Holidays and Religious Observances

    Most religions and cultures follow various calendar systems, often based on the phases of the moon (lunar calendar) with occasional adjustments for the solar cycle. Specific Gregorian calendar dates will, thus, differ from year to year. Calculating specific dates and times for holidays is actually a very complex science. Calculation of specific dates may vary in different geographical locations and according to different sects within a given religion. Attempt has been made here to indicate the approximate timing of the holidays within a given month. But be warned: simplification leads to inaccuracy. More significant is the meaning of each holiday, which has also been given here.
    What follows are annual holidays but it should not be forgotten that many religions also observe daily (e.g., Muslim) weekly (Christian, Jewish) or semi-monthly (on new and full moons - Buddhist) or monthly (Baha段) occasions of gathering for regular worship.

Western Religions
 Jewish: The Jewish calendar follows the lunar cycle with a leap month added in the late winter every two or three years. Thus specific dates will vary within a few weeks from year to year. Holidays begin at sundown. Christian: Eastern Orthodox holidays follow the older Julian Calendar and tend to be a week or two later than Western Christianity.


Muslim: Islam follows a strictly lunar calendar without any adjustment for the solar year, which is 11 days longer. Thus Muslim holidays shift and fall 11 days earlier each year. Muslim festivals begin in the evening (similar to Judaism and Baha段).


Zoroastrian: The Zoroastrian calendar is solar based with 12 months of 30 days each plus an additional 5 (or 6) "intercalary" days inserted just before the New Year on March 21. Six Ghambars are seasonal harvest celebrations commemorating six phases of creation.


Baha段: The Baha段 calendar is unique in having 19 months of 19 days each, with 4 (or 5) additional days to maintain the solar based year (similar to the Zoroastrian calendar). Baha段 holidays begin at sundown.

Hindu: The Hindu calendar follows the lunar cycle with adjustment every two or three years by addition of a leap month (similar to the Jewish calendar). Dates are set by astrological calculations in India. Dates vary from year to year within a few weeks. Hindus outside of India often choose to observe the holidays close to rather than on the specific date as is convenient to the society in which they are living. Jainism: Follows the same calendar as Hinduism (see above) Sikh: Some Sikh holidays follow a solar dating system (thus falling on the same day each year) while other Sikh holidays follow the Indian lunisolar calendar (see Hindu, above) and, thus, fall on different dates each year within a period of a few weeks. Buddhism: Due to the various calendars and schools of Buddhism in different Buddhist cultures, dates for the same occasions can vary widely from culture to culture. In addition, there are many, more localized celebrations. What follow are the most important and universal of Buddhist holidays.


Sources:

Religion 100 lecture notes
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