Cincy MultiFaith Calendar

Easter Sunday (Catholic / Christian Protestant/ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)
2025-04-20
A festival and holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. After He died on the cross, his body was placed in a tomb, where it remained for three days, separated from His spirit, until on Sunday, when he was resurrected. It is the most important day of the Christian calendar.
More information from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
More information from the Catholic Church
More information from the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
Holiday Greeting: Happy Easter!

Vaisakhi – Khalsa Day (Sikh)
2025-04-19
On Vaisakhi in 1699, the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, established the initiated community of Sikhs, the Khalsa, through the Amrit ceremony and became initiated himself too. Vaisakhi holds great significance in the history of the community. Sikhs acquire their formal, distinct identity from this day onward. The identity includes the unique physical appearance and the names of Singh and Kaur. This new community of equals were to dedicate their lives to the service of others and pursuit of justice for all faiths. Vaisakhi has a deep spirit of equality, unity, identity, and commitment for the Sikhs. Sikhs celebrate Vaisakhi by organizing religious services, martial arts exhibitions, parades, etc.
More Information
Holiday Greeting: “Vaisakhi di Lakh Lakh Vadhaaiaa Ji” – Infinite Congratulations for Vaisakhi
Students and Co-Workers may be absent this day to celebrate at home with their family and with the entire community at their local Gurdwara

Holy Saturday/The Great Vigil of Easter (Catholic/ Protestant/ Episcopal)
2025-04-19
On this most holy night, in which our Lord Jesus passed over from death to life, the Church invites her members, dispersed throughout the world, to gather in vigil and prayer. For this is the Passover of the Lord, in which, by hearing God’s Word and celebrating the Sacraments, we share in Christ’s victory over death. (From the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer)

Great and Holy Friday (Christian Orthodox)
2025-04-18
On Great and Holy Friday the Orthodox Church commemorates the death of Christ on the Cross. This is the culmination of the observance of His Passion by which our Lord suffered and died for our sins. This commemoration begins on Thursday evening with the Matins of Holy Friday and concludes with a Vespers on Friday afternoon that observes the unnailing of Christ from the Cross and the placement of His body in the tomb.

More information can be found here.

This is a day of fasting and abstinence for most over the age of 14.

Good Friday (Christian Protestant/ Catholic/ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
2025-04-18
Good Friday is the day on which Christians commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.

More information from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
More information from the Catholic Church
More information from the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

This is a day of fasting and abstinence from meat for Catholics over the age of 14.

Holy Thursday (Christian Orthodox)
2025-04-17
On Thursday of Holy Week four events are commemorated: the washing of the disciples’ feet, the institution of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper, the agony in the garden of Gethsemane, and the betrayal of Christ by Judas.
You can learn more here.

Holy Thursday (Catholic/ Christian Protestant/ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
2025-04-17
Holy Thursday is the commemoration of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, when, prior to his arrest and crucifixion, he established the practice of communion, which is considered a sacrament among most Christian communities. Later that evening, he prays in the Garden of Gethsemane.
More information from the Catholic Church
More information from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
More information from the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

Puthandu (Hindu)
2025-04-14
Today is Puthandu (also called Puthuvarudam or Tamil New Year). Many Hindus consider today the solar new year and mark the occasion by thanking God/Universe for another new year and new beginnings.
Traditional celebrations include an elaborate feast with 6 different tastes – sweet, sour, spice (hot), salt, bitter and ‘thuvarpu’ (like Umami). This is to symbolize that our life is filled with different experiences and emotions and remember to embrace and enjoy them all. Celebrants will typically make one dish with all of these tastes in it. The recipe is all about balancing each of the ingredients, like the recipe to a balanced life.
You can learn more about this holiday here.
Traditional Tamil greetings include: “Puthāaṇdu vāazhthugal!” or “Iṉiya puthaandu nalvāazhthugal!”, which is equivalent to “Happy new year”.

Palm Sunday (Christian Protestant/ Catholic/ Hispanic/ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)
2025-04-13
Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent, the beginning of Holy Week, and commemorates the triumphant arrival of Christ in Jerusalem, days before he was crucified. In the Gospels, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a young donkey, and to the lavish praise of the townspeople who threw clothes, or possibly palms or small branches, in front of him as a sign of homage. This was a customary practice for people of great respect.
More Information:
Palms for the Lord – from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
From the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

Passover (Jewish)
2025-04-12 - 2025-04-20
Passover, known in Hebrew as Pesach, commemorates the liberation of the Hebrew slaves from Egypt. A feast called a seder is held on the first two nights. During the seder, the Exodus story is read aloud and freedom from slavery is celebrated. This is one of the most widely observed Jewish holidays.
More Information
Holiday Greeting: Pesach Sameach (Happy Passover)
No food that is leavened (e.g., bread, cake) or contains wheat is eaten. Matzah (unleavened bread) is often consumed instead. Work is traditionally prohibited on the first, second, seventh, and eighth days. Absences may vary based on religious observance of the holiday.

