holidaysapril2006

April 1        Siz deh be dar             Iran
Modern Iranians celebrate New Year for 13 days. New garments are worn to emphasis newness and
freshness. The time the New Year starts changes every year and is called 'Tahvil' - the time of
transformation. Children honour elders by wishing them a merry New Year. Relatives kiss and hug
and presents (traditionally cash or coins) are exchanged. Sweets are offered to symbolically
sweeten their lives for the rest of the year. A small mirror is passed around, rose water is sprinkled
into the air and incense is burnt, to keep the evil eye away and ritually purify the space.
This was called Suri Festival. Modern Iranians still carry out the spring-cleaning and celebrate
'Chahar Shanbeh Suri' (Wednesday Suri). Bon fires are made and all people will jump over the fire on
the last Tuesday of the year. This is a purification rite in that by going over the fire all their illnesses
and misfortunes can be removed. Over 1000 years ago it was said that Piruz, as the angel of the
dead, is present at the festivities. No Ruz means “New Day” and is a celebration of spring Equinox. It
has been celebrated for almost 3000 years and rooted in the ancient Iranian religion, Zoroastrianism,
which involves a complex understanding of the process and purpose of creation. The beginning of
life on our known world is called No Ruz, meaning new day and the beginning of the cycle of life. It
celebrates the Lord of Wisdom and the holy fire at the time of spring equinox. These eventually
represented the soul of the dead returning to visit the living during the last few nights of the old
year.
Pre-Islamic celebrations started ten days prior to the New Year. A major spring-cleaning was carried
out to welcome the spirits with feasts, wine dance and music. Bon fires would be set on rooftops at
night to protect and indicate to the spirits and the angels that humans were ready to receive them.

April 5        Ching Ming Festival           China
Tomb Sweeping Day - Pure Brightness Festival - Clear and Bright Festival - Pure and Light Festival.
A festival to thank the "Kindly Ones," the hidden spirits of water and the underworld. Family
ancestors are honoured by leaving flowers and food at graves, and blessing are requested from the
departed spirits. Originally held on the third day of the third Chinese lunar month, it is now held on
April 5th except on leap years when it's on April 4th.

April 6        Rama Navami           India
Sri Rama Navami is the day of incarnation of Lord Rama on this Earth. This incarnation is unique in
that a Divine being completely incarnates as human and subject to all human rules and experiences,
thereby evolving back into Divinity. Sri Rama is considered to be an incarnation of of Lord Vishnu in
human form giving a message to the mankind to adopt the path of Dharma (righteous human
conduct), sharing of family values, social responsibility, and political, civic responsibility as
explained in Ramayana. Ramrajya (the reign of Rama) has become synonymous with a period of
peace and prosperity.

April 7        Blajini Day             Romania
Similar to the Ching Ming Festival, where the hidden spirits are thanks and ancestors honours.

April 9        Holy Week                     Christian
Holy Week is the last week of Lent, the week from Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday. Many
Christians commemorate and re-enact the suffering (Passion) and death of Jesus through various
practices.

It is a way to go beyond the celebrations of Palm Sunday and Easter, and focus on the suffering,
humiliation, and death that is part of Holy Week. It is important to place the hope of the
Resurrection, the promise of newness and life, against the background of death and endings.

April 12 (evening)        Pesach / Passover             Jewish
Passover is the 8 day observance commemorating the freedom and exodus of the Hebrew slaves
from Egypt during the reign of the Pharaoh Ramses II, about 3000 years ago. According to the Book
of Exodus - Moses, an Egyptian prince who left Egypt after truly understanding the nature of slavery,
was living as a simple Jewish shepherd when he was instructed by God to go to the Pharaoh and
demand the freedom of his people. The holiday's name - Pesach, meaning "passing over" or
"protection" in Hebrew, is derived from the instructions given to Moses by God. In order to
encourage the Pharaoh to free the Israelites, God intended to kill the first-born of both man and
beast. To protect themselves, the Israelites were told to mark their dwellings with lamb's blood so
that G-d could identify and "pass over" their home. The miraculous highlight of this story is the
waters of the Red Sea parted and the Israelites were able to cross to the other side. As soon as they
all reached the other side the sea closed trapping the Pharaoh's army as the waves closed upon
them, and they realized they were truly free.
The holiday begins with weeks of intense cleaning, since during the eight days, one is forbidden to
have in one’s possession any crumbs or products containing the 5 grains – wheat, barley, rye, corn,
spelt.
On the first night of Pesach (first two nights outside Israel), there is a special meal called a Seder,
from a Hebrew root word meaning "order," because it is done to bring order into our lives for the
coming year. From there are counted 50 days, called “the Omer” which one continues to cleanse
and purify oneself spiritually, relating to the 50 days from the Exodus to Mt. Sinai.
While the first night of Passover commemorates the redemption from exile in Egypt, the final day
celebrates the future Redemption, which G-d will bring about through Moshiach (Heaven on Earth).
Maintaining our physical and spiritual freedom is ongoing work. Passover also means "transit",
"passage" and reminds us of our transformation to a better quality of life, relationships and
spirituality. Moving closer to our own true freedom. On Passover, every Jew is obligated to see
him or herself as if s/he personally had gone out of Egypt. For most of our waking hours, it does not
even occur to us to disobey or change our inner tapes. It is freedom from our own emotional
patterns, reflexive behaviours, and the ‘have-to’s in our lives’.   In a world driven by survival and
pleasure, the Torah mandated an alternative way of life driven by holiness and spiritual values.

