Today marks the first day of Lent in western Christianity. The name is derived from the symbolic use of ashes to signify penitence. Lent is a 40-day period of fasting (excluding Sundays) in preparation for Easter. This period is observed by abstaining from certain foods, drinks, and activities, increased prayer, personal improvement, and participating in […]
An annual Mahayana Buddhist festival that commemorates of the death of Buddha and his entry into Nirvana, which is believed to be a release from the cycle of death and rebirth. (Buddhism)
Civic holiday in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick, which celebrates the importance of family. (Canada)
Each February, Ontarians are invited to participate in Heritage Week in Ontario – to celebrate heritage in all its forms (cultural and natural, architectural, archaeological and collections), its diverse traditions and cultural expressions. Heritage Week provides a wonderful opportunity for individuals and communities to reflect on their contributions to Ontario, how heritage is conserved, promoted and […]
The Lantern Festival, celebrated in China and other Asian countries by decorating homes and streets with colourful lanterns, honours deceased ancestors and promotes reconciliation, peace, and forgiveness. The holiday occurs on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar and marks the first full moon of the new lunar year and the […]
Magha Puja Day is also known as Sangha Day or Fourfold Assembly Day in most Buddhist countries, and is observed on the first full moon day of the month of Magh, which tends to fall in the Gregorian months of January or February. The day commemorates a time when 1,250 Buddhists spontaneously came together to […]
Ayyám-i-Há (also known as the Intercalary Days) a period of celebration devoted to charity, gift-giving and festivities prior to the annual period of fasting within the Bahá’ís community.
Today marks the first day of the Baha'i Nineteen Day Fast. A period when adult Bahá’ís fast from sunrise to sunset each day, coinciding with the 19-day Bahá’í month of Alá (loftiness) and immediately preceding the Bahá’í new year. This period of fasting is a time of prayer, meditation, and spiritual rejuvenation. Begins at previous […]
