Religious Party Holidays Are The Wildest, Holiest Celebrations Around | HuffPost

Your Guide To The Most Raucous Religious Holidays All Year

|

With Carnival here and Mardi Gras right around the corner you might be wondering how a religious holiday could be so fun.

Turns out, Carnival isn't the only wild religious celebration out there. Unlike some of the more sober observances, these religious "party" holidays encourage the uninhibited revelry that spiritual experience can induce.

Which religious holidays do you have the most fun celebrating? Here are some of our favorites, arranged by their 2014 dates:

February 4: Basant Panchami

AP

Do you like kite-flying? Then check out Basant Panchami, a Hindu holiday that celebrates the goddess Saraswati’s birthday. Saraswati is the goddess of music and knowledge, and her holiday is as much a celebration of education as a spring festival. Some children learn to write their first words on this day before making their ways outdoors to fly kites. The color yellow also plays a prominent role, and celebrants wear yellow clothing, eat yellow sweets and exchange yellow flowers.

March 4: Mardi Gras

John David Mercer/AP

Sometimes the line between street party and religious holiday blurs or disappears altogether. With roots in Christianity, Carnival season marks the period leading up to Lent, culminating on Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday. In the month of Lent, observers will abstain from various indulgences, making Carnival the last chance for revelry until after Easter. People celebrate Carnival in many ways around the world, often with parades, beads, masks and music.

March 15: Purim

Menahem Kahana/Getty Images

Don't forget your noisemaker for this one. The Jewish holiday, Purim, commemorates the biblical story of Esther, who stood up to the evil Haman and thus saved the Jewish people. A line in the Talmud reportedly says that, on Purim, Jews should get so intoxicated they "don't know the difference between Blessed is Mordechai and Cursed is Haman." People observe Purim with alcohol, music, costumes and the lively reading of the megillah, during which listeners make as much noise as possible every time they hear Haman's name in order to blot out his memory.

Advertisement

March 17: Hola Mohalla

AP Photo/Ranjit Singh

Fighting is only fun when it's for play, as in the case of Hola Mohalla, a Sikh festival and Indian national holiday that literally translates to "mock fight." On this day, celebrants practice military exercises and lead processions from gurdwara to gurdwara to the sound of drums. Music and poetry competitions also take place during Hola Mohalla, as well as an extended kirtan.

March 17: Holi

Poras Chaudhary/Getty Images

This is the answer to your crazy, messy, colorful fantasy: Holi, the Hindu festival of colors celebrated on the last full moon of the lunar month Phalguna. The holiday commemorates the miraculous story of Prahlada, a young follower of the Hindu god Vishnu who survived when his demon father tried to burn him to death. Celebrants observe the holiday with bonfires and prayers, and by throwing colored powder and water at one another.

March 21: Nowruz

Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images

The best parties are the ones that go on for days and days. Observed by Zoroastrians, Baha'is (as Naw-Rúz) and throughout the Persian world, Nowruz marks the Iranian New Year with a 13-day celebration for spring. Nowruz translates to "new day" and is celebrated with gifts, feasting and friends and family coming together.

Advertisement

May 1: Beltane

Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Festive and sexy all at once, Beltane is a Celtic spring fertility festival celebrated by some pagans and Wiccans. During Beltane it is believed the veil between the world and the afterworld is thin, which makes it prime time for magic and communion with the supernatural. Celebrations for this holiday often involve courting rituals, purifying fires and, most famously, dances around the maypole.

July 27: Chand Raat

Izzah Zainab/500px

If you had just been through a month of fasting, you would want to have a party, too. Chand Raat is the eve before the Muslim holy festival of Eid el-Fitr, which marks the end of the month long fasting period of Ramadan. Translated as "night of the moon," Chand Raat is a community holiday that brings people together for an evening of food, crafts and henna painting.

July - August: Obon Festival

Buddhika Weerasinghe.Getty Images

It's not a party until you're dancing through the streets to the sound of drums. Obon is a three-day Buddhist festival celebrated at different times during the summer in which observers pay tribute to and honor their deceased relatives. In addition to cleaning the graves of their ancestors, celebrants light lanterns and perform the traditional Bon-Odori, or Obon Dance. Dancing is in fact a large component of the festival, with performers clad in kimonos dancing to the beat of taiko drums.

Advertisement

October 16: Simchat Torah

Leonid Neizberg/500PX

Here is a perfect example of faith-induced revelry. Simchat Torah, which means "rejoicing in the Torah," is the festive Jewish celebration that marks the completion and beginning of the annual cycle of weekly Torah readings. During the festivities, celebrants dance with Torah scrolls in hakafot (literally, "circles") in the synagogue and on the streets outside. Celebrants also enjoy festive meals and recite blessings.

