Calendar of Religious Holidays

2010: January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December

June 2010

3

Corpus Christi
(Catholic Christianity)

Corpus Christi, or the Feast of the Most Holy Body of Christ, is a day to honor the Holy Eucharist, and to commemorate the Last Supper. Catholics recieve Communion on this day, accepting wine and bread in memory of the blood and body of Christ.

9

Saint Columba of Iona
(Celtic Christianity)

This day commemorates Saint Columba (521-597 AD), one of the twelve apostles of Ireland. He led evangalizing missions in Ireland and Scotland, and was credited, with the Celtic Church, for bringing a revival of Christianity to Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire.

11

Sacred Heart of Jesus
(Catholic Christianity)

This feast day commemorates Saint Margaret Mary Alacoqueís (1647-1690) visions of Jesus and his instruction to her that she serve as the instrument for spreading devotion to his sacred heart. The feast celebrates Jesus's gift of the Eucharist and urges believers to pray for the sins of the world.

16

Guru Arjan Dev Martyrdom
(Sikhism)

This day commemorates Guru Arjan Dev, the first Sikh martyr. Until the early 1600s, Sikhs had a peaceful history, but the new Mughal Emperor, Jahangir, was a fundamentalist Muslim who feared the growing popularity of the Sikh faith. In 1606, he had Guru Arjan Dev arrested and severely tortured. A few days later, when taken to bathe in the Ravi River, Guru Arjen Dev disappeared. His death changed the character of Sikh followers, from passive people to soldiers.

19

New Church Day
(Swedenborgian Christianity)

The 18th century theologian and scientist Emanuel Swedenborg founded the New Church after a course of divinely inspired revelations. He wrote 35 volumes, which he called The True Christian Religion, to reveal hidden meaning in the Bible and address the mysteries of human life. This day celebrates the book's publication in 1770.

21 Solstice

Litha
(Neo-Paganism-- Northern Hemisphere)

Also known as the Summer Solstice, Litha is the celebration of the arrival of summer- when the days are most full of daylight, and there is abundance and fertility in the earth.

21

First Nations Day
(Canadian Native People)

Held annually on June 21st, this day celebrates the diverse and unique cultures of Canadian Native Peoples, and also brings attention to their rights. The First Nation is a term that refers to a specific band of Canadian Natives, thus this day is often called Canada’s National Aboriginal Day, to also include the Inuit and Métis people. This day is also associated with a day of prayer for First Nations.

24

Nativity of John the Baptist
(Christianity)


John was a Jewish preacher who called upon people to repent, amend their lives and renew their relationship with God. He was a strong believer that the coming of the Kingdom of God was imminent. John baptized Jesus in the River Jordan, which is said to mark the beginning of Jesus's public ministry. When Jesus arrived to be baptized by John, John told his followers "this is the man I spoke of," and that his mission was to proclaim the coming of Christ. John lost his life after he was arrested and beheaded by King Herod Antipas, because he criticized the king for divorcing his wife and taking a new wife.

29

Festival of Peter and Paul
(Catholic Christianity)


The date of this feast for two of the apostles of Jesus was established as early as the year 258. According to Christian legend, after the death of Jesus, the two saints went to Rome. The date was chosen because it marks the anniversary of the date that their remains were moved to the catacombs near where the Roman church San Sebastiano fuori le mura stands today. At a still later date, Peter's remains were moved to the Vatican Basilica, and Paul's to the church on Via Ostiensis. The feast day is celebrated with liturgy and prayers.