Cincy MultiFaith Calendar

Epiphany of the Lord (Catholic)
2020-01-06
Celebrated 12 days after Christmas, the Epiphany of the Lord is the time when Christians remember the Wise Men (also sometimes called the Three Kings) who visited Jesus.

Three Kings (Hispanic)
2020-01-06
The Feast of Reyes (Fiesta de Reyes or Los Reyes) is celebrated in Spain/Portugal and Latin America on January 6th. The feast celebrates the passage in the Bible in which the Three Wise Men safely arrive to Jerusalem thanks to the guidance of the Star and bring gifts to Jesus. The level of celebration varies from a family gathering to a huge city wide and very anticipated parade depending on the culture/country. For example, both Spain and Puerto Rico celebrate with large parades, and many argue that Reyes is more festive/a larger celebration than Christmas. Despite the differences in the level of “Community Celebration”, all cultures/countries share some traditions around this feast: 1. Family gathering the night before and/or the day of Reyes. 2. Eating the Rosca/Roscon de Reyes, a sweet bread in the shape of a large oval “doughnut” with dried fruit on top. This is a very time consuming sweet to make. Inside the bread there is one (or more than one depending on the size of the Rosca) figurine of “Baby Jesus”. Based on each family’s traditions (mostly guided by the cultural traditions of the country of origin) the person that receives the piece of bread with the figurine will be responsible for hosting the party the next year, bringing tamales for the feast of Candelaria/Candlemas Day (Mexican Tradition), or doing/not doing the dishes, first one to other presents, etc. 3. All kids (and grown up kids) leave their shoes by the window the night before Reyes (Jan 5th) or under the Christmas Tree so the Reyes (Kings) can fill them with gifts during the night. Usually, kids select their favorite shoes, “Church” shoes or the shoes that better represent them (soccer shoes, dance shoes, flip-flops, etc). 4. Kids also leave water outside their home for the camels to drink. (The Three Wise Men travel on camels). It is important also to mention that this feast brings much attention to the idea of the star that guided the Three Wise Men to Jesus and how we should always follow God’s light and path and trust that we will be safe.
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Parkash - Guru Gobind Singh Ji (Sikh)
2020-01-05
The tenth and last human-form Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, was in 1667 as Gobind Rai. He became the Guru in 1675 following the martyrdom of his father and the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur. He was a brilliant poet, philosopher, and warrior. Guru Gobind Singh shaped the Sikh community into a community of equals and gave the Sikhs their mandated physical identity. He charged the Khalsa to restore justice, fight exploitation, and be the wardens of humanity.
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Holiday greetings: “Vadhaaiaa Ji” – Congratulations!
Students and/Co-Workers may visit their local Gurdwara at some point during the day

The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God (Catholic)
2020-01-01
A feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the aspect of her motherhood of Jesus Christ.
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Christmas (Christian)
2019-12-25
Birth of Jesus Christ. Christians believe that He is the Son of God, the Messiah, and Savior of the world.
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Holiday Greeting: Merry Christmas

Hanukkah (Jewish)
2019-12-22 - 2019-12-30
Hanukkah, also known as Hanukah, Chanukah, and Chanukkah can be spelled many different ways in English. It is an eight-day celebration known as the Festival of Lights marked by the lighting of candles using a special candle holder called a menorah or chanukiah. This holiday commemorates the victory of a small group of Jewish rebels, the Maccabees, over the ruling power, the Greco-Syrians, who wanted to destroy Jewish culture. Traditions include a game involving spinning dreidels (tops), eating potato latkes (pancakes), and giving gifts.
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Holiday Greeting: Happy Hanukkah!

Yule (Wicca/Paganism)
2019-12-21
Winter Solstice, celebrating the longest night and the blessings of darkness as well as the rebirth of the sun god.