October 23: Diwali

Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images

Just when the days begin to shorten in autumn, Diwali comes around to light a fire in the middle of the darkness. Also called the festival of lights, Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs around the world. The festival of Diwali symbolizes the victory of light over dark, good over evil and knowledge over darkness. For some, the day marks the Hindu legend of Rama and Sita's return to Rama's kingdom after years in exile. Celebrants observe Diwali by lighting oil lamps, bursting firecrackers, cleaning and decorating their homes, distributing sweet delicacies and gathering with friends and family.

Click through the slideshow to see a pictorial religious calendar for 2014 with photographs of celebrations of the world's numerous beautiful and sacred holidays:

Religious Calendar 2014

Jan 1 - Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Catholic)(01 of88)

This feast is a celebration of Mary's motherhood of Jesus. Photo: Pope Francis (credit:Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

Jan 1 - Feast of St. Basil (Orthodox Christian)(02 of88)

St. Basil died on 1st January and the Orthodox Church celebrates his feast and with the Feast of Circumcision of Christ on this day. The Anglican Church celebrates the Feast of St. Basil on January 2 while the Episcopal church celebrates it on January 14. On this day, the Eastern Orthodox church, Lutheran church and some Anglican churches also celebrate the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ. (credit:Wikimedia Commons)

Jan 1 - Gantan-Sai (Shinto)(03 of88)

Gantan Sai is the Shinto New Year's festival. (credit:Wikimedia Commons)

Jan 5 - Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti (Sikh)(04 of88)

This is the birthday of the 10th and last Sikh guru, also the founder of Sikhism. Photo: Indian Sikh devotees carry the Palki Sahib, with the Guru Granth Sahib, the Holy scriptures of Sikhism, during a procession from the Sri Akal Takhat at The Golden Temple in Amritsar January 10, 2011 as part of the ongoing 345th Prakash Utsav birthday celebrations for Sikh Guru Gobind Singh. AFP PHOTO/NARINDER NANU (credit:Getty)

Jan 6 - Epiphany (Western Christianity)(05 of88)

This day celebrates the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ. Western Christians commemorate principally (but not solely) the visitation of the Biblical Magi to the Baby Jesus, and thus Jesus' physical manifestation to the Gentiles. (credit:Getty)

Jan 6 - Nativity of Jesus (Armenian Orthodox Christianity)(06 of88)

On this day, Armenian Orthodox Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, in connection with Epiphany. Photo: Greek Orthodox priests take part in a Christmas procession at Manger Square outside the Church of the Nativity, the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on January 6, 2011. The Orthodox faith uses the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after more widespread Gregorian calendar. AFP PHOTO/MENAHEM KAHANA (credit:Getty)

Jan 7 - Christmas Day (Orthodox Christian)(07 of88)

A Greek Orthodox priest celebrates Christmas mass at a church in Gaza city on January 7, 2011, as Orthodox Christians use the old Julian calendar in which Christmas falls 13 days after the date in the more widespread Gregorian calendar. AFP PHOTO/MAHMUD HAMS (credit:Getty)

Jan 13 - Lohri (Sikh)(08 of88)

Indian girls dressed as Punjabi folk dancers smile as they fly kites, at the Jagat Jyoti High School in Amritsar prior to the Lohri festival. The Lohri festival is an annual thanks giving day and an extremely popular harvest festival in India, especially Northern India. AFP PHOTO / NARINDER NANU (credit:Getty)

Jan 14 - Makar Sankranti (Hindu)(09 of88)

A decorated cow is led by an Indian Hindu handler as it walks through fire as part of the Makar Sankranti celebrations in Bangalore. The Makar Sakranti harvest festival signals the end of the traditional farming season in the region, with many farmers observing prayers to crops and farm animals that toil their land. AFP PHOTO/Dibyangshu SARKAR (credit:Getty)

Jan. 16 - Tu B'Shevat (Jewish)(10 of88)

The ultra-Orthodox rabbi of the Belz Hasidim washes his hands before the start of the celebration of the Jewish feast of 'Tu Bishvat' or Tree New Year in Jerusalem. Among the most learned Jewish scholars were the Belz, a Hasidic dynasty named after a small town in Western Ukraine. AFP PHOTO/MENAHEM KAHANA (credit:Getty)

Jan 16-19 Mahayana New Year (Buddhist)(11 of88)

In Mahayana countries the new year starts on the first full moon day in January. (credit:Getty)

Jan 19 - Timkat (Ethiopian Orthodox Christian)(12 of88)

Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarch Paolos Abuna watches 19 January 2006 while supervising the beginning of the Timqat celebrations in Addis Ababa. Timqat (Timkat) or Epiphany is celebrated on Tir 11th according to the Ithiopian (Ethiopian) calendar or 19th January (western calendar) which is 12 days after Orthodox Christmas. It is the greatest of the Christian Festivals and celebrates the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the River Jordan. AFP PHOTO/MARCO LONGARI (credit:Getty)

Jan 20 - World Religion Day (Bahai)(13 of88)