April 13        Wan Songkran           Buddhist
Songkran is a traditional Thai 3 day New Year celebration, beginning April 13. April 13 is Maha
Songkran Day or the day to mark the end of the old year, and is a day of house cleaning and
sweeping out the old in preparation for the New Year. April 14 is Wan Nao and April 15 is Wan
Thaloeng Sok, when the New Year begins. Now the official New Year's Day now happens the 1st of
January.

Songkran is a Thai word meaning "move" or "change place," since on this day the sun changes its
position in the zodiac. This ancient festival may have originated as a fertility ceremony with the pre-
Buddhist Dtai people, and Songkran is also influenced by the ancient Hindu astrological calendar.
Songkran today is still the most important of all the Thai festivals and holidays, marking the
beginning of a new astrological year and is much in keeping with the old lunar calendar of Siam.

People clean everything they own, the previous year bad actions, the Buddha statues, one's own
spirit. Songkran is often called 'water' festival because of the ceremony of pouring water on the last
day. Traditionally the ceremony was to pour water into the palms of the hands in order that bad
actions, bad thoughts flow away with the water. It was a way to purify. Children show their respect to
elders by performing this water ceremony. Also scented water is poured over the shoulder and
slowly down the back of the person. While pouring the water in this manner, people say good
wishes and words of blessing for the coming New Year.

April 13         Baisakhi      India
This holiday is Punjab's New Year's Day.   On this day Sun enters Aries, the first sign of Zodiac. This
signifies ushering of the New Year. Punjab farmers pray, rejoice, and begin cutting their harvest.
Sweets are distributed, old arguments are forgiven and life is full of joy, merriment and everyone
seems to belong. The rejoicing of this festival linked to the fertility of the mother. Homes are
thoroughly cleaned and repaired and old items thrown out. The granary is cleaned to welcome the
new harvest arrivals. It is an occasion to wear new clothes, wish relatives, gather blessings and
sing and dance. Baisakhi is also an occasion when the poor and needy are taken care of and given
alms and gifts. The day coincides with the solar equinox on the 13th of April.

April 14        Bisket          Nepal
The New Year of Nepal falls in the middle of an eight-day festival called Bisket. This festival is linked
to an ancient account of a princess possessed by two serpent demons. The princess took many
lovers, so it is said, and all died in her bed. Then, the prince of a foreign land arrived and arranged a
tryst. That night, after visiting the bed of the princess, he hid himself and watched her sleeping form
for hours. Finally, two threads of darkness emerged from her nostrils and expanded into serpents.
Leaping from concealment, the prince slew the demons with his sword...and then returned to the
bed of the princess.

April 14        Good Friday                    Christian
The Friday before Easter commemorates the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The most important events
in Christianity are the death and later resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Jewish prophet who is the
Son of God, and whose life and teachings are the foundation of Christianity.
There are few explanations as to why the holiday is known as "Good" Friday since it commemorates
a sorrowful time in Christianity. Some scholars believe that "good" is a corruption of the word
"God's" while others speculate that "good" was used to denote "holy". In Eastern Orthodox
churches, the observance is known as Great. He loved us so much that he was willing to take on
the sin of the world and die for us, so whom ever believes in Him can have eternal life. Jesus was
Crucified on Good Friday and died on the Cross for the Sin of the World. He rose from dead on
Easter Sunday.

