Cultural Heritage Holidays

Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, which is celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church, commemorates the naming of the child Jesus.

Twelfth Night, a festival celebrated by some branches of Christianity that marks the coming of the Epiphany.

Christmas, recognized on this day by Eastern Orthodox Christians, who celebrate Christmas thirteen days later than other Christian churches because they follow the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian version.

Orthodox New Year, celebrated every year on January 14th by Orthodox Christians all over the world. It marks the start

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, is a day that commemorates the birth of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the recipient of the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize and an activist for nonviolent social change until his assassination in 1968.

Timkat, a holiday observed by Ethiopian Orthodox Christians who celebrate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River on Epiphany.

World Religion Day, observed by those of the Bahá’í faith to promote interfaith harmony and understanding.

Mahayana New Year, a holiday celebrated by the Mahayana Buddhist branch on the first full-moon day in January.

National Freedom Day, celebrates the signing of the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery in the United States in 1865.

St. Blaise Day (The Blessing of the Throats), the feast day of St. Blaise of Sebaste celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church and some Eastern Catholic Churches.

Four Chaplains Day, commemorates the anniversary of the sinking of the US Army transport Dorchester and the heroism of the four chaplains aboard.

Losar, the Tibetan Buddhist New Year, February 8 - 10, is a time of renewal through sacred and secular practices.

Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Although named for its former religious significance, it is chiefly marked by feasting and celebration, which traditionally preceded the observance of the Lenten fast. It is observed by various Christian denominations.

St. Valentine’s Day, a Western Christian feast day honoring one or two early saints named Valentinus. This holiday is typically associated with romantic love and celebrated by people expressing their love with gifts.

Vasant Panchami, the Hindu festival that highlights the coming of spring. On this day, Hindus worship Saraswati Devi, the goddess of wisdom, knowledge, music, art, and culture.

Presidents Day, a federally recognized celebration in the United States that honors the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, as well as those of every US president.

Lailat al Bara’a, Feburary 24 - 25, also known as Lailat Al Baraah, Barat, or popularly as Shab-e-Bara or Night of Forgiveness, it is an Islamic holiday during which practitioners of the faith seek forgiveness for sins. Muslims spend the night in special prayers. It is for St. Brigid celebrated by some Christian denominations. It is regarded as one of the most sacred nights on the Islamic calendar.

Lantern Festival, the first significant feast after the Chinese New Year; participants enjoy watching paper lanterns illuminate the sky on the night of the event.

Zero Discrimination Day, is meant to highlight the need for people to be informed about and promote inclusion, compassion, peace and, above all, a movement for change.

Maha Shivaratri, a Hindu festival celebrated each year to honor Lord Shiva. It is celebrated just before the arrival of spring. It is also known as the Great Night of Shiva or Shivaratri and is one of the largest and most significant among the sacred festival nights of India.

St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday started in Ireland to recognize St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland who brought Christianity to the country in the early days of the faith.

Neurodiversity Celebration Week, March 18-24, recognizes and celebrates neurological differences.

St. Joseph’s Day, in Western Christianity the principal feast of St. Joseph, the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Purim, March 23 - 24, a Jewish celebration that marks the time when the Jewish community living in Persia was saved from genocide. On Purim, Jewish people dress up in costumes, offer charity, and share food with friends.

Orthodox Sunday, celebrated on the first Sunday of Great Lent. It is the celebration of the victory of the iconodules over the iconoclasts by the decision of the Seventh Ecumenical Council. Therefore, the service commemorates the restoration of icons for use in services as well as a Christian’s private devotional life.

Holi, the annual Hindu and Sikh spring religious festival. It is often celebrated on the full moon (the Phalguna Purnima) before the beginning of the vernal equinox as based on the Hindu calendar.

Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday), the Christian holiday commemorating the Last Supper, at which Jesus and the Apostles were together for the last time before the crucifixion. It is celebrated on the Thursday before Easter.

World Autism Awareness Day, created to raise awareness around the globe.

Eid al-Fitr, April 9-10 (sundown to sundown), the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal, marking the end of Ramadan. Many Muslims attend communal prayers, listen to a khutuba (sermon), and give Zakat al-Fitr (charity in the form of food) during Eid al-Fitr.

The Day of Silence, during which students take a daylong vow of silence to protest the actual silencing of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) students and their straight allies due to bias and harassment.

Ram Navami, a Hindu day of worship and celebration of the seventh avatar of Vishnu (Lord Rama). Devotees typically wear red and place extravagant flowers on the shrine of the god.

The Festival of Ridvan, a holiday celebrated by those of the Bahá’í faith, commemorating the twelve days when Bahá’u’lláh, the prophet founder, resided in a garden called Ridvan (paradise) and publicly proclaimed his mission as God’s messenger for this age.

Passover, April 22–30, an eight-day Jewish holiday in commemoration of the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt.