World Religion Day was initiated in 1950 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'i faith in the United States. The purpose was to call attention to the harmony of the world's religions and emphasize that the aims of religion are to create unity among people, to ease suffering, and to bring about peace. The day is observed with gatherings in homes, public meetings and panel discussions, and proclamations by government officials. (credit:Getty)

Jan 25 - Conversion of St. Paul (Christian)(14 of88)

The Conversion of Paul the Apostle, as depicted in the Christian Bible, refers to an event reported to have taken place in the life of Paul of Tarsus which led him to cease persecuting early Christians and to himself become a follower of Jesus; it is normally dated by researchers to AD 33-36.Photo: Pope Benedict XVI (C) leads the celebration of the second vespers of the solemnity of the conversion of Saint Paul on January 25, 2011 in St Paul's basilica outside the walls in Rome. AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLARO (credit:Getty)

Feb 2 - Imbolc (Pagan)(15 of88)

Also called Oimelc and Candlemas, Imbolc celebrates the awakening of the land and the growing power of the Sun. (credit:Flickr: Steven Earnshaw)

Feb 3 - Setsubun (Shinto)(16 of88)

A parent of kindergarten children wearing a demon-like mask to scare pupils takes part in a bean-throwing ceremony to drive away evil and bring good luck at the annual Setsubun Festival at Tokyo's Sensoji Temple on February 3, 2011. Some 400 children attended the festival to greet the coming of spring. AFP PHOTO / Yoshikazu TSUNO (credit:Getty)

Feb 4 - Vasant Panchami (Sikh)(17 of88)

Indian Sikh devotees pay their respects at the Sikh Shrine Gurdwara Chheharta Sahib, some 7kms west of Amritsar on the occasion of Basant Panchami. Basant Panchami is celebrated during February-March, at the end of winter to welcome spring. AFP PHOTO/NARINDER NANU (credit:Getty)

Feb 11 - Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes (Catholic)(18 of88)

This marks the day in 1858 when St. Bernadette had her first vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (credit:Flickr: gLn98)

Feb 15- Nirvana Day (Buddhist)(19 of88)

This is a Mahayana Buddhist festival marking the anniversary of the Buddha's death. (credit:Getty)

Feb 28 - Shivratri (Hindu)(20 of88)

Indian Hindu devotees pour milk over a Shiva Lingam, a stone deity sculpture representing the creative energy of the Universe and the infinite nature of Shiva. AFP PHOTO/ NARINDER NANU (credit:Getty)

Mar 2-20: Baha'i Fast (Baha'i)(21 of88)

The Nineteen-Day Fast (2 March-21 March) is a nineteen-day period of the year, during which members of the Bahá'í Faith adhere to a sunrise-to-sunset fast. Along with obligatory prayer, it is one of the greatest obligations of a Bahá'í, and its chief purpose is spiritual; to reinvigorate the soul and bring the person closer to God. The fast was instituted by the Báb, and accepted by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, who stated its rules in his book of laws, the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. (credit:Getty)

Mar 3 - Clean Monday (Christian Orthodox)(22 of88)

Carnival revellers dance as they parade in the streets of Strumica late on March 8, 2011. The carnival, which marks the beginning of the Christian Orthodox lent, attracted hundreds of participants and tens of thousands visitors to Strumica. AFP PHOTO / ROBERT ATANASOVSKI (credit:Getty)

Mar 16 - Purim (Judaism)(23 of88)

Israeli settlers and their children dressed in costumes hold balloons as they celebrate the annual Purim parade in the divided West Bank city of Hebron on March 20, 2011. Purim commemorates the salvation of the Jews from the ancient Persians as described in the book of Esther. AFP PHOTO/MENAHEM KAHANA (credit:Getty)

Mar 17 - St. Patrick's Day (Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran)(24 of88)

Saint Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It commemorates Saint Patrick (c. AD 387-461), the most commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion (especially the Church of Ireland), the Eastern Orthodox Church and Lutheran Church. Saint Patrick's Day was made an official feast day in the early 17th century, and has gradually become a secular celebration of Irish culture in general. (credit:Wikimedia Commons)

Mar 17 - Hola Mohalla (Sikh)(25 of88)

Indian Sikh devotees spray perfume on the Palki Sahib which carries The Guru Garnth Sahib (Holy Book of Sikhs) in a procession from the Golden Temple to Sri Akal Takhat Sahib in Amritsar on the occasion of Hola Mohalla. Hola Mohalla or Hola Mahalla or simply Hola is a Sikh festival which originated in the time of Guru Gobind Singh who held the first mock fighting event at Anandpur in February 1701, which on the first of the lunar month of Chet which usually falls in March following the Hindu festival of Holi. During the three day festival, mock battles, exhibitions, display of weapons are held followed by kirtan, music and poetry competitions. Nihang Sikh 'warriors' perform Gatka (mock encounters with real weapons), and other feats including tent pegging and bareback horse-riding. AFP PHOTO/NARINDER NANU (credit:Getty)

