To ensure that employers are aware of the main holy days for 2006, www.multiculturalcalendars.com has produced a timetable of the key dates for selected religious groups.
For more information on the Multicultural Calendar, visit the website.
Summary of religious holidays for 2006
The most important days are capitalised in bold. Take these days into consideration when scheduling meetings and events.
BAHÁ’Í (All holy days begin at sunset the day before the date listed and end at sundown on the date listed)
Feb 26-Mar 1 Intercalary Days
Mar 2-20 Alá
Mar 21 Naw Ruz – New Year
Apr 21-May 2 RIDVAN
May 23 Declaration of the Báb
May 29 ASCENSION OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH
Jul 9 Martyrdom of the Báb
Oct 20 Birth of the Báb
Nov 12 Birth of Bahá’u’lláh
Nov 26 Day of the Covenant
Nov 28 Ascension of Abdu’l-Bahá
BUDDHIST
Jan 29 NEW YEAR
China/Vietnam/Taiwan
Feb 28 Losar – Tibet
Apr 14 SONGKRAN (NEW YEAR) – Asia
May 13 WESAK
Jul 11 Wassana
Oct 7 Pavarana
Nov 5 Kathina
CHRISTIAN
Western (Gregorian) Calendar
Jan 6 Epiphany
Jan 6 Three Kings’ Day
Feb 2 Candlemas
Feb 28 Shrove Tuesday/Pre-Lent Carnival
Mar 1 Ash Wednesday/Lent begins
Mar 19 St. Joseph’s Day
Apr 9 Palm Sunday
Apr 13 Holy Thursday
Apr 14 GOOD FRIDAY
Apr 16 EASTER
Apr 23 St. George’s Day
May 25 Ascension
Jun 4 Pentecost
Aug 15 Assumption – Catholic
Nov 1 All Saints Day
Nov 2 All Souls Day
Dec 3 First Sunday of Advent
Dec 6 St. Nicholas Day
Dec 25 CHRISTMAS
Coptic and Eastern Orthodox (Julian) Calendar
Jan 6 ARMENIAN CHRISTMAS
Jan 7 CHRISTMAS
Jan 14 New Year
Jan 19 Theophany/Timkat
Mar 6 Great Lent begins
Apr 16 Palm Sunday
Apr 20 Holy Thursday
Apr 21 HOLY FRIDAY
Apr 23 PASCHA (EASTER)
Jun 1 Ascension
June 11 Pentecost
Aug 15 Assumption
Sep 11 Meskerem – Coptic
HINDU
Jan 13 Lohri
Jan 14 Pongol/Makar Sankranti
Jan 14 Thaipoosam Cavadee
Feb 2 Basant Panchami
Feb 26 Shivratri
Mar 14 Holi
Mar 30 Chetra Navratras
Mar 30 Ugadi
Apr 14 BAISAKHI
Apr 6 Ram Navami
Aug 9 Raksha Bandhan
Aug 16 Janmashtami
Aug 27 Ganesh Chaturthi
Sep 5 Onam
Sep 23 Navratri
Sep 30 Durga Puja
Oct 1 Saraswati Puja
Oct 2 Dussehra
Oct 10 Karva Chauth
Oct 21 DIWALI
ISLAM – dates are subject to sighting of moon
Jan 9 Day of Hajj
Jan 10 EID-UL-ADHA
Jan 31 First of Muharram
Feb 9 Ashura
Apr 10 Eid-Maulad-un-Nabi
Sep 24-Oct 23 Ramadan
Oct 19 Laylat Al Qadr
Oct 23 EID-UL-FITR
Dec 30 Day of Hajj
Dec 31 EID-UL-ADHA
Ismaili
Mar 21 Naw Ruz
Jul 11 Imamat Day
Dec 13 Agha Khan’s Birthday
Jain
Apr 11 MAHAVIRA JAYANTI
Apr 30 Akshaya-tritiya
Aug 21 PARYUSHAN-PARVA
Aug 28 Dashalakshani-Parva
Aug 28 Samvatsari
Sep 6 Ananta-Chaturdasi
Sep 7 Ksamavani
Oct 21 Mahavira Nirvana
Nov 5 Lokashah Jayanti
JEWISH – All holy days begin at previous sundown of the previous day *Some Jews may abstain from work.
Feb 13 Tu B’Shevat
Mar 14 Purim
Apr 13-20 Pesach*
Apr 25 Yom ha-Shoah
Jun 2-3 Shavuot*
Aug 3 Tisha B’Av*
Sep 23-24 ROSH HASHANAH*
Oct 2 YOM KIPPUR*
Oct 7-13 Sukkot*
Oct 14 Shemini Atzeret*
Oct 15 Simchat Torah*
Dec 16-23 Hanukkah*
Shinto
Jan 1 Gantan-sai (New Year)
Jan 9 Seijin-no-ki (Coming-of-Age)
Feb 3 Setsubun-sai (Bean Throwing Festival)
Mar 20 Shunki-sorei-sai (Spring Equinox)
Jul 30 Oh-harai-taisai (Grand Purification Ceremony)
Sep 22 Shubun no hi (Equinox Ceremony)
Dec 21 Tohji-taisai (Ceremony of Winter Solstice)-+
SIKH (Old lunar calendar is Bikarami; new solar calendar is Nanakshahi) The dates below are mostly Nanakshahi unless otherwise indicated
Jan 5 Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday
Jan 13 Lohri
Mar 14 Holi
Mar 15 Hola Mohalla (Bikarami)
Apr 14 BAISAKHI
Jun 16 Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev
Sep 1 First Parkash
Oct 21 DIWALI
Nov 5 GURU NANAK’S BIRTHDAY(Bikarami)
Nov 24 Martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur
Wicca
Feb 2 Imbolg
Mar 20 Eostre
May 1 Beltane
Jun 21 Litha
Aug 1 Lugnasad
Sep 22 Harvestide
Oct 31 Samhain
Dec 21 Yule
ZOROASTRIAN
Mar 16-20 Gahambar Hamaspathmaedem
Mar 21 NAW RUZ – NEW YEAR (Fasli)
Mar 26 Birthday of Prophet Zarathustra
Apr 30-May 4 Gahambar Maidyozarem
Jun 29-Jul 3 Gahambar Maidyoshem
Aug 13-22 Fravardeghan Days
Aug 23 NAW RUZ- NEW YEAR (Shenshai)
Sep 12-16 Gahambar Paitishahem
Oct 12-16 Gahambar Ayathrem
Dec 26 DEATH OF PROPHET ZARATHUSTRA
Dec 31-Jan 4 Gahambar Maidyarem
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