Lazarus Saturday, a day celebrated by the Eastern Orthodox Church and Oriental Orthodoxy to commemorate the raising from the dead of Lazarus of Bethany.

National Day of Prayer, a day of observance in the United States when people are asked to “turn to God" in prayer and meditation.

Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican holiday commemorating the Mexican Army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861–1867). This day celebrates Mexican culture and heritage with a variety of festivities, including parades and mariachi music performances.

Ascension of Jesus or Ascension Day, celebrated as the ascension of Christ from Earth in the presence of God within most of the Christian faith.

Buddha Day (Vesak or Visakha Puja), a Buddhist festival that marks Gautama Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death. It falls on the day of the full moon and is a gazetted holiday in India.

Malcolm X Day, a holiday celebrated either on May 19th, his birthday, or on the third Friday in May, to commemorate the Civil Rights leader.

World Day, a day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, a day set aside by the United Nations as an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the values of cultural diversity and to learn to live together in harmony.

Lag BaOmer, May 25–26 (sundown to sundown) a Jewish holiday marking the day of hillula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.

Memorial Day, a federal holiday in the United States established to honor military veterans who died in wars fought by US forces.

Feast of the Most Sacred Heart, a solemnity in the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church.

Shavuot, June 1–13 (sundown to sundown), a Jewish holiday that has double significance. It marks the wheat harvest in Israel and commemorates the anniversary of the day when the Jews received the Torah at Mount Sinai.

Waqf al Arafa, June 15–16 (sundown to sundown), the second day of pilgrimage within the Islamic faith.

Eid al-Adha, June 16–17 (sundown to sundown), an Islamic festival to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim (also known as Abraham) to follow Allah’s (God’s) command to sacrifice his son, Ishmael. Muslims around the world observe this event.

Litha, also known as midsummer, the summer solstice celebrated by Wiccans and Pagans. It is the first day of summer and longest day of the year, representing the sun’s “annual retreat.”

Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul, a liturgical feast in honor of the martyrdom in Rome for the apostles St. Peter and St. Paul in Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

Hijri New Year, July 7–8, the day that marks the beginning of the new Islamic calendar year.

St. Benedict Day, the feast day of St. Benedict celebrated by some Christian denominations.

St. Vladimir the Great Day, feast day for St. Vladimir celebrated by the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.

Nelson Mandela International Day, begun on July 18, 2009, in recognition of Nelson Mandela’s birthday via unanimous decision of the UN General Assembly. It was inspired by a call Mandela made a year earlier for the next generation to take on the burden of leadership in addressing the world’s social injustices in which he stated, “It is in your hands now.” It is more than a celebration of Mandela’s life and legacy; it is a global movement to honor his life’s work and to change the world for the better.

The birthday of Haile Selassie I, the former emperor of Ethiopia, whom the Rastafarians consider to be their savior.

St. James the Greater Day, feast day for St. James the Greater celebrated by some Christian denominations.

Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, marks the day that Black women need to work until they made what Non-Hispanic white men made in the previous year. The point of this day is to acknowledge the pay disparity between men and women as well as how disproportionately Black women are impacted, making, on average, 64 cents for all workers (including part time) on the dollar as compared to non-Hispanic, white men.

Transfiguration of the Lord (Feast of the Transfiguration), celebrated by various Christian denominations, the feast day is dedicated to the transfiguration of Jesus.

Tisha B’Av, August 12-13, a fast in commemoration of the destruction of two holy and sacred temples of Judaism destroyed by the Babylonians (in 586 BCE) and Romans (in 70 CE). At the end of Tisha B’Av, select passages from the Torah are read and netilat yadayim, or the washing of the hands, is performed.

Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary, according to the beliefs of the Catholic Church, as well as parts of Anglicanism, the day commemorates the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into heaven at the end of her earthly life.

Marcus Garvey Day, which celebrates the birthday of the Jamaican politician and activist who is revered by Rastafarians. Garvey is credited with starting the Back to Africa movement, which encouraged those of African descent to return to the land of their ancestors during and after slavery in North America.

Raksha Bandhan, a Hindu holiday commemorating the loving kinship between a brother and sister. “Raksha” means “protection” in Hindi and symbolizes the longing a sister has to be protected by her brother. During the celebration, a sister ties a string around her brother’s (or brother-figure’s) wrist and asks him to protect her. The brother usually gives the sister a gift and agrees to protect her for life.

Women’s Equality Day, which commemorates the 1920 certification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution that gave women the right to vote. Congresswoman Bella Abzug first introduced a proclamation for Women’s Equality Day in 1971. Since that time, every US president has published a proclamation recognizing August 26 as Women’s Equality Day.

Beheading of St. John the Baptist, a holy day observed by various Christian churches that follow liturgical traditions. The day commemorates the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, who was beheaded on the orders of Herod Antipas through the vengeful request of his stepdaughter, Salome, and her mother.

