In the spirit of diversity and inclusion, we provide the following Multifaith Holy Days & Festivals realizing that it is not exhaustive. Should you wish your faith’s days to be included, please contact the Chaplain at x 4427 or chaplain@humber.ca for due consideration.

01 Friday
May = Waawaaskone Giizis / Yansa’altt (Aboriginal)
Waawaaskone Giizis is also known as the Flower Moon (Ojibwe). Yansa’altt is the season of berries and woods fragrant with blossoms (Other).

Beltane (Wicca)
Beltane (Beltain or May Eve [April 30] and May Day) denotes the joining of the Earth Goddess and the Celtic God Bel in marriage as the basis of creation. In Celtic paganism, this union was celebrated by a mid-summer fertility festival. Currently, Maypole dances are held.

04 Monday
Full Moon The moon is at its greatest visibility.

Wesak (Buddhism)
Wesak is the most important day of the year for Buddhists, also known as Buddha Jayanti, Buddha Purnima or Theravadin New Year. The full moon marks a triple celebration of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) in his Birth, Enlightenment and Final Demise. Buddha’s birth is celebrated on different dates in different countries.

10 Sunday
Mother’s Day (North America)
A day set aside to honour mothers and motherhood.

14 Thursday
Ascension of Jesus (Christianity-Western)
Commemorates the ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven.

18 Monday
New Moon The moon is at its least visibility.

21 Thursday
Aboriginal Awareness Week (Aboriginal/Canada)
Introduced in 1992 to increase awareness about Aboriginal peoples, it includes the 4 days following Victoria Day.

Ascension of Jesus (Christianity-Eastern)
Commemorates the ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven.

23 Saturday
Declaration of the Bab (Baha'i)
Commemorates the day in 1844 on which he announced his identity as the Bab, the herald of the new age.

24 Sunday
Shavuot (Festival/Feast of Weeks) to May 25 (Judaism)
Shavuot, commemorating the giving of the Torah to the Israelites and the completion of God’s purpose to create a special people, is celebrated 2 days in the diaspora and 1 day in Israel and by Reformed Jews and starts at sundown. Weeks is the plural of the Hebrew word for 7 and ends 7 weeks or 50 days (hence Pentecost) after Pesah.

Pentecost (Christianity-Western)
Celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus’ disciples after his ascension, 50 days after Easter.

29 Friday
Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)
Marks the anniversary of the death of the founder of the Baha’i faith and work is suspended on this day.

31 Friday
Pentecost (Christianity-Eastern)
Celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus’ disciples after his ascension, 50 days after Easter.