Mahavir Jayanti (Jain)
2025-04-10
Mahavir Jayanti is the anniversary of birth of the 24th and last Tirthankara for the followers of Jain religion and culture, or Lord Mahavir. The festival is celebrated to champion the cause of peace and harmony, and also spread the teachings of Lord Mahavira. A procession is carried out in the form of “rath yatra” with Lord Mahavira’s murti placed on the top. Jain temples are decorated with flags, while the Jains offer food and clothes to the needy. Also, prayers are offered in temples dedicated to Lord Mahavira and some devotees often engage in meditation—a practice championed by Mahavir.
More information can be found here.
Typical greetings would be as follows: “May Lord Mahavir bless you abundantly and fill your life with the virtue of Truth, Nonviolence and External compassion. Happy Mahavir Jayanti,” or “Prayers for Peace and Harmony for all humankind on this auspicious day of Mahavir Jayanti.”

Jashan-e Fravardegan (Zoroastrian)
2025-04-08
Jashan-e Fravardegan is a celebration ceremony, a Jashan, performed on Fravardin day of
Fravardin month, in honor of fravashis, the souls of all the righteous people who have ever lived in our world. In Zoroastrianism, we have special prayers dedicated to honoring and remembering with respect and love the souls of our beloved departed as well as all the righteous souls in the universe.
Righteous people with their righteous actions throughout their lives help in progressing our world further. Hence, in this Jashan especially, we show our respect to all such righteous souls who have helped in the progress of our world so far, and we seek their blessings so we too can follow in their footsteps and perform righteous actions to further the progress of our world in our lifetime.

Feast of Jalal / Glory (Baha'i)
2025-04-07 - 2025-04-08
Wherever they live, Baha’is gather every 19 days for what we call a Feast. Observance begins at midnight on April 7th. This is a members-only event comprising three parts:
1. A spiritual portion that’s the time for prayer and reflection;
2. A business portion for consultation about administrative issues (plans for forming classes, organizing to perform community service, observing holy days, or any ideas or projects community members wish to discuss. It’s also a time when local members can ask their Local Assembly to forward their concerns to the National Assembly;
3. A social portion that can consist of anything from just glasses of water to a full-course dinner.

Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
2025-03-30 - 2025-03-31
This holiday marks the end of Ramadan, the fasting month. It is a time of celebration and thankfulness of the self control practiced during the month.
More Information
Holiday Greeting: “Eid Mubarak! (Happy Eid)”
Students will miss school to attend congregational prayers at the mosque and celebrate the holiday with their families/friends.

Ramadan Ends (Islam)
2025-03-30
This marks the the holy month where Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset for 30 days abstaining from food and drinks.
More Information
Holiday Greeting: Ramadan Mubarak
There are evening prayers that some students may attend at the mosque during this month. Mostly middle and high school students will be fasting.

Khordad Sal (Parsi Zoroastrian)
2025-03-26
Birth anniversary of Zarathushtra (Zoroaster), the founder of Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrians gather in Fire temples for prayers and then celebrate with a family feast.
More Information

Nowruz (Zoroastrian / Persian New Year)
2025-03-21
The arrival of spring is celebrated by the coming together of family in new clothes. Weeks before Nowruz, homes are given a spring cleaning and festive foods are prepared. Also, the Sofreh-e-Haft Seen table is set up.
(what follows is included in the detailed description)
The Seen table is laid out with seven foods each beginning with the letter “S”: Sabzeh (growing sprouts of wheat symbolizing rebirt); Samanoo (a wheat pudding signifying rejuvenation); Seeb (apples symbolizing fruit of the earth); Seer (garlic for health); Senjed (lotus fruit represeting love and Beauty); Serkeh (vinegar for age and patience) and Somagh (orange sumac berries symbolizing sunrise which banishes the darkness). Other items on the table include a mirror, candles, painted eggs, a bowl of water, goldfish, coins, hyacinth, pastries and a religious book.
More Information
Holiday Greeting: Happy New Year or Nowruz Mubarak
Children may miss school to celebrate with families

Feast of Baha / Splendor (Baha'i)
2025-03-20
Wherever they live, Baha’is gather every 19 days for what we call a Feast. This is a members-only event comprising three parts:
1. A spiritual portion that’s the time for prayer and reflection;
2. A business portion for consultation about administrative issues (plans for forming classes, organizing to perform community service, observing holy days, or any ideas or projects community members wish to discuss. It’s also a time when local members can ask their Local Assembly to forward their concerns to the National Assembly;
3. A social portion that can consist of anything from just glasses of water to a full-course dinner.

