Winter and Spring 2016 Religious Holidays

What follows is a list of the upcoming religious holidays for the Winter and Spring 2016 semesters.

Beginning in Fall 2011, I have posted overviews of many of the religious observances for most of the major religions. In the following semesters,  I posted a list of the religious holidays as well. Positive response has led me to do so again for the Winter and Spring 2016 semesters.

As the Winter 2016 semester begins, I would like to refer back to the posts for these holidays made last year.  For many of these holidays (those from religions that follow calendars that differ from the Gregorian calendar), the dates in the secular year will differ but the main content of the posts should not. 

To that end, I would like to give the dates for the holidays in the next few months paralleling the Winter, Spring and Summer semesters in US universities (I am, after all, a professor in the United States).

WINTER AND SPRING 2016 RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS

The list below gives the date for 2016, the name of the holiday, the main religion observing the holiday and the previous David Victor Vector post on that holiday. Some of the links here are older posts that have been updated posts for the current year. Other of these holiday posts will be entirely new posts (for example, the upcoming Asian New Year of the Monkey).  I have indicated that this will be posted at a later date in those instances.

January 7
Eastern Orthodox Christmas/Feast of the Nativity

Eastern Orthodox and Coptic Christianity

http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-day.html

January 19
Timket (Ethiopian Orthodox Christian)
Ethiopian Orthodox Christian
http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-day.html

February 1
Clean Monday
Eastern Orthodox Christianity
             http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/04/easter-and-pascha.html

February 10
Ash Wednesday
Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist Christianity
http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/02/lenten-season.html

  February 2
  Candlemas (Roman Catholic, Epsicopalian, Anglican)

  Presentation of the Lord (Evangelical Lutheran)
     Imbolc (Wicca, Neo-Paganism, Neo-Druidism)

     http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/05/pentecost.html

February 8 (or February 15, depending on tradition)
Festival of Lord Buddha's Renunciation (celebrated by some in place of Paranirvana)
Buddhism
http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/02/parinirvana-or-nirvana-day.html


February 8-February 11
Asian Lunar New Year: Year of the Monkey
Buddhism, Taoism
Many non-Buddhist observers celebrate the holiday as well
                  (to be posted soon)

March 17
St. Patrick's Day
Roman Catholic Christianity
http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/03/saint-patricks-day.html

Sunset March 23 through sunset March 24
Purim
Judaism
            http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2013/02/as-part-of-my-ongoing-on-upcoming.html

March 23-26
Holi
Hindusim
http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/03/holi.html

Sunset March 19 through end of March 20
Ostara
Wicca, Neo-Paganism, Neo-Druidism
               http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/03/ostara.html

Sunset March 20 through sunset March 21
Naw Ruz

Bahai'i, Zoroastrianism, Alawite Islam, Alevi Islam, Bektashi Islam

http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/04/ridvan.html

March 25
Good Friday
Roman Catholic and Protestant Christianity
http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/04/easter-and-pascha.html

March 27
Easter
Roman Catholic and Protestant Christianity
http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/04/easter-and-pascha.html

Sunset April 20 through sunset May 2 (first and last days may affect attendance at school and work)
First Day of Ridvan
Bahai'i
                 http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/04/ridvan.html

Sunset April 22 through sunset sunset April 30
(first two nights may affect attendance at school and work)
Passover
           Judaism
           http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/04/passover.html

May 1
Pascha (Orthodox Easter)
Eastern Orthodox and Coptic Christianity
http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/04/easter-and-pascha.html

May 1
Beltane
Wicca, Neo-Pagan, Neo-Druidism
 http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2013/04/beltane.html

May 14
Mahayana Vesak (Buddha's birthday)
Theravada Buddhism
 http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/04/vesak.html

May 15
Pentecost
Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Coptic, and most Protestant Christianity
http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/05/pentecost.html


May 20, 21 or 22 (by national tradition)
Theravada Vesak (Buddha's birthday)
Theravada Buddhism
 http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/04/vesak.html

Sunset June 11 through sunset June 13

            Shavuot
            Judaism
            http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/05/shavuot.html

June 19
Orthodox Pentecost
Eastern Orthodox and Coptic Christianity
http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/05/pentecost.html
 

Sunset June 5 through sunset July 5
Ramadan
Islam
             http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/07/ramadan.html

  June 21
  Litha
Wicca, Neo-Pagan, Neo-Druidism
 http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2014/06/midsummers-day-litha-and-saint-johns-   eve.html       

Sunset July 4 through sunset July 6
Eid al-Fitr
Islam      
             http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/07/ramadan.html

A FEW CLOSING REMARKS

In all likelihood, I have overlooked a holiday or observance. Please feel free to share this with me.

Relatedly, I am as yet uncertain whether I should repost each holiday with the 2016 occurrence or just leave it be. Please let me know what you think.

Some controversy exists over the specific dates of some holidays in various traditions. For example, I have given both the dates for Paranirvana which differ in the Mahyana and Theravada Buddhist traditions. I am not endorsing one or the other of these by posting this only once with a parenthetical indication of the other.

Likewise, considerable difference of opinion exists as to what is the proper date for the beginning of holidays in Islam, with some holding that the date is that of when the moon is sighted in Mecca while others with the date that the moon is sighted in the specific location where one lives (e.g., a different day for those in the Western hemisphere than those in the Eastern hemisphere.). I am not endorsing one or the other of these by posting the date that is here, and I have explained to the best of my ability the difference of opinion in the blogpost itself. Please take this as a good-faith effort toward information rather than an opinion on the matter (of which I am attempting here to be neutral).  Relatedly, all holidays in Islam depend on the actual sighting of the moon. If the moon is not sighted, the holiday date is adjusted. The dates here presume that the moon will be sighted on the date indicated.

Finally, I would like to ask you to spread the word about this blog. If you are not formally a follower, please do add your name to the list through your Google, Twitter, AIM, Netlog or Yahoo account.


Thanks so much!