Mar 17 - Holi (Hindu)(26 of88)

Hindu devotees play with coloured powders during Holi celebrations at the Bankey Bihari Temple in Vrindavan, India. Holi, the spring festival of colours, is celebrated by Hindus around the world in an explosion of colour to mark the end of the winter. (Photo by Majid Saeedi/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

Mar 20 - Spring Equinox (Pagan)(27 of88)

Spring Equinox celebrates the renewed life of the Earth that comes with the Spring. (credit:Getty)

Mar 21 - Nowruz (Baha'i, Zoroastrian, Iranian New Year)(28 of88)

Afghan devotees walk at the Hazrat Ali Shrine in Mazar-i-Sharif on March 20, 2009. Tens of thousands of Afghans from all over the war-scarred country have poured into the northern Afghan town ahead of the Afghan New Year, called Naw Ruz which is due on March 21. Afghans come to the city because of the presence of the Hazrat Ali shrine where special religious ceremonies are taking place to mark New Year's Day. AFP PHOTO/SHAH Marai (credit:Getty)

April 8 - Ram Navami (Hindu)(29 of88)

Hindu priest wash statuettes of the Hindu deities Hanuman (L), Laxman (2L), Lord Rama (2R) and Goddess Sita (R) at the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple in Ahmedabad, on the occasion of Rama Navami. Ram Navami commemorates the birth of Hindu God Lord Rama who is remembered for his prosperous and righteous reign, which has become synonymous with a period of peace and prosperity. AFP PHOTO/ Sam PANTHAKY (credit:Getty)

Apr 13 - Palm Sunday (Christian)(30 of88)

Chrisitian pilgrims carry palm branches during the Palm Sunday procession from Mt. Olives into Jerusalem's old city, marking the triumphant return of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem when a cheering crowd greeted him waving palm leaves the week before his death. AFP PHOTO/GALI TIBBON (credit:Getty)

Apr 13 - Vaisakhi (Sikh)(31 of88)

This day marks an ancient harvest festival, celebrated with great zeal across North India, and particularly in Punjab. Photo: Britain's Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, (C) pose for pictures as they met surviving veterans of the Sikh Brigade of the British Army at an event to mark the Sikh religious and cultural festival of Vaisakhi at St James Palace, London. The Prince of Wales today praised the courage of Sikh soldiers who fought in the Second World War. The Prince said the country owed an 'immense debt of gratitude' to the Sikhs who fought in both the First and Second World Wars. The veterans were among prominent members of the Anglo-Sikh community invited to the palace to celebrate Sikh New Year, or Vaisakhi. AFP PHOTO/Lewis Whyld/WPA POOL (credit:Getty)

Apr 13 -- Mahavir Jayanti (Jain)(32 of88)

Indian women perform a traditional dance as they take part in a procession for Mahavir Jayanti, in New Delhi, India,Thursday, April 5, 2012. The holiday celebrates the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavira, who created the defining rules of Jainism. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer) (credit:AP)

Apr 15 - Theravada New Year (Buddhist)(33 of88)

A Sri Lankan Buddhist devotee offers prayers at a temple in the Bellanvila suburb of Colombo as part of the traditional new year rituals. The timing of Sri Lanka's Sinhala New Year coincides with the new year celebrations of many traditional calendars of South and Southeast Asia. AFP PHOTO / Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI (credit:Getty)

Apr 15 - Hanuman Jayanti (Hindu)(34 of88)

Indian Hindu devotees travel with a portrait of Hindu God Hanuman during a procession on a street on the occassion of Hanuman Jayanti - Hanuman's birthday. Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Hanuman, the monkey God. Hanuman known for his strength is worshipped for his unyielding devotion to Rama and is remembered for his selfless dedication to the God. AFP PHOTO/Noah SEELAM (credit:Getty)

Apr 15-23 - Passover (Jewish)(35 of88)

Jewish men wrapped with prayer shawls attend the Annual Cohanim prayer, or Priest's blessing, for the Pesach (Passover) holiday at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's old city. Thousands of Jews make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem during Pesach, which commemorates the Israelites' exodus from Egypt some 3,500 years ago. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

Apr 17- Maundy Thursday (Christian)(36 of88)

Indian Catholic Bishop of the Archdiocese of Hyderabad Reverend M. Joji (C) offers The Holy Eucharist during the evening mass of the Lord Supper celebrated as Maundy Thursday service at St. Anthony's Church in Hyderabad. The ceremony commemorates the symbolic example of Jesus Christ washing the feet of his apostles at the Lord's Supper on the eve of his crucifixion. AFP PHOTO/Noah SEELAM (credit:Getty)

Apr 18 - Good Friday (Christian)(37 of88)

