On the second morning of Rosh Hashannah, people are enlightened about the almost sacrifice of Abraham’s son Isaac by Abraham himself. Various medieval, religious, penitential poems known as piyyuttim are recited in the prayer services and also, the Alenu prayer is added during Mussaf service.
• Food – Meals on this day generally begun with honey dipped apples symbolizing a sweet new year. The head of a fish or a ram is eaten to signify that “we are the head and not the tail”. A common food item is round challah loaves of bread that have been dipped in honey and sprinkled with raisins. It’s a tradition of Rosh Hashannah to abstain from eating nuts, horseradish, vinegar – involved foods and gelfilte fish. Pomegranates are eaten and the seeds are wished upon to get merit. Another prevalent food is tzimmes that’s a sweet carrot revolving dish signifying the wish for a plenty and bountiful year. On the second and last night of Rosh Hashannah, it’s a custom to eat a “new” fruit meaning to eat a fruit that’s not been eaten since the previous time it was in season.
• Tashlikh – This ritual is carried out on the afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashannah and is done so by the most Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews. During this ceremony, the person is supposed to go to a nearby ocean or river or pond and recite prayers near it or throw bread or pebbles in the water. Doing so, they perform the act of casting away or washing off their sins. If the first day of Rosh Hashannah coincides with ‘Shabbat’ then this custom is performed on the second day.

The Hajj is the annual pilgrimage made by the Muslims to the holy city of Mecca. Mecca is considered to be the most holy city in Islam as it is the place where Muhammad was born and also the place where he made first revelation of the holy Quran.

It is a religious duty to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once for all the followers of Islam who are financially and physically capable of going on this journey and who can also provide for his family when he is away. Along with Salat, Shahadah, Swam and Zakat, it is one of the five pillars of Islam.

Hajj is the biggest annual gathering in the entire world and it is a demonstration of the Muslims of their submission to their God, Allah. The state of being financially and physically capable of undertaking the Hajj is called Istita’ah and Mustati is an individual who fulfils this condition. This pilgrimage takes place between the 8th and 12th of Dhu al-Hijjah which is the last month on Islamic calendar.

As Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, the corresponding dates on the Georgian calendar vary from one year to another. Hajj is associated with the great Muslim prophet, Muhammad, around 7th century, however according to Islam the ritual of going on pilgrimage stretches back to the time of Abraham. During this, Muslims from all over the world join processions of thousands and thousands of people which finally come to a haul when the destination is reached which is none other than the city of Mecca.

During the week of Hajj, the Muslims gathered in Mecca and perform various rituals. Each of them walks counter-clockwise around Ka’aba seven times, drinks water from the Zamzam well, runs back and forth between Al-Marwah and Al-Safa hills, spends a night on the Muzdalifa plains, visits the plains of Arafat Mountain in order to stand in vigil and they also throw stones at three pillars which is supposed to be symbolic of stoning of devil.

After performing these rituals, the pilgrims shave their heads and carry out animal sacrifice to celebrate Eid al-Adha, which is a global Islamic festival. The Muslims can make a pilgrimage to Mecca at some other time of the year to perform all these rituals. This pilgrimage is called Umrah. However, even if an individual performs Umrah it is mandatory for him to perform Hajj at least once in his lifetime as Umrah is not a substitute of Hajj.

The Fiqh literature gives the details in which the rites of Hajj are to be carried out. The pilgrims usually take the help of expert guides and follow handbooks to perform the rituals successfully. While performing the rituals, the pilgrims not only follow the model set up by Muhammad but also remember events associated with Abraham.

History-
The present day Hajj and its rituals were established by Muhammad; however Quran says that it dates back to the time of Abraham, which is around 2000BCE. According to Islam, God had ordered Abraham to leave his son, Ishmael, and his wife, Hagar, all alone in the desert of Mecca.

It is believed that Hagar desperately ran between the Marwah and Safa hills in search for water for seven times but couldn’t find any. As she returned to her kid in a state of despair, she found Ishmael scraping the surface of the ground with his foot and a water fountain spurted out from beneath his foot. Later on Abraham was instructed to construct the Kaaba and bid all the followers of Islam to perform pilgrimage at that place.