National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week, September 8-14, Second Week in September: a weeklong celebration of the vital role HBCUs play in molding Black leaders, encouraging high school aged youth to enroll into HBCU’s, providing scholarship dollars for matriculation, and sustaining a pipeline for employment from undergraduate to corporate America.

Elevation of the Life-Giving Cross (Holy Cross), in some Christian denominations, a day that commemorates the cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus.

International Equal Pay Day, celebrated for the first time in 2020, represents the long-standing efforts toward the achievement of equal pay for work of equal value. It further builds on the United Nations’ commitment to human rights and its efforts to eliminate all forms of discrimination, including discrimination against women and girls.

International Day of Sign Languages, a day proclaimed by the United Nations to raise awareness about the importance of sign languages in the full realization of the human rights of people who are deaf.

Meskel, a religious holiday in the Ethiopian Orthodox and Eritrean Orthodox Churches that commemorates the discovery of the True Cross by the Roman Empress Helena in the fourth century.

Sharad Navratri, October 3–12, the nineday Hindu festival celebrating the triumph of good over evil. Festival participants worship God in the form of the universal mother, commonly referred to as Durga, Devi, or Shakti, and the event marks the start of fall.

Blessing of the Animals, in congruence with St. Francis Day. Many Unitarian Universalists have picked up on the Catholic tradition of blessing animals, particularly pets, as St. Francis was known for his special connection to animals.

World Mental Health Day, it was first celebrated in 1993, this day is meant to increase public awareness about the importance of mental health, mental health services, and mental health workers worldwide.

Yom Kippur, October 11-12 (sundown to sundown), the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, a day of atonement marked by fasting and ceremonial repentance.

National Indigenous Peoples Day, an alternative celebration to Columbus Day, gives recognition to the indigenous populations affected by colonization.

Sukkot, October 16-23, a seven-day Jewish festival giving thanks for the fall harvest.

Birth of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Sikh Holy Day, the day Sikhs celebrate Sri Guru Granth Sahib, their spiritual guide.

Simchat Torah, October 24–25 (sundown to sundown), a Jewish holiday, marks the end of the weekly readings of the Torah. The Torah is read from chapter one of Genesis to Deuteronomy 34 and then back to chapter one again, in acknowledgement of the words of the Torah being a never-ending cycle.

Samhain, October 31 — November 1 (sundown to sundown), a Gaelic, Pagan, and Wiccan festival marking the end of the harvest season and a celebration of the dead and ancestors.

All Souls’ Day, a Christian holiday commemorating all faithful Christians who are now dead. In the Mexican tradition, the holiday is celebrated as Dia de los Muertos (October 31–November 2), which is a time of remembrance for dead ancestors and a celebration of the continuity of life.

Birth of Baha'u'llah, is the Bahá’í celebration of the birth of their founder and teacher.

Transgender Awareness Week, November 13–19, the week before Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, in which people and organizations participate to help raise the visibility of transgender people and address issues members of the community face.

International Men’s Day, emphasizes the important issues affecting males, including male health issues, improving the relations between genders, highlighting the importance of male role models, and promoting gender equality. This holiday is celebrated in more than seventy countries.

Feast of Christ the King, a Catholic holiday established to thank God for the gift of time and a rededication to the Christian faith.

The Ascension of ‘Abdu’lBaha, is a holy day in the Bahá’í Faith, commemorating the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Baha.

Native American Women’s Equal Pay Day, it marks the day that Native women need to work until they made what Non-Hispanic white men made in the previous year. The point of this day is to acknowledge the pay disparity between men and women as well as how disproportionately Native women are impacted, making, on average, 59 cents on the dollar as compared to non-Hispanic, white men.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities, designed to raise awareness regarding persons with disabilities in order to improve their lives and provide them with equal opportunity.

Immaculate Conception of Mary, celebrates the solemn celebration by various Christian denominations of belief in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a religious holiday in Mexico commemorating the appearance of the Virgin Mary near Mexico City in 1531.

Las Posadas, December 16-24, a nineday celebration in Mexico commemorating the trials Mary and Joseph endured during their journey to Bethlehem.

Hanukkah, December 25 - January 2, a Jewish holiday that is celebrated for eight days and nights. Hanukkah celebrates the victory of the Maccabeans, leaders of the Jewish people, over the GreekSyrian ruler, Antiochus, approximately 2,200 years ago.

Zartosht No-Diso (Death of Prophet Zarathushtra), a day of remembrance in the Zoroastrian religion. It commemorates the anniversary of the death of the prophet Zoroaster, or Zarathushtra.

Kwanzaa, December 26 — January 1, an African-American holiday started by Maulana Karenga in 1966 to celebrate universal AfricanAmerican heritage.

St. John the Apostle and Evangelist Day, feast day for St. John, celebrated by Christian denominations.

Feast of the Holy Family, a liturgical celebration in the Catholic Church in honor of Jesus, his mother, and his foster father, St. Joseph, as a family. The primary purpose of this feast is to present the Holy Family as a model for Christian families.