HUMBER INTERFAITH CALENDAR
MULTIFAITH HOLY DAYS & FESTIVALS
DECEMBER 2016: CALENDAR & DESCRIPTIONS
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 Thursday
Mnidoo-Giisoons (Aboriginal-Ojibwe)
Little Spirit Moon.
06 Tuesday
St. Nicholas Day (Christianity-Eastern)
Celebrates St. Nicholas (from 3rd century Asia Minor) as the protector children and the bringer of gifts. Children leave shoes before a chimney or outside the front door of the home in the hope of obtaining Christmas treats.
08 Thursday
Bodhi Day(Buddhism)
Celebrates the day when Prince Siddharta Gautama) sat under the Bodhi tree vowing to remain there until he attained enlightenment.
Feast of the Immaculate Conception(Christianity-Catholicism)
Celebrates the birth of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as being conceived without sin.
11 Sunday
Eid-Maulad-Un-Nabi (Islam)
The anniversary of the death of Prophet Mohammad (also used to celebrate his birth, date unknown) is celebrated by different observances in various countries for 9 days with colourful fairs, parades and feasts.
12 Monday
Masa’il (Baha’i)
Masa’il, meaning Questions, is the fifteenth month of the Baha’i year.
13 Tuesday
Aga Khan’s birthday (Islam-Ismaili)
The Aga Khan is the spiritual leader of the Ismaili sect of Islam.
14 Wednesday
Full Moon The moon is at its greatest visibility.
21 Wednesday
December (Winter) Solstice
The time when the Winter season begins.
Tohji-Tasai (Shinto)
Celebrates the end of the sun’s period of decline (Yin) and its forthcoming renewal of strength (Yang).
Yule (Wicca)
Celebrates the new year, in the Anglo-Saxon and northern traditions of Wicca, with the birth of the God as the Winter-born King symbolized by the rebirth of the life-giving and life-sustaining sun; a time for ritually shedding the dross of the past year to contemplate spiritual development for the year ahead.
23 Friday
Birth of Joseph Smith (Mormonism)
Celebrates the birth of the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as Mormons.
25 Sunday
Christmas (Christianity-Western)
Celebrates the birth of Jesus, whom Christians worship as the Christ and Saviour of the world.
Hanukkah (Judaism) to Jan 01, 2016
The Festival of Lights and Feast of Dedication)
Commemorates the victory of Judah the Maccabee for religious freedom plus the rededication of the temple in 165 BCE. Hannukkah begins at sundown the prior day.
26 Monday
Death of Zarathustra (Zoroastrianism)
Celebrates Zarathustra (Zoroaster), founder of the Zoroastrian faith (dates uncertain).
Kwanzaa to Jan 01/2015(West African / North American)
Celebrated by North Americans of West African descent in recognition of their African and family heritage.
St. Stephen’s Day (Christianity-Western)
Commemorates Stephen who died as the first Christian martyr.
Boxing Day (Christianity-Western)
Collections of gifts are given to those in need.
29 Thursday
New Moon The moon is at its least visibility.
31 Saturday
Sharaf(Baha’i)
Sharaf, meaning Honour, is the sixteenth month if the Baha’i year.
Ghambar Maidyarem to Jan 04(Zoroastrianism)
Celebrates the creation of the animals and is the time for equitable food sharing.
Omisoka (Shinto)
To celebrate the new year, Shinto temples ring bells 108 times to remove the worldly desires of persons seeking a long life.