According to the holy Quran, the black stone was brought from heaven by Archangel Gabriel so that it could be attached to Kaaba. Back in the period of Jahiliyyah or the period of pre-Islamic Arabia, Kaaba was surrounded on all sides by Pagan dolls. However Muhammad escorted his followers in 630 CE, from Medina to Mecca, and destroyed all the Pagan dolls to cleanse Kaaba and then dedicate the building to Allah. Muhammad performed his last and the only pilgrimage in 632 CE with a large number of his followers and gave them instructions regarding the rites that are to be carried out during Hajj.

From that time, Hajj happened to be one of the five main pillars of Islam. In the middle ages, all the pilgrims from all over the world would gather in the cities of Egypt, Iraq and Syria, to travel to Mecca, in groups and caravans that consisted of around ten thousand pilgrims. Caravans with advent of Mamluk Sultanate and Ottoman Empire, which was its successor, were led by military forces and also had physicians as commanded by amir al-hajj.

It was done to guard the caravan against the Bedouin robbers and to make sure that the pilgrims received all the necessary provisions on their way to Mecca. Pilgrims like Ibn Battuta and Ibn Jubayr had written a detailed account of their experience of Hajj in the medieval period.

Hajj Timing-
The date of this holy pilgrimage depends upon the Islamic calendar which is called Hijri. The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar and it is shorter than the Georgian calendar by eleven days. Thus its date on the Georgian calendar varies from one year to another.

It spans over a 5 day period which starts on 8th and ends on 12th of Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth or the last month of Islamic calendar. Among the five days, the day of 9th Dhul-Hijjah is called Day of Arafah and it is known as the day of Hajj. As Islamic calendar is shorter than its Georgian counterpart by 11 days, the holy pilgrimage starts eleven days earlier than the previous year in the Georgian calendar. It often causes Hajj to fall twice in the Georgian year and it takes place after every 33 years. This phenomenon had occurred in the year of 2006.

Muktad is a festival of the Zoroastrians and has religious importance. The ten days beginning from the Roj Ashtad and coming to an end on the Vahishtoisht Gatha are called the days of Muktad.

The Zoroastrians believe that during the span of these ten days all the souls and Fravashis descend to their homes and on the Earth every year. These souls of the dead and the unborn stay at places only where there’s prayers, purity, goodness and performance of rituals.

Days of Muktad are also called Farvardegan which refers to the days on which the Fravashis are remembered. According to the Zoroastrian belief, Ravan and Fravashi are the two out of three immortal spiritual components that are present in every human being.

Every creation in this universe whether materialistic or spiritual, has Fravashi. They also believe that every individual has their own Fravashi which serves as their Guardian spirit and gives their body the strength required to function properly.

Meaning and others names of Muktad-

The word Muktad or Muktat has been acquired from the Sanskrit words Mukt Atman which translates to “free soul” in English. In earlier days the festival of Muktad was called Dosla which was related or referred to the souls of the old people also called Dosa. It was also known as Machi which meant metallic trays or stands on which flowers and water were kept and also Takchae referring to the curved portion of the wall used for keeping flowers. The Iranians call these days Panji.

Significance-

Muktad is a cheerful and a joyous festival in which the people welcome and shows hospitality to the souls and the Fravashis. Celebration of this festival has two main significances. This first significance or the main reason behind celebrating Muktad is for showing gratitude towards all the Fravashis as they help and protect us in various ways. The second reason is during these ten days all the Fravashis and the souls of the deceased relatives are remembered. Thus the days of Muktads are also celebrated in the honor of all the souls and Fravashis of the deceased relatives and for offering reverence to them.

Special preparations-

Before the beginning of this festival the house especially the room where all the rituals are carried out, are cleaned thoroughly and white washed. All the members of the family get involved and carry out their shares responsibly. All the female members who did most of the preparations took Nahan. Leaving the house unattended during these days were forbidden in earlier days as it was believed that the souls and Fravashis visited the house on these days and leaving them behind would be unwelcoming.

