Following are some upcoming (and current) religious holidays.
JUDAISM:
Passover (or Pesach): April 8-April 16
Commemoration surrounding Passover relates to Exodus 1-15. In the Exodus portion of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament), Moses tells the story of his and the Israelites’ escape from slavery in Egypt. God inflicted 10 plagues on the Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The 10th was the plague on the firstborns. In this plague, God said he would pass over the houses in Egypt and all firstborn sons within those homes would die. But he told the Israelites to put blood of lambs on their doorways and he would pass over their homes. After this came to pass, the Israelites were led out of Egypt. Today, Passover is a remembrance of both God’s sparing the Jews and the Jews escape to freedom. Learn about specific Passover rituals and traditions online.
CHRISTIANITY:
Holy Week: April 5-April 11; Easter April 12
Holy Week marks the last week of Lent, just before Easter. Events during Holy Week commemorate events leading up the crucifixion of Jesus:
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-Palm Sunday (April 5): Last Sunday marked the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.
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-Spy Wednesday (April 8): This isn’t really celebrated, but this marks the day when Jesus’ disciple Judas Iscariot betrayed him to the chief priests; read about this in the Bible’s New Testament.
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-Maundy Thursday (April 9): Thursday commemorates the Last Supper which led to the Christian ritual of communion or the Eucharist. Jesus was initially commemorating the Passover feast (the Jewish seder).
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-Good Friday (April 10): Friday commemorates Jesus’ crucifixion.
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-Holy Saturday (April 11): This is the night before Easter; Christians, particularly Catholics, often attend worship services on this night.
Holy Week leads up to Easter Sunday, April 12, when Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven. Learn more about Easter online.
SIKHISM:
Baisakhi: April 14
Learn about this Sikh holiday on ReligionTranscends.com.
Copyright 2009, Religion Transcends