French bishop Andre Vingt-Trois carries a wooden cross to the Montmartre Basilica during a Good Friday procession to commemorate the death of Christ. AFP PHOTO PIERRE VERDY (credit:Getty)

Apr 19 - Holy Saturday (Christian)(38 of88)

It is the day before Easter and the last day of Holy Week in which Christians prepare for Easter. It commemorates the day that Jesus Christ's body laid in the tomb.Photo: Pope Benedict XVI waves to worshippers following a Papal mass on Holy Saturday at St Peter's basilica at The Vatican. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE (credit:Getty)

Apr 20 - Easter (Western And Orthodox Churches)(39 of88)

Pakistani Christians pray during an Easter Sunday Mass at a church in Lahore. Christian believers around the world mark the Holy Week of Easter in celebration of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. AFP PHOTO/Arif ALI (Photo credit should read Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

May 1 - Beltane (Pagan)(40 of88)

Morris Men dance at a May Day dawn celebration service in front of St. Michael's Tower on Glastonbury Tor on May 1, 2011 in Glastonbury, England. Although more synonymous with International Workers' Day, or Labour Day, May Day or Beltane is celebrated by druids and pagans as the beginning of summer and the chance to celebrate the coming of the season of warmth and light. Other traditional English May Day rites and celebrations include Morris dancing and the crowning of a May Queen with celebrations involving a Maypole. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

May 14 - Wesak (Buddhist)(41 of88)

Buddhist followers lighting candles at Borobudur temple during Vesak Day, commonly known as 'Buddha's birthday', at the Borobudur Mahayana Buddhist monument on May 17, 2011 in Magelang, Indonesia. Buddhists in Indonesia celebrate Vesak at the monument anually, which makes it the most visited tourist attraction in Indonesia. It is observed during the full moon in May or June, with the ceremony centred at three Buddhist temples by walking from Mendut to Pawon and ending at Borobudur. The stages of life of Buddhism's founder, Gautama Buddha, which are celebrated at Vesak are his birth, enlightenment to Nirvana, and his passing (Parinirvana). (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

May 29 - Ascension of Christ (Christian)(42 of88)

Ascension Day marks the last earthly appearance of Christ after his resurrection. Christians believe Christ ascended into heaven. It is celebrated 40 days after Easter. (credit:Wikimedia Commons)

May 29 - Ascension of Baha'u'llah (Bahai)(43 of88)

A visitor learns about Baha'u'llah, the 19th century Persian founder of the Bahai faith, in the visitors' center in the Bahai gardens in Haifa, Israel. The world spiritual center of the Bahai faith and resting place for the remains of their founder Bab, whose devotees number less than six million worldwide, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO last week. (Photo by David Silverman/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

Jun 4-5 - Shavuot (Jewish)(44 of88)

Members of the Black Hebrews community celebrate the Shavuot harvest festival in Dimona, Israel. The community, who call themselves the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem, moved to Israel in 1969 from the United States and have since maintained a vibrant culture which includes a communal lifestyle and a vegan diet. They are not recognized as Jews by Israel despite their belief in the Torah, but were granted permanent resident status in 2003. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

Jun 8 - Pentecost (Christian)(45 of88)

The seventh Sunday after Easter, commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and the birth of the Christian church. (credit:Wikimedia Commons)

Jun 15 - Trinity Sunday (Christian)(46 of88)

The first Sunday after Pentecost, Christians meditate on the nature of God as "three in one." (credit:Wikimedia Commons)

Jun 19 - Feast of Corpus Christi (Catholic)(47 of88)

The Feast of Corpus Christi celebrates the Body and Blood of Christ really present in the Eucharist.A man dressed up as the devil jumps over babies lying on a mattress in the street during the 'El Salto del Colacho' (the jump of the devil) to mark the Corpus Christi feast in Castrillo de Murcia, near Burgos. AFP PHOTO / CESAR MANSO (credit:Getty)

June 21 - Summer Solstice (Pagan)(48 of88)

Longest day of the year. (credit:Flickr : Bebopgirl1969)

Jun 28 - Ramadan starts (Muslim)(49 of88)

This day marks the start of Ramadan, a holy month of fasting for Muslims.Photo: Syrian Muslim girls and women sit outside the Omayyad Mosque in central Damascus during the weekly Friday prayer during the holy fasting month of Ramadan. AFP PHOTO/JOSEPH EID (credit:Getty)

June 29 - St. Peter and St. Paul's Day (Christian)(50 of88)

The martyrdom of both these saints are observed by the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Lutheran churches, and is one of the oldest saints' days. (credit:Wikimedia Commons)

July 9 - The Martyrdom of the Bab (Bahai)(51 of88)