July Chokor, also known as Chokor Duchen is a Nepalese and Tibetan festival which is celebrated to mark the very first teaching of Lord Buddha.

The word Chokor means the Dharma wheel or the Prayer wheel and Duchen refers to a special occasion. These wheels are made out of wood and have metallic cylinders connected to a handle and turning these wheels is believed to spread blessings.

Various Buddhist mantras are engraved on these wheels. Among the four major holidays mentioned in the Tibetan Buddhist Calendar, July Chokor is the one of great importance. This day is celebrated in the honor of the very first turning of the Dharma wheel by Lord Buddha, the creator of Buddhism.

History

According to people’s belief and tradition, Lord Buddha was not completely convinced that his teachings, which he had discovered through constant meditation, could be of any use to change the lives of other people like it had did to him. Convincing him took the intervention of the two Gods, Indra, who is the king of the Gods in Hinduism and Brahma, who is the creator.

They had to intervene to persuade Lord Buddha to spread his teachings to the common men and make their life more meaningful. After this Lord Buddha had addressed his five companions, who had accompanied him to the forest, regarding the four truths of life which are:

• The truth of Suffering: The very first teaching conveys that life is a suffering. Even though we might come across things that make us happy, it is still a suffering since nothing is everlasting and will come to an end sooner or later.

• The truth of the cause of Suffering: The second truth conveys that the only cause behind this suffering is a man’s thirst or craving. We are never satisfied with our success and are always hungry to achieve more. We are always searching for something outside our own self to make us feel happy. On being unable to achieve things in life we get frustrated and that brings us suffering.

• The truth of the end of suffering: This noble teaching tells about the cure from suffering. Lord Buddha had taught that diligent practice was the only way to put an end to our thirst and withdrawing oneself from the rat race after satisfaction leads to the enlightenment of an individual.

• The truth of the path that free us from suffering: Here Lord Buddha had said the following the Eight-Fold Path diligently is the cure that will free us from all the sufferings in life.

Celebrations

• July Chokor is a relaxed and a colorful festival that takes place in Tibet and parts of Nepal in the middle of the summer season.

• The celebrations include people carrying copies of scriptures which are engraved on rectangular blocks made out of wood and statues of Lord Buddha all over the town with songs and music playing in the background.

• People are seen to be in a cheery and happy spirit as it marks the day on which Lord Buddha’s teachings were promulgated.

• The entire community takes part in this procession which is followed by a picnic.

This day is widely celebrated by Christian communities all over the world as the birthday of Saint John. Also known as the Nativity of John the Baptist, this day is annually observed on the 24th of June i.e. six months prior to Christmas.

St. John was a prophet who had forecasted the coming of Jesus and had later also baptized him in the Jordan River. He was considered to be the voice that prepared the world for Jesus Christ.

When Christianity started to spread through France, the celebrations of the beginning of summer solstice were merged with the feast of St. John day. St. John the Baptist is the patron saint of Turin.

His death anniversary i.e. 29th of August is marked by Roman Catholic churches and they have a feast on that day too. The Feast of John the Baptist is one of the oldest festivals of the Christian Church and it anticipates the feast of Christmas.

History
In the first chapter of Gospel of Luke, we find that Zachary, the father of John the Baptist and a Jewish priest is approached by an angel who tells him that his wife Elizabeth is going to give birth to a boy in spite of being well beyond the age of child-bearing.

The archangel Gabriel also told him that they should name the child ‘John’. Zachary was not able to believe the angel straight away and could not speak until John was born. Mother Mary had gone to congratulate her cousin Elizabeth on her pregnancy when she herself was carrying Jesus in her womb. It’s said that John had leaped with joy in his mother’s womb at the greeting of Mary. St. John was born six months prior to the birth of Jesus i.e. Christmas and hence the feast is celebrated on the assigned date.

He is described in the Gospel to be a relative of Jesus and was the one who led a baptism movement at the Jordan River. He is mostly known for predicting the ‘Messiah’ that foretold the coming of Jesus Christ. John had condemned King Herod for divorcing his wife Phasaelis and marrying Herodias, the wife of his half-brother because of which John was imprisoned.