April 16        Sechselauten                    Switzerland
The word Sechselauten means "six o’clock chimes." When church bells ring six times, an image
representing winter is burned and spring is welcomed. This festival originated in the Middle Ages
when the trade guilds governed the city. On the Monday following the spring equinox (March 21) it
was customary for the cathedral bells to start ringing at six, instead of seven o'clock--the usual
time--to announce the end of the guild member's working day. This first day of change from winter to
summer schedule was celebrated as a guild holiday. For centuries the bells rang as a signal to
cease work. Gradually the general public sought to join in festivities. Finally the Six Ringing, which
started as a purely guild holiday, became an affair in which all of Zurich's citizens shared. Costumes
ring in the coming of spring and so does the burning of the Boogg, the straw figure representing
winter.

April 16        Easter             Christian
It is a celebration of the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the son of God. Easter (Pascha) is
the primary act that fulfils the purpose of Christ's ministry on earth—to defeat death and to purify
and exalt humanity by voluntarily assuming and overcoming human frailty. The resurrection is a
victory over death and the grave for all his followers. His resurrection is a proof that he made a full
atonement for our sins, that his sacrifice was accepted as a satisfaction to divine justice, and his
blood a ransom for sinners
Easter also refers to the season of the church year, lasting for fifty days, which follows this holiday
and ends at Pentecost. In every other language but English and German, the name Easter is
derived from the Hebrew word pesach for 'he passed over'. Since church proclamation in 325AD,
Easter has been celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the Vernal
Equinox. This date was determined by noting that the Last Supper, as Christians came to know it,
was actually a Passover Seder, and Jesus’ resurrection occurred on that Sunday. Passover occurs
on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan on the first full moon on or after the Equinox. A
further connection to Passover is the fact that it celebrates the angel of death passing over the
houses where the doors were marked with the blood of a sacrificial lamb. Jesus is seen as the
sacrificial lamb whose blood was shed so that they would have everlasting life.
The decorations of modern Easter are often pagan in origin, lending consistency with the theme of
resurrection and renewal of life. Lent is not in the Bible as a Christian holiday: it is rather borrowed
from the 40 days of mourning for Tammuz, the lover/ husband/son of Astarte. The name Easter itself
is thought to come from the Scandinavian "Ostra" and the Teutonic "Ostern" or "Eastre," both
Goddesses of mythology signifying spring and fertility whose festival was celebrated on the day of
the vernal equinox
The Easter Bunny originated with the pagan festival of Eastre. The goddess, Eastre, was worshipped
by the Anglo-Saxons through her earthly symbol, the rabbit. The Easter egg is a symbol of fertility
and new life. As Christianity took hold the egg began to symbolize the rebirth of man rather than
nature. A Polish folktale tells of the Virgin Mary giving eggs to soldiers at the cross while she
pleaded with them to be merciful. As her tears dropped they spattered droplets on the eggs
mottling them with a myriad of colors. Christians of the Near East used the egg to symbolize the
tomb from which Jesus broke forth. They were often colored red to represent the blood of Christ.
The Easter tradition of rolling eggs is said to symbolize the rolling away of the rock from Jesus’ tomb.
It's the spirit of rebirth, of continual life, of the love and message of Jesus.

April 19        Dia do Índio - Day of the Indian                Brazil
While not a religious holiday, it is relevant to the theme of renewal of life. During the I Inter-
American Indigenista Congress in Mexico, in 1940, the Indians had been invited to participate, but
had refused the invitation. The 19th of April started to be the day of the Indian.
That God blesses each. That the Great Spirit guides them in security in the way of the love, peace,
freedom in this Mother Land. That ancestral sacred of the love and the light they keep them
insurances in its lands and its homes. They pray the God for giving something to them important to
make in this great work who we have for the front, to bring peace to the Land.
They are well, and they think good thoughts of peace and union. Peace for all the life in the Land
and peace ones with the others in its homes, its families and its countries. We are not very different
to the eyes of the Creator. The same Great Father Sun shines with its love for each one of us daily,
while the Mother Land prepares substances for our table. After all we are one.
Head Dan Evehema, leader spiritual
Sovereign Nation Hopi

April 20        Sumardagurinn Fyrsti - first day of summer      Iceland
Iceland is famous for it’s midnight sun during the summer months. However, in the winter, there is
almost no sun at all. This holidays marks the reappearance of the sun early in the season.   This
holiday is referred to in early Icelandic records.

April 21
On this day, the Sun enters the Sign of Taurus. It was also on this date that the Romans honored a
pair of deities known as the Pales, Guardians of Cattle and Sheep. The day included ritual cleaning
of stalls, offerings to the Gods and purification of the animals, which culminated in a feast after the
herdsmen had leapt three times over a bonfire. In time, the festival became one of the most
important of the Roman calendar, eventually being designated as the day on which Romulus had
founded the City of Rome.