A general view shows the terraced gardens and the golden Shrine of Bab following renovation works at the Bahai World Center, in the Israeli port city of Haifa, on April 12, 2011. The restoration work in the Bahai Faith second holiest site began in 2008 and was carried out by volunteers from Mongolia, China, Ecuador, Kenya, Germany, Canada, U.S, South Africa, Vanuatu, India and New Zealand . The gardens, tucked into the steep slopes of mount Carmel, are designed in nine concentric circles around the shrine where Bahai prophet Siyyid Ali Muhammad -- known to Bahais as 'The Bab' -- is buried. AFP PHOTO/JACK GUEZ (credit:Getty)

July 22 - Feast of Mary Magdalene (Christian)(52 of88)

Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox churches consider the first person to see Jesus at his resurrection a saint. She is also important in the Baha'i faith. (credit:Getty)

Jul 24 - Lailat al Qadr (Muslim)(53 of88)

Muslim boys pray at the Grand Mosque in Kuwait City early on the night of 'Lailat al-Qadr' which marks the revelation of the Koran, Islam's holy book, to the Prophet Mohammed through the archangel Gabriel during the fasting month of Ramadan. AFP PHOTO/YASSER AL-ZAYYAT (credit:Getty)

Aug 5 - Tisha B'Av (Jewish)(54 of88)

Religious Jews read from the biblical Book of Lamentation as they observe Tisha B'av in Jerusalem's Old City, Israel. Jews around the world begin to mark the destruction of the First and Second holy temples. The Tisha B'Av ceremony, literally the ninth day of the month of Av in the Hebraic calendar, is the darkest day of the year for Jews, marking the destruction of both the temples, by the Babylonians in 587 BC and later by the Romans in 70 AD. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

Aug 6 - Transfiguration of Jesus (Christian)(55 of88)

The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event reported in the New Testament in which Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant upon a mountain.Russian Orthodox believers walk past a basket of apples during a procession of the cross as part of the Transfiguration of Jesus holiday in Suzdal on August 19, 2009. The Russian folk name for the holiday is 'Yablochny Spas' or Apple Salvation. AFP PHOTO / ALEXANDER UTKIN (credit:Getty)

Aug 10 - Raksha Bandhan (Hindu)(56 of88)

An Indian lady ties a Rakhi bracelet on the wrist of an inmate at Sabarmati Central Jail on the occasion of 'Raksha Bandhan' in Ahmedabad. Raksha Bandhan festival falls on celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. The ceremony involves a bracelet being tied by a sister to her brother's wrist, symbolizing the sister's love and prayers for her brother's well-being, and the brother's vow to protect her. AFP PHOTO / Sam PANTHAKY (credit:Getty)

Aug 15 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Catholic)(57 of88)

Religious carry a statue of the Virgin Mary during an Assumption procession of the Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet fundamentalist church, on August 15, 2011 in Paris. According to Roman Catholic catechism, the Assumption feast celebrates Virgin Mary's ascent into Heaven. AFP PHOTO PIERRE VERDY (credit:Getty)

Aug 15 - Dormition of the Theotokos (Orthodox Christian)(58 of88)

A Greek Orthodox priest carries an icon of the Virgin Mary along the narrow streets of Jerusalem's Old City during a procession marking The Dormition of the Theotokos (God-bearer) which commemorates the Virgin Mary. AFP PHOTO/GALI TIBBON (credit:Getty)

Aug 17 - Janmasthami (Hindu)(59 of88)

A woman walks inside the Bhaktivedanta Manor Krishna Temple, in Watford, north of London, during an open day for pilgrims to celebrate 'Janmashtami' - the birth of Lord Krishna. Over 65,000 pilgrims and guests are expected to visit Bhaktivedanta Manor Krishna Temple to celebrate Janmashtami. AFP PHOTO / FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA (credit:Getty)

Sept 7 - Onam(60 of88)

Celebrated by the people of Kerala, India, Onam commemorates the Vamana avatar of Vishnu. Photo: Indian Keralites prepare floral rangoli known as 'Pookkalam' as a part of Onam celebrations at Narayan Guru Vidhyalaya in Ahmedabad on September 13, 2009. Some ten teams participated in Pookkalam-making competition organised by Sreenarayan Cultural Mission. AFP PHOTO/ Sam PANTHAKY (credit:Getty Images)

Sept 8 - Nativity of the Theotokos / Birth of Virgin Mary (Christian)(61 of88)

Orthodox Christians, Catholics and Anglicans celebrate the birth of Mary. (credit:Wikimedia Commons)

Sept 23 - Autumn Equinox (Pagan)(62 of88)

Pagans celebrate the Autumn Equinox, during which there are equal amounts of light and darkness. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

Sept 25 - Navratri (Hindu)(63 of88)

Indian dancers perform a traditional dance on the last day of Navratri, nine nights dedicated to worshipping the divine feminine. AFP PHOTO / Sam PANTHAKY (credit:Getty)

Sept 25-26 - Rosh Hashanah (Jewish)(64 of88)