This marriage was unlawful and violated the Old Testament Law. On King Herod’s birthday, Herodias’s daughter by the name Salome had danced and entertained his guests. He was so pleased with her dancing that he promised to grant her anything she wanted. On her mother’s advice she asked for Saint John’s head on a platter. Though, Herod was shocked, he unwillingly agreed and Saint John was beheaded at the fort of Machaerus.

Celebration And Traditions
Generally, a feast is held on the death anniversary of a Saint because that day specifically marks his or her entry into heaven. There are but just two exceptions to this ritual where the feast is held on the day of birth. These refer to the feasts observed on the birthday of Blessed Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist.

This may not be a nationally acclaimed holiday outside of Quebec but it’s an important liturgical feast day in the Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican Churches.  It’s a popular feast day in many European countries as its date coincides with old pagan holidays that celebrate the oncoming of Summer Solstice. It’s celebrated as a religious feast day in countries like Sweden, Estonia, Denmark, Lithuania and Norway. In the Eastern Christian Churches, St. John the Baptist is known by the name St. John the Forerunner which denotes that his purpose was to pave the way for Jesus Christ. There is a major feast on 24th of June in these churches which is celebrated with an All-Night Vigil and followed by an After-feast the next day.

It was believed that during summer solstice evil spirits roamed freely and hence bonfires are lit on the mountains and hill tops on the eve of the feast to ward them off. These bonfires are called “Saint John’s Fires”. Divining Rods are said to be cut on this day and straw figures are sacrificed into fires. A certain type of herb called St. John’s herbs are believed to show unusual healing powers especially if they are plucked during the night of the feast. People take these to churches for a special blessing while children do the rounds and demand “treats” from the houses in the neighborhood.

The Festival of the Sun also known as the Inti Raymi in Quechua is a religious occasion of Inca Empire celebrated in the honor of the Sun God, Inti.

The Sun God was the most revered God in the Inca religion. This day marked the Inca New Year and celebrated the winter solstice which is the shortest day of the year. This festival is celebrated every year in the last week of June in the highlands of Peru, South America.

Large number of tourists from all over the world visit Peru every year to be a part of this ancient religious festival. Though the celebrations take place at various places in the highlands of Peru, the most popular or well known celebration is the one that takes place in Cusco, which was the medieval capital of the Inca Empire.

This Pagan festival had started six centuries back and is celebrated till date in the honor of the Sun God. In this festival, people worship the Sun God and thank him wholeheartedly for good harvest of the year and pray for the land’s fertility.

History-
As the legend goes, this festival was started by the ruler of the Inca Empire, Pachakutik. He had ordered his men to build a temple right in the middle of the city in the honor of the Sun God, Apu Inti. He had named this temple Qoricancha. The Incas believed that they were the direct successor of the Sun God Inti and within the walls of this temple they showed their gratitude to him for their existence on this planet.

In the present day this temple is one of the main tourist attractions in the city. Garcilaso de la Vega, who was considered to be the first Peruvian mestizo and the great historian or chronicler, had given a detailed account on this ancient temple. In his writings he had said the temple protected the embalmed bodies of the Incas sitting in front of golden tables and on golden chairs.  He had also mentioned that the festival of the sun was one of the four important festivals held in Cusco during that period and the celebrations lasted for 15 days.

During these days sacrifices, dancing, musical performances and various other events were carried out. Until 1535, this ceremony was headed by the Inca Emperor after which it was banned in 1572 by a Viceroy of Spain due to its Pagan characteristics. It again revived in the year 1944 as an effort to protect the culture and tradition of Peru.

Present Day celebration-
Every year more than 200,000 people take part in this festival on 24th June celebrated in Cusco. The festivity includes worshiping the Sun God, beautiful dances, colorful parades, performances by more than 800 actors and feasting on famous Peruvian cuisines.

It is also an ancient belief that even if the day of the celebration is cloudy; the sun is bound to come out during the celebrations.  In ancient times people used to sacrifice Llamas to appease Inti’s wife who was considered to be the Goddess of harvests and fertility. Today no such sacrifices are carried out and an actor, who portrays the Emperor, Sapa Inca, is carried in a golden chariot to the edifice located on top of the hills. However this chariot is just a replica of the 60kg gold chariot.