Shaheedi-Vaddey Sahibzaadey (Sikh)
2019-12-21
The word “Sahibzaada” means “son” in Punjabi and these two final events of the year refer to the martyrdom of all four of Guru Gobind Singh’s sons. All four of his sons gave up their lives fighting tyranny and oppression like their father, Guru Gobind Singh, and grandfather, Guru Tegh Bahadur, before them. The elder two sons, Baba Ajit Singh and Baba Jujhar Singh, died fighting in the Battle of Chamkaur at the age of 18 and 14 years old in 1705. The martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh’s all four sons is an integral part of the Sikh history and it is commemorated with great energy at the end of the year.
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Students and/or Co-Workers may visit their local Gurdwara at some point during the day

Our Lady of Guadalupe (Catholic)
2019-12-12
A popular Catholic feast that celebrates the belief that a man, Juan Diego, encountered the Virgin Mary, Mexico’s patron saint, in Mexico City on December 9 and 12, 1531.
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Bodhi Day (Buddhism)
2019-12-08
In the northern tradition, this is the anniversary of the Buddha’s Enlightenment, ca 596 BCE. In the southern tradition, the Buddha’s Enlightenment is celebrated during Wesak. The dates and names of the Buddhist celebrations vary significantly among cultures and communities.

Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Catholic)
2019-12-08
Immaculate means without stain. Mary was conceived without original sin or its stain.
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Advent (Christian)
2019-12-01 - 2019-12-24
For Catholics, the new Liturgical Year commences with the first Sunday of Advent. In this new liturgical year, the Church not only wishes to indicate the beginning of a period, but the beginning of a renweed commitment to the faith by all those who follow Christ, the Lord. Advent is the period of four Sundays and weeks before Christmas. Advent means ‘Coming’ in Latin. This is the coming of Jesus into the world.
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Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (Bahá’í)
2019-11-27
Bahá’ís observe the anniversary of the death of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, son of Bahá’u’lláh and His appointed successor, on Nov 27, 1921 in Haifa, in what is now northern Israel.
Work is to be suspened and children excused from school.
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Martydom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji (Sikh)
2019-11-23
The ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, made the ultimate sacrifice to defend the freedom of religion. The geo-political conditions under the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, allowed for forceful conversion of religion. Many innocents were exploited and killed for refusing to convert to Islam. They were denied a fundamental human right. A group of Hindu pundits were being religiously persecuted and approached Guru Tegh Bahadur for assistance. They had been given two options: convert to Islam or be killed. Guru Tegh Bahadur heard their pleas and told the pundits to let the Emperor know that he could convert him, he could convert them all. Soon after, he set off to Delhi. He was asked to convert to Islam, perform a miracle, or face death. The other Sikhs were also executed in an effort to waiver Guru Tegh Bahadur’s commitment and faith. Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded in a public square in broad daylight under the allegations of preventing the spread of Islam in the Indian subcontinent. Guru Bahadur chose to sacrifice his life and demonstrated the level of deep moral commitment that Sikhs have to be the shield for all of humanity and defend the basic, fundamental human rights.
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Students and/or Co-Workers may visit their local Gurdwara at some point during the day

All Souls Day (Catholic)
2019-11-02
Catholic Christian observance in memory of all the faithful who are deceased. In some Latin cultures, this day is referred to as “The Day of the Dead”.
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All Saints Day
2019-11-01
Christian celebration of the lives of all the saints, especially those not having a special day; Orthodox churches observe the day in mid-summer.
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Birth of Baha'u'llah (Baha'i)
2019-10-29 - 2019-10-30
Commemorates the birth of the Founder of the Baha’i Faith November 1817 (lunar calendar)
Work is to be suspended and children excused from school.

More Information about Baha’u’llah
Learn more about the Baha’i calendar
Learn more about Bah’ullah’s Bicentenary

Birth of the Bab
2019-10-28 - 2019-10-29
Twin Holy Birthdays: The Birth of the Báb (October 20, 1819) and the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh (November 12, 1817) occurred on consecutive days according to the Islamic lunar calendar (1 and 2 Muharram, respectively). However these dates have been adjusted to the Gregorian calendar. Baha’i dates begin and end at sunset. These Holy Days are celebrated on the first and second days of the eighth lunar month after Naw-Rúz, and may fall as early as October 20-21 and as late as November 11-12.
More information on the Birth of Báb
ABOUT THE BAHÁ’Í CALENDAR AND HOLY DAYS
The Baha’i Faith has its own calendar, called the Badí’ Calendar. It is a solar calendar consisting of 19 months of 19 days each (361 days), plus “Intercalary Days” (four in ordinary years and five in leap years) to adjust the calendar to the solar year. The days and months are named after the attributes of God. The Nineteen Day Feast, the primary community gathering for Baha’is in each town and city, is held on the first day of each Baha’i month. Eleven Holy Days mark significant events in Baha’i history.https://www.bahai.us/event/birth-of-the-bab-2/ –
More information on Baha’i Calendar