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. Photo: Ultra orthodox Jews offer prayers in the small Ukrainian city of Uman, some 200 kms south of Kiev on September 9, 2010. About 24,000 of followers of Rabbi Nachman from around the world flocked to the Uman to pay homage to their spiritual leader and celebrate the start of the New Year at his grave. AFP PHOTO/ SERGEI SUPINSKY (credit:Getty)

Sept 30-Oct 4 - Durga Puja(65 of88)

Indian Hindu devotees wipe vermilion on each other in front of a large statue of Hindu goddess Durga as they prepare to immerse it in the River Yamuna during Durga Puja festivities in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012. The festival commemorates the slaying of a demon king by lion-riding, ten armed goddess Durga, marking the triumph of good over evil. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer) (credit:AP)

Oct 4 - Dussehra (Hindu)(66 of88)

Indian Hindus watch an effigy of the Hindu demon king Ravana, stuffed with fire-crackers, burn at the Hindu festival of Dussehra in New Delhi New Delhi. Dussehra, which is celebrated at the end of the Navratri (nine nights) festival, symbolises the victory of good over evil in Hindu mythology. On the night of Dussehra fire-cracker stuffed effigies of demon king Ravana are set ablaze across the country. AFP PHOTO/RAVEENDRAN (credit:Getty)

Oct 4 - Yom Kippur (Jewish)(67 of88)

A Religious Jewish man whips a another one with leather straps as a symbolic punishment for his past year's sins during the traditional Malkot ceremony, a few hours before the start of Yom Kippur, the Jewish holy day of Atonement on the beach in the southern Israeli city of Ashdod. AFP PHOTO/DAVID BUIMOVITCH (credit:Getty)

Oct 9-15 - Sukkot (Jewish)(68 of88)

Orthodox Jews prepare a sukkah, an outdoor hut, by covering its roof with branches as part of the Sukkot holiday at the Chabad center in Berlin, Germany. Sukkot, also called the Feast of Tabernacles, lasts seven days and community members take celebratory meals inside the sukkah. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

Oct 15 - Al-Hijira (Islamic New Year) (Muslim)(69 of88)

This marks the start of the Islamic New Year. Marks the migration of the Prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina. (credit:Getty )

Oct 17 - Simchat Torah (Jewish)(70 of88)

In this photo, Iranian Jews dance around a Torah scroll, during a celebration of Simchat Torah, which marks the completion of the annual reading of the Torah, or Jewish scripture, and the beginning of the next cycle of reading, at the Hakim Synagogue, in northern Tehran, Iran. Iran's population of 75 million includes about 20,000 Jews, the largest Jewish population in the middle east outside Israel, and they have one Jewish representative in the parliament under the constitution. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) (credit:AP)

Oct 20 - Birth of the Bab (Baha'i)(71 of88)

This day celebrates the birth of the precursor of the founder of the Baha'i faith. (credit:Getty)

Oct 23 - Diwali (Hindu, Jain, Buddhist)(72 of88)

Sacred to Hindus and Jains, the celebration of Diwali symbolizes the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. In the Hindu tradition, Diwali commemorates the return of Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana to their kingdom Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana. This story is recounted in the ancient Sanskrit epic, Ramayana. Jains celebrate Diwali as the day when Lord Mahavira, the leader who laid down the central tenets of Jainism, attained enlightenment. (credit:Getty)

Oct 23 - Bandi Chhor Divas (Sikh)(73 of88)

In the Sikh tradition, Bandi Chhor Divas ('prisoner release day'), is celebrated to mark the release of the sixth Guru Hargobind from imprisonment by the Mughals. Photo: Indian Sikh devotees Gurmeet Singh (R) and Puneet Kaur lights lamps as they pay their respects at the illuminated Sikh Shrine, The Golden Temple in Amritsar on October 26, 2011, on the occasion of Bandi Chhor Divas or Diwali. Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas or Diwali to mark the return of the Sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Ji, who was freed from imprisonment and also managed to release 52 political prisoners at the same time from Gwalior fort by Mughal Emperor Jahangir in 1619. AFP PHOTO/NARINDER NANU (credit:Getty)

Oct 31 - Samhain (Pagan)(74 of88)

Samhain is an ancient Gaelic harvest festival. Photo: Druids perform a pagan Samhain blessing ceremony at the Stonehenge monument, in Wiltshire, in southern England. AFP PHOTO/CARL DE SOUZA (Photo credit should read CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

Nov 1 - All Saints Day / All Hallows' Day (Christian)(75 of88)

The night before All Saints' Day (All Hallows' Day). Its origins date back over 2000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. It was celebrated as a Christian festival by the 8th century. Photo: Thousands of candles glow at a cemetery in the Slovak village of Bobrovec on October 30,2011, two days before the All Saints Day. Thousands of Slovaks used the sunny and unusually warm weekend to visit the cemeteries across the country to pay their respects to their ancestors. AFP PHOTO / JOE KLAMAR (credit:Getty)