On reaching the hilltop, speeches and lectures are delivered in the Incan language, Queachua, as people wait for the fake sacrifice.

Baha’u’llah was born on the 12th of November, 1817 as Mirza Husayn –Ali Nuri. He was the founder of the Baha’i Faith and died on 29th of May, 1892.

Babism was a 19th century extension of Shi’ism and he claimed to be a messenger of God. He preached that humanity is the only race and that all the different religions come from a single God.

He had been sentenced to imprisonment and banishment by the ottoman and Persian officials that led to the ultimate 24-year captivity in the prison of Acre, Israel where he took his last breath. On 9th of May, 1892 Baha’u’llah caught a fever which grew rapidly and resulted in his death 20 days later.

He was buried in a shrine just outside of Acre. The most notable among his religious works are Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the Kitáb-i-Íqán and Hidden Words.

What Is Ascension?
The literal meaning of the word ascension is the act of ascending i.e. to climb up or rise. This word can be explained in varying contexts based on philosophy or in a spiritual sense. It can mean different things to different people. In the spiritual sense, it’s quite same as the concept of ‘Enlightenment’ in Buddhism. To achieve enlightenment about something is to have a deep insight or full understanding of that particular topic and understanding the mind and purpose of God.

It is the highest state of humanity and is all about the unity and oneness of the Creator and all of his creations. It involves the dissolution of ones ego (lower self) in order to experience their true existence (higher self). It aims to achieve the true realization of a person’s correct potential as if he is a spiritual being experiencing human on goings.

It would be better to say that ascension implies bringing heaven onto earth by raising the lower non-physical soulful being to a higher state of spiritual revelation. It’s about the awakening of the heart and soul of an individual and his inner wisdom. In a more religious context, it means entering the heaven without dying i.e. with an alive soul. On the whole, it’s about spiritual energy and consciousness with a lot going on in the mind-spirit-body level.

Traditions And Customs
The ascension of Baha’u’llah who was the prophet and founder of the Baha’i faith is an occasion of mourning which takes place on the 29th of May every year. On this day, the death of Baha’u’llah is commemorated by Baha’is worldwide at 3 o clock in the morning. This is one of the nine crucial Baha’i holidays on which they don’t work. Just before dawn, at 3:00 AM, Baha’u’llah had passed away in the Mansion of Bahji near Israel and his soul had ascended to heaven.

Till today, all the local Baha’i communities come together near his shrine on the auspicious date and time to remember and honor their founder with Baha’i prayers and scriptures. These are generally recited in Arabian with a special prayer kept reserved for this occasion known as the “Tablet of Visitation”. The sacred remains of Baha’u’llah are present in the shrine of Baha’u’llah which was given the title of an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. This is considered to be one of the holiest places on Earth by the Baha’is much like Mecca. Baha’u’llah was buried shortly after sunset on the very day of his ascension. After his ascension, his eldest son ‘Abdul l-Baha was appointed as the “Centre of the Covenant”.

Kitab-i-Ahd also known as the Book of the covenant is Baha’u’llah’s last will or testament found in his own hand writing. On the 29th of May, 1992 i.e. the centenary of Baha’u’llah’s death, thousands of Baha’is from more than 200 countries worldwide gathered to pay respect to Baha’u’llah at his shrine. Sometimes, arrangements are made by the Baha’is through the Office of Pilgrimage in Haifa, Israel to adjust their pilgrimage dates to around the time of the Ascension. This is done so that during the pilgrimage trips, the Baha’is and the followers of Baha’u’llah can visit his holy shrine.

There are around 5.5 million followers of the Baha’i faith in present times who have Baha’u’llah in their mind and heart. All the adherents of Baha’i communities from all over the world may individually or collectively take part in the Ascension and commemorate him with the help of prayers and readings. This is followed by refreshments and fellowship all in good spirit. This also celebrates the spirit of unity and friendship welcoming every one of the Baha’i faith. This occasion celebrates the life and teachings of Baha’u’llah which helps his followers to learn and perfect their own spiritual lives.