Diwali (Hindu)
2019-10-27
One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Diwali symbolizes the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.” Light is a metaphor for knowledge and consciousness. During the celebration, temples, homes, shops and office buildings are brightly illuminated. The preparations and observances typically last five days.

Simchat Torah (Jewish)
2019-10-21 - 2019-10-22
Simchat Torah/ Shemini Atzeret marks the conclusion of the annual reading cycle of the Torah, the Five Books of Moses that make up the Jewish Bible. Jews celebrate the Torah by dancing and singing, followed by reading the last word of Deuteronomy and the first word of Genesis in one breath to represent the cyclical relationship between the Jewish People and Torah. Immediately follows Sukkot.
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Sukkot (Jewish)
2019-10-13 - 2019-10-20
Sukkot is a seven-day festival marking the fall harvest in ancient Israel. This holiday is also a time in which Jews commorate forty years of wantering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. Celebrated by the building of a sukkah (or temporary dwelling) outdoors. Work is traditionally prohibited on the first and second days.
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Some students may miss school the first and second day of the festival.

Dussehra (Hindu)
2019-10-08
Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami, Dasara, or Dashain) is a Hindu festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil. It is a gazetted holiday in India, which is marked on the 10th day of the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the month of Ashvin (Ashwayuja), according to the Hindu calendar
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Yom Kippur (Jewish)
2019-10-08 - 2019-10-09
Yom Kippur is the Day of Attonement. The focus of this holiday is on contemplation repentance. Jews are taught that sins between people can only be attoned for after personal reconciliation. It is considered to be the holiest and most solemn day of the year. Fasting begins at sundown and ends after nightfall the following day. Most Jews attend synagogue on this day and the preceding evening. This holiday closes out the period of the High Holy Days.
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Holiday Greeting: G’mar chatimah tovah (May you be sealed in the Book of Life) – AND – tzom kal (easy fast)
Students will likely miss school for this holiday. Many who are 13 or older, will also likely be fasting.

St. Francis of Assisi (Catholic)
2019-10-04
Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi who abandoned a life of luxury for a life devoted to Christianity after reportedly hearing the voice of God, who commanded him to rebuild the Christian church of San Damiano. His angry father disowned and disinherited him because Francis sold some goods from his father’s warehouse and used the proceeds to rebuild the church, and Francis embraced his new life of poverty. He is the patron saint of animals and the environment. It is Francis who originated the practice of commemorating the Birth of Christ with the nativity scene.
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Rosh Hashanah (Jewish)
2019-09-29
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. This holiday begins the period of the High Holy Days, which are widely observed by Jews around the world. Traditions include eating apples dipped in honey and blowing the shofar (ram’s horn). Most Jews attend synagogue on these two days and the preceding evening.
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Holiday Greeting: Shana Tova (Happy New Year) – AND – Shana Tova U’Mtukah (Have a happy and sweet New Year)
No dietary restrictions, but most students will miss school for this holiday.

Navratri (Hindu)
2019-09-29 - 2019-10-10
The festival literally means “nine nights” and is celebrated differently in various parts of India with prayer, elaborate pandals, folk dances, displays of dolls, sharing of sweets and bonfires. It symbolizes the triumph of good over evil; for example, it commemorates the victory of Goddess Durga over the buffalo demon Mahishasura and the restoration of righteousness.
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All Souls Day
2019-09-13
Catholic Christian observance in memory of all the faithful who are deceased. In some Latin cultures, this day is known as “The Day of the Dead”
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Paryushana (Jain)
2019-09-01 - 2019-09-05
Most important annual holy events for Jains. It lasts 8-10 days. Jains increase their level of spiritual intensity, often with fasting and prayer/meditation. The five main vows are emphasized during this time.
Students may be fasting.