Nov 2 - All Souls' Day (Christian)(76 of88)

All Souls' Day commemorates the faithful departed.Photo: An Aymara woman walks at the Villa Ingenio cemetery in El Alto, 25 Km west of La Paz, on November 2, 2011 during the religious festivity of the Day of the Dead, also known as All Souls Day in Bolivia. Catholics in Mexico and countries throughout Latin America, including Bolivia, celebrate the Day of the Dead in connection with the Catholic holy days of All Saints Day on November 1 and All Souls Day on November 2. Ceremonies -- which traditionally include all-night vigils in cemeteries and colourful altars with food and drink -- are taking place across these countries. AFP PHOTO/AIZAR RALDES (credit:Getty)

Nov 3 - Ashura (Muslim)(77 of88)

Ashura marks the death of Prophet Muhammad's grandson the revered Imam Hussein in Karbala, Iraq in 680 AD.Photo: Shi'ite worshipers pose after cutting their scalps in a ritual display of mourning during an Ashura commemoration ceremony outside Kadhimiya shrine in Baghdad, Iraq. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

Nov 6 - Birthday of Guru Nanak (Sikh)(78 of88)

Indian Sikh devotees light candles as they pay their respects at the illuminated Golden Temple in Amritsar. Devotees thronged the temple on the occasion of the 542nd birthday of Sri Guru Nanak Dev. Guru Nanak was the founder of the religion of Sikhism and the first of ten Sikh Gurus. AFP PHOTO/NARINDER NANU (credit:Getty)

Nov 12 - Birth of Baha'u'llah (Baha'i)(79 of88)

Celebrates the birth in 1817 of the founder of the Baha'i faith. (credit:Getty)

Nov 24 - Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur (Sikh)(80 of88)

Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth Sikh guru and is honored as a champion of religious freedom. He was executed in 1675 for refusing to convert to Islam. (credit:Getty)

Nov 30 - Advent Sunday (Christian)(81 of88)

Advent Sunday marks the start of the Advent Season, a period of waiting and expectation for the coming of Christ. Phtoo: The interior of Salisbury Cathedral is illuminated by candles carried by choristers during the annual 'darkness to light' advent procession on November 25, 2011 in Salisbury, England. The service - which begins with the medieval cathedral in total darkness and silence before the Advent Candle is lit at the West End -is one of the most popular services of the liturgical year. The annual advent service, which takes place over three nights, is a mix of music and readings during which two great candlelit processions move around the different spaces in the 750-year-old building which, by the end, is illuminated by almost 1300 candles and is a spectacular start to the Christmas season. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

Dec 8 - Feast of Immaculate Conception (Catholic)(82 of88)

This day is celebrated by Roman Catholics who remember Mary's conception as being without sin, therefore, immaculate. (credit:Wikimedia Commons)

Dec 8 - Bodhi Day (Buddhist)(83 of88)

Bodhi Day is a Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that the Buddha achieved enlightenment, translated as bodhi in Sanskrit or Pali. (credit:Getty)

Dec 12 - Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Catholic)(84 of88)

Mexican pilgrims carrying an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint, arrive at her basilica in Mexico City during the annual celebration. On this day, Mexicans celebrate the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe to San Juan Diego in 1531. (Photo credit should read YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

Dec 17-24 - Hanukkah (Jewish)(85 of88)

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight day Jewish holiday marking the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Photo: The National Menorah is lit for the first night of Hanukkah on the National Mall December 20, 2010 in Washington DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)

Dec 21 - Winter Solstice (Yule) (Pagan)(86 of88)

The Winter Solstice is the longest and darkest night of the year. It is celebrated to mark the return of the sun and longer days. (credit:Getty)

Dec 24 - Christmas Eve (Christian)(87 of88)

The night before Christmas, when churches all over the world hold services in anticipation of Christmas Day. (credit:Getty)

Dec 25 - Christmas Day (Christian)(88 of88)

Christmas Day marks the start of the 12-day Christmas season when Christians celebrate the coming of Christ into the world. Photo: Christians and others gather in Manger Square, the central plaza next to the Church of the Nativity, as people ready to celebrate Christmas in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on December 24, 2011. The Church of the Nativity is built over the site where Christians believe Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable, and laid him in an animal's feeding trough, or manger. AFP PHOTO/ABBAS MOMANI (credit:Getty)

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

Support HuffPost

Suggest a correction

|

From Our Partner

HuffPost Shopping's
Best Finds

The 1 Shoe That Has Helped Eliminate My Dad’s Plantar Fasciitis Pain

This Classic '90s Shoe Brand Is Having A Major Moment

31 Comfortable Bottoms Guaranteed To Make You Forget All About Jeans

If There Were A Problem-Solving Hall Of Fame, You Would Find These 30 Products There

The 1 Shoe Podiatrists Say You Should Try If You’re On Your Feet A Lot