| Religion |
Celebration |
Reason
for Celebration/ Rememberance |
How
is it Celebrated/ Observed? |
When
it takes place |
| Christianity |
Lent
Easter- Good
Friday
Easter- Easter Sunday
Christmas
|
40
day period prior to the death of Jesus
Good Friday commemorates the death of
Jesus Christ on the cross
The resurrection of Jesus Christ
Birth of Jesus
|
Fasting,
re-enacting the final week of the life of Jesus
Special services in the church and eating
hot cross buns
Church services, Easter eggs, Easter
cards, lighting candles, singing hymns
Carols by candlelight, gifts, cards, family
meals, Christmas trees
|
February/
March/
April
March/
April
25 December
|
|
Hinduism |
Holi-spring
festival
Divali – festival of light
|
Celebrating
the arrival of spring, remembering the Hindu God called Krishna
Celebrating the triumph of good over evil
|
Very
colourful, people spray each other with coloured water or
powder
Light candles, decorate homes with fairy lights and tinsel,
new clothes and exchange of cards
|
February/
March
October/
November
|
| Judaism |
Passover/
Pesach
Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement
Hanukah (festival of lights)
|
Marks
the time when Moses led the Jews out of slavery in Egypt
To be sorry for sins you have committed and make up for them
Commemorates the Jews repossession of the Temple in Jerusalem
more than 2000 years ago, at that time soldiers lit the seven
branched candelabrum, and realised they had only enough oil
for one day, by miracle the lamps continued to burn for eight
days.
|
Special
family meal with symbolic food (Seder), food containing yeast
(Leaven) is removed from the house, prayers throughout the meal
Fasting, visiting synagogue, promising to
be good
At home and in the synagogue, the menora, special nine branched
candelabrum, is lit, family meals, gifts and games
|
March/
April
September /October
November/ December
|
| Buddhism |
Vesak
day |
Celebrating
the most important events in the life of Buddha his birthday,
Enlightenment and death |
Special
offerings are made to statues of Buddha; the temple is decorated
with flowers and candles, exchanging cards |
April/May |
| Islam |
Ramadan
Eid-ul-Fitr
Eid-ul-Adha
|
One
of the five pillars of Islam, helps and teaches people to be
stronger in their faith
Marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan
Remembering the events that took place between Prophet Abraham
and his son Prophet Ismail
|
Fasting
for one month from sunrise to sunset
Giving money to the poor, Eid Prayers at the mosque, Eid cards,
gifts, new clothes, visiting family and friends exchanging
greetings and good wishes
Performing
pilgrimage, sacrificing a sheep and giving to the poor, Eid
Prayers at the mosque, Eid cards, gifts, new clothes, visiting
family and friends
|
The
ninth month of the Islamic calendar
When new moon appears ending the month of Ramadan
The day of the new moon in the 12th month of the Islamic calendar
Dhul Hijjah
|
by
Rowaida Kadri
References:
Mayled,
J. 1987 Religious Topics: Religious Festivals, Weyland, England
Taylor, V. 2002 Events and Celebrations in Australia: Religious
Events and Celebrations, Binara Publishing, Victoria
|