April 21        Ridván (pronounced Riz-wan)    Baha’i
Festival of Ridvan is the twelve day period commemorating Baha'u'llah's announcement of his claim
to prophet hood and his departure from Baghdad in 1863. The holiday is observed from sunset April
20 to sunset May 2. The first, ninth and twelfth days of Ridvan are major Baha'i holy days on which
work should be suspended. Baha'i elections are normally held during Ridvan. The name derives
from the Najibiyyih Garden in Baghdad where Baha'u'llah stayed during this period and to which he
gave the name Ridvan (Paradise).

April 24        Sham an-Nessim            Egypt
Sham-an-Nessim, "the perfume of the breeze", is the festival of spring. It falls immediately on the
first Monday following the Coptic Easter and it was related to agriculture in ancient Egypt which
contained fertility rites that were later attached to Christianity and the celebration of Easter. Sham-el-
Nessim seems to be a holiday as old as Egypt, its name deriving from the ancient Egyptian harvest
season that was called "Shamo”. This holiday coincided with the vernal equinox, representing the
beginning of creation. . The feast of 'Shamo,' means 'renewal of life' which was later corrupted
during the Coptic age to 'shamm' (smelling or breathing) and the word 'nessim' (breeze) was added.
Some claim that the festival was originally known as Shoum. Osiris, the god who taught Egyptians to
plough the land, grow food and hunt and fish, was murdered by his jealous brother Seth, who went
on to hide his remains. Osiris's wife Isis found her husband's remains and resurrected him from the
dead. As a symbol of life, Isis then gave birth to Osiris's son Horus. The story, and the festival,
symbolise the triumph of good over evil.
They called spring 'Shamu', in reference to the season of harvesting.   The word 'Shamu' has
evolved over the years into the word 'Sham' and seen the word 'Nessim' added to become 'Sham Al
Nessim'; meaning 'breathing the breeze'.   The people today still celebrate the advent of spring on
this day. Sham Al-Nessim, in its present form, was established shortly after Christianity came to
Egypt in 312AD. Thus, it falls on the first Monday following the Orthodox Easter. The time coincided
with the exodus of the Jews with Moses from Egypt.   It later coincided with the Last Supper of
Christ, his death and resurrection. It is interesting to note the word Nessim (breeze) is similar in
sound to the Hebrew word Nissan – the name of the month, corresponding to Aries, the first month
of the astrological calendar.
The day celebrates the harvesting of crops and the reproduction of animals - the continuity of life.

April 23        Greek Orthodox          Easter
Same holiday, but date determined by a different calendar system.

April 23        St George's Day          United Kingdom
St. George is the patron saint of England. His emblem is a red cross on a white background, and is
the flag of England, and the Red Cross. Adopted by Richard the Lionheart, it was brought to England
in the 12th century. St. George is said to have killed a dragon which was terrorizing several villages
in the English countryside. This is similar to St. Patrick's Day, where here dragon represents the Old
Religions (Druid).

April 27        Vhasaki           India
Meenaskhi Kalyanam, the wedding festival of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareshwar is
celebrated for twelve days from the second day of the lunar month (i.e. two days after the new
moon). This is a spectacular festival celebrated in the month of Chaitra (April-May). The festival is
characterized with royal decorations and reenactments of scenes from mythology, and Lord Shiva,
Goddess Shakti and Goddess Meenakshi are taken out in a colourful procession.

April 30 (evening)        Walpurgisnacht                    Germany
This evening marks the end of winter and the coming of spring.
May Day is closely connected to the evening before it - the "Walpurgisnacht" or May Eve. Its roots
can be found in pre-Christian Frühjahrsfests. Walpurgisnacht is situated directly opposite
Halloween and is the end marker in the seasonal cycle which begins with Candlemas/Groundhog
Day. Children play pranks on unsuspecting victims around midnight on April 30, similar to Halloween,
and some dress up as witches and evil spirits. The Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains,
is known as the mythical meeting place of the witches. Witches' fires may burn in some places. Since
noise was deemed the most effective way to drive off evil spirits many ways of making noise are
known. On May Day earth spirits like fairies and elves (the ancient dead) would come out of the hills
to dance on May Eve and well into the summer.

April 30 (evening) - May 1 Beltane / May Day       Druid/Viking/Neopagan
This explanation is a little long, but it seems to explain the meaning of many of the above holidays.

