Happy Festivities

Below I list the many festivities taking place during the month of April. Many of them you may not have know of before. If anything now you are empowered with knowledge that will enable you to share in somebodies joy at this time. Why not call a friend on these days and let them know you are thinking of them whatever faith you or they hold.


3 April 2009: Rama Navami (Ramanavami) (Hindu) This festival celebrates the birthday of Lord Rama, seventh incarnation of the god Vishnu. On his birthday, temples are decorated and the 'Ramayana', the story of Rama, is recited.

5 April: Palm Sunday (Christian) Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week i.e. the week which recalls the last week of Jesus' earthly human life. Christians remember his triumphal entry into
Jerusalem, where later he would be arrested and crucified. In many churches the entry is commemorated by processions, with the congregation carrying symbolic branches of trees or palm leaves folded into the form of a cross.

5 - 10 April :Holy Week (Christian) This is the most solemn week of the Christian year. Christians remember Jesus' life beginning on Palm Sunday, when Jesus enters Jurusalem and ends on Good Friday when He was crucified.

8 April:Hanamatsuri - the Flower Festival (Buddhist) Buddha Shakyamuni's birthday. Celebrated with a flower festival.

8 April: Fast of the Firstborn (Jewish) Observed only by firstborn males, on the day before Passover. This fast celebrates the survival of Jewish firtborn sons from the 10th Plague of Egypt.

9 - 16 April Passover or Pesach (Jewish) Festival of Liberation
Passover begins at sundown and is the eight-day feast commemorating the exodus of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt. The first two and last two days of the festival are observed as holidays from work.

9 April: Hanuman Jayanti (Hindu) Hindus celebrate the birth of Hanuman, the monkey-warrior. He is the symbol of strength and energy.

9 April Full Moon

9 April: Therevanda New Year (Buddhist) Starting on the first full moon day in April

9 April:Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) (Christian) Christians reflect on The Last Supper, when Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with his disciples.

10 April: Good Friday (Christian) This commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus. Although essentially a sombre day, it is called 'Good' since, for Christians, it is the ultimate example of God's sacrifice when Jesus gave up his life for the world.

11 April: Holy Saturday (Christian) A day of vigil culminating in the feast of the resurrection.

12 April: Easter Sunday (Christian) This is the most important festival of the Christian year, as it is when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

14 April: Baisakhi (Vaisakhi) (Sikh) The harvest festival of North India, the beginning of the solar year. For Sikhs, it represents the founding of the Khalsa, a Sikh brotherhood.

21 April: Yom HaShoah (Jewish) Holocaust Remembrance Day. Memorial candles are lit and special services are held.

23 April: New Moon

23 April : St Georges Day (Christian) This holy day of the Patron Saint of England celebrates English culture and history.