Jamshedi Navroze (Parsi Zoroastrian)
2025-03-20
The spring equinox festival celebrated by Parsi Zoroastrians with family and friends. Celebrations may also include the Sofreh-e-Haft Seen table.
Holiday Greeting: Navroze Mubarak
Children may miss school to celebrate with families
More Information

Ostara – Spring Equinox (Pagan)
2025-03-20
Spring Equinox or Ostara is celebrated March 21st or 22nd. At the spring equinox, the hours of daylight are exactly equal to the hours of night. It is the middle of spring. This holiday celebrates the blooming of the earth. It was named after the German goddess of spring, Ostara, known to the Anglo Saxons as Eostre, whose symbols were the egg, the rabbit, and the chick.
More Information

Naw-Ruz (The Bahá’í Faith)
2025-03-19 - 2025-03-20
Baha’i New Year coincides with spring equinox. Ancient Persian festival celebrating “new day”. For Bahai’s it marks end of the annual 19 day Fast. End of Fast and is all day on March 20.
Holiday Greeting: Happy Naw Ruz or Happy New Year

Explanation of the Baha’i calendar. Baha’i dates begin and end at sunset. Also, the first day of each month is the Feast Day (starts in the evening). The Baha’i calendar isn’t aligned with either the Gregorian or the lunar calendar.

http://– https://www.bahai.us/events/holy-days/

Feast of St. Joseph (Catholic)
2025-03-19
This is the feast day of Joseph, a carpenter who was the stepfather of Jesus and husband of Mary. He is the patron saint of the Universal Church. Traditionally it is believed he died in the presence of Jesus and Mary, before Jesus began his public ministry. For this reason, St. Joseph is also the patron saint of a holy death.
More information can be found here.

Hamaspathmaidyem Gahambar (Zoroastrian)
2025-03-15 - 2025-03-19
Commemoration and remembrance of all departed souls. Homes and temples are thoroughly cleaned; for it is believed that the souls of departed loved ones (fravashis) visit the physical world during this time, to bless and protect the living.
More Information

Hola Mahalla (Sikh)
2025-03-14 - 2025-03-16
Hola Mohalla takes place on the first day of the lunar month of Chet, which generally falls in March. This tradition was established by the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, in 1701 for Sikhs to demonstrate their martial skills in controlled battles. Hola Mohalla became an annual event and continues to be celebrated with martial exhibitions, music and poetry competitions, and horseback riding.
More Information
Holiday Greeting: “Vadhaaiaa Ji” – Congratulations!
Devout Sikhs may be absent this day to celebrate with family and the community at their local Gurdwara.

Holi (Hindu)
2025-03-14
This is the “festival of colors” or the “festival of love.” Holi signifies the victory of good over evil and the arrival of spring. It is also celebrated as a thanksgiving for a good harvest. People celebrate this day by meeting together and tossing colored powders or colored water on each other.
More information can be found here.

Purim (Jewish)
2025-03-13 - 2025-03-14
Purim, one of the most joyous Jewish holidays, commemorates the events in the Book of Esther. It celebrates the survival of the Jews who, in the 5th century BCE, were marked for death by their Persian rulers. Traditions include costumes, retelling the story through skits and songs, festivals geared towards children, and giving care packages to those in need. It is tradition to eat special cookies called Hamentaschen
More Information
Holiday Greeting: Purim Sameach (Happy Purim)
There are no restrictions for students/families.

Ash Wednesday (Catholic/ Christian Protestant / Hispanic)
2025-03-05
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the 40-day season of Lent, when Christians prepare spiritually for the celebration of Easter. On this day, Catholics and some Protestant denominations will attend a special prayer service, where they will have ashes applied to their foreheads in the shape of a cross. This cross of ashes symbolizes penance, mourning and mortality.
This is a day of fasting and abstinence from meat for Catholics over the age of 14.
More information from the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church can be found here.
More information from the Catholic Church can be found here.

Feast of Saint Katharine Drexel (Catholic)
2025-03-03
Katharine Drexel is the second American-born saint to be canonized by the Catholic Church and is considered the patron saint of racial justice and philanthropists. She was an American heiress, philanthropist, religious sister, educator, and foundress of the Blessed Sacrament Sisters for Indians and Colored People (now Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament), a congregation of missionary nuns dedicated to the welfare of American Indians and African Americans.
You can learn more about her here.

Month of Fasting Begins (Baha'i)
2025-03-01
Baha’is observe a 19-day month of fasting that culminates at sunset on the day of the spring equinox, which lands either on March 20 or 21. Baha’is abstain from food and water during the day between sunrise and sunset. The Fast is a time to pray and reflect on developing our spiritual qualities.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen-Day_Fast

Feast of 'Ala' / Loftiness (Baha'i)
2025-03-01 - 2025-03-02
Wherever they live, Baha’is gather every 19 days for what we call a Feast. Observance begins at sunset on the 1st and ends at sunset on the 2nd. The month of fasting starts on March 1. This is a members-only event comprising three parts:
1. A spiritual portion that’s the time for prayer and reflection;
2. A business portion for consultation about administrative issues (plans for forming classes, organizing to perform community service, observing holy days, or any ideas or projects community members wish to discuss. It’s also a time when local members can ask their Local Assembly to forward their concerns to the National Assembly;
3. A social portion that can consist of anything from just glasses of water to a full-course dinner.