Also known as May Eve, May Day, it marks the beginning of May, and the height of Spring and the
flowering of life. The day represents the Sacred Union & Fertility. The May Queen (May Bride) is
personification of the Earth Goddess and Goddesses of Fertility. The May King (May Groom) as
personification of Vegetation God, Jack-in-Green, often covered in green leaves. It is the symbolic
union of the Goddess and the God, called the Sacred Marriage (union of male and female/heaven
and earth).   Beltane is a festival of flowers, fertility, sensuality, and delight.

Beltane is celebrated approximately halfway between Vernal (spring) equinox and the midsummer
(Summer Solstice). Beltane, and its counterpart Samhain (Holloween), divide the year into its two
primary seasons, winter (Dark Part) and summer (Light Part). As Samhain is about honoring Death,
Beltane honors Life. It is the time when the sun is fully released from it’s bondage of winter and able
to rule over summer and life once again. Beltane, like Samhain, is a time when the veils between
the physical and spiritual/metaphysical worlds are at their thinnest. The two worlds intermingle and
unite, giving an otherwordly feel to the day. When the veils are thin, spirits can pass between
worlds, so that the recently departed can go to their place in the next world, and we can call on the
help of the righteous departed for help in our own lives.

The beginning of summer is an important time. The winter is difficult and we become tired and
disheartened from the months of cold and dark. In times past the food stocks were low; variety was
a distant memory. The horrid non-color of winter's end perfectly represents the dullness and fatigue
that permeates on so many levels to this day. Beltane, and the sun and energy of Spring, revitalize
our spirits in a celebration of life.

Beltane translated means "fire of Bel,” "bright fire" or the "bale-fire". Bel (Bel, Bile, Beli, Belinus,
Belenos) is a Celtic Sun God, known as the bright and shinning one. Beli is the father, protector, and
the husband of the Mother Goddess.

In ancient Ireland there was a Sacred Tree named Bile, which was the center of the clan. As the Irish
Tree of Life, the Bile Pole, represents the connection between the people and the three worlds of
Bith: The Skyworld (heavens), The Middleworld (our world), and The Otherworld. Although no longer
the center life, the Bile pole has survived as the Beltane Maypole. The Maypole itself is not only
phallic, but also connects the three worlds. Dancing around the Maypole creates a conduit of
energy, connecting all three worlds at a time when these gateways are more easily penetrable. As
people dance around the pole with brightly colored ribbons, the energy raised is sent down into the
earth's womb, bringing about Her full awakening and fruitfulness. The Maypole represents the
phallus and the unity of male and female (people and cosmic forces) with the pole itself being the
God and the ribbons that encompass it, the Goddess.

As Beltane marks this handfasting (wedding) of the Goddess and God, it too marks the reawakening
of the earth's fertility in its fullest. This is the union between the Great Mother and her Young
Consort, this coupling brings new life on earth. It is on a Spiritual level, the unifying of the Divine
Masculine and the Divine Feminine to bring forth the third, consciousness. On the physical, it is the
union of the Earth and Sun to bring about the fruitfulness of the growing season. Integration of the
male and female aspects of the Self has long been seen as one of the prime goals of spiritual and
psychotherapeutic work, and Beltane represents the time when we can open to this work fully,
allowing the natural union of polarities that occurs in nature at this time the opportunity to help us in
our work - a work that is essentially alchemical.

Water is another important association – refreshing, rejuvenating, and imperative to life. It is said
that if you bathe in the dew gathered before dawn on Beltane morn, your beauty will flourish
throughout the year. Those who are sprinkled with May dew are insured of health and happiness.
There are other folk customs such as drinking from the well before sunrise on Beltane Morn to
insure good health and fortune.

May is the month of sensuality and sexuality reawakened, the return to life of the Earth and Her
Children. It is the time when we reawaken to the vivid colors, vibrant scents, tingling summer
breezes, and the rapture of summer after a long dormant winter. It is a time of extraordinary
expression of earth, animal, and person a time of great enchantment and celebration.   It is the
sheer joy of running through fields, picking flowers, rapturing in the sunlight, delighting in the
fragrance of spring, dancing in the fresh dew covered grass.

In the old Celtic times, young people would spend the entire night in the woods "A-Maying," and
then dance around the phallic Maypole the next morning. Older married couples were allowed to
remove their wedding rings (and the restrictions they imply) for this one night. Pre-Christian
society's thoughts on human sexuality and fertility were a rather joyous expression of human
passions. Life a joyful dance, rich in all beauty it can afford.