In the spirit of diversity and inclusion, we provide the following Multifaith Holy Days & Festivals realizing that it is not exhaustive.
01 Tuesday
October = Binaakwe Giizis / Xlaaw (Aboriginal)
Binaakwe Giizis is also known as Falling Leaves Moon (Ojibwe)and during this time, after the first frosts, the people started their journeys to the winter camps.Xlaaw is the season to put up food for storage, preserved in Oolichan grease.
05 Saturday
New Moon
Navratri to Oct 13 (Hinduism)
Nine nights starting on the new moon and ending on Dussehra are dedicated to the goddess Durga who had 9 incarnations and has the power of good to destroy demons.
10 Thursday
Durga Puja to Sarawati Puja (Hinduism)
Celebrates the divine creative force of the universe and honours the 10-armed goddess Durga, wife of Shiva, and the destroyer of demons.
11 Friday
Sarawati Puja (Hinduism)
See Durga Puja.
12 Saturday
Ghambar Ayathrem to Oct 16 (Zoroastrianism)
Celebrates the creation of plants, the sowing of the winter crop and the return of herds from pasture.
14 Monday
Thanksgiving (Canada)
Canadians give thanks for plentiful harvests and an abundance of food, often with a turkey dinner. Early settlers decorated churches with fruits and vegetables denoting prosperity.
Day of Hajj/Day at ‘Arafat (Islam)
Commemorates the concluding revelation to the Prophet at Mount ‘Arafat shortly before his death. Muslims on Hajj attend a service on the plains in front of Mount ‘Arafat.
Dassehra or Vijay Dasami(Hinduism)
Celebrates the victory of good over evil (Lord Rama over the demon Ravan, the Goddess Durga over a demon) and follows the celebration of Navaratri (9 nights) and Durga Puja (worship) when other Goddesses are also worshipped.
15 Tuesday
Eid-al-Adha (the Festival of Sacrifice) (Islam)
The concluding act of pilgrimage. As Abraham offered his son, Ishmael, to God, Muslims offer sheep, goats and camels. They distribute the meat to the poor. Eid al-Adha is observed whether or not on pilgrimage.
16 Wednesday
‘Ilm (Baha’i):
‘Ilm, meaning Knowledge, is the twelfth month of the Baha’i year.
18 Thursday
Full Moon
20 Sunday
Birth of the Bab (Baha’i)
The birth anniversary of the Baha’i herald of the new age whose shrine is at the Baha’i World Centre in Haifa, Israel.
23 Wednesday
Karva Chauth or Karwachauth (Hinduism)
Celebrates the story of a newly-married queen’s care for her husband, the king, in which women fast for one day until moonrise for the long-life and health of their husbands, with the first such fast especially important. At moonrise, the husband feeds the first morsel of food to his wife.
24 Thursday
Pavarana (Buddhism)
Celebrated at the full moon at the end of the Rains Retreat, when Buddha intently practiced meditation.
25 Friday
Kathina to Nov 21 (Buddhism)
Ordained monks and nuns in the Theravada tradition are provided new robes and other necessities of life.
31 Thursday
Reformation Day (Christianity-Protestant)
Martin Luther posted of his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517, which led to the formation of Lutheran, Reformed and other Protestant denominations. Many churches celebrate it on the last Sunday in October.
Samhain (Wicca)
The dying God returns to the womb of the Goddess in preparation for rebirth at Yule. The souls of those who have died during the past year’s wheel are bid farewell. It also marks the third and final harvest.
Halloween (Canada, USA)
Early Celtic peoples celebrate the new year in late autumn in honour of Samhain, Lord of the Dead, with candles in windows and bonfires, plus the carrying of carved lanterns and wearing of disguises at night to scare away disembodied spirits. Later, in North America, people carved pumpkins to make lanterns and the orange of pumpkins and black of night skies gave rise to the traditional colours of Halloween, derived from “All Hallows Eve” and viewed as a hallowed evening when spirits visited.
Should you wish your faith’s days to be included, please contact the Chaplain for consideration.
Phone: 416.675.6622 ext.4427
Email: chaplain@humber.ca