Multicultural Calendar

On this Autumnal Equinox Day, the Japanese honour family ancestry, visiting ancestral graves and having family reunions.

In Carhuaz, Peru celebrations are held in honour of the virgin, with traditional processions, bands of musicians, bullfights and fireworks. In the Dominican Republic, a procession held at the site of the 16th century shrine of Our Lady of Las Mercedes, where Columbus fought a battle against the Indians and the Virgin Mary appeared to him.

The festival of the archangel San Miguel is in honour of the Patron Saint of the city of San Miguel. Cultural, social, artistic and sporting events are held throughout the city, along with bullfights.

(This is a Federal Statutory Holiday in Canada) This day honours the survivors of the residential school system, their families, and communities.

Named after St. Jerome (1829-1909), an Apache fighter, this day is celebrated by the Native Americans in Taos Pueblo, New Mexico. Ceremonies are the morning races, the sacred clowns and the pole climb.

Mohandas Karamchand Ghandi (1869-1948) is the National Father of India, who adopted ‘non-violence’ in fighting for the country’s freedom.

The word ‘Mehr’ in Persian means kindness, love and friendship. Mehregan is celebrated by Zoroastrian and Persian (Iranian) people and was based on the concept that all of the farmers would bring their harvest in the middle of the town and split it up evenly.

Commemorates the date in 1990 when, after 45 years of division, East and West Germany were reunited as one country.

It means ‘nine nights’ beginning on the new moon and ending on Dussehra. It is dedicated to the goddess Durga who had nine incarnations and has the power of good to destroy demons.

Begins previous sundown at 6pm and observed for two days. Literally ‘Head of the Year’ marks the first and second day of the Jewish New Year and the anniversary of the creation of the world. It ends 10 days later with Yom Kippur. It is celebrated with prayers and religious services.

St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals was born in 1182 at Assisi. He abandoned his dream of becoming a knight, donned the clothes of a poor farmhand and began caring for the sick. He founded the Franciscan Order, which today has about 33,000 members. He died on October 3rd 1226.

This day commemorates the creation of the Korean alphabet of 29 phonetic symbols called han-gul by King Sejong between 1443 and 1446.

This day celebrates the divine creative force of the universe and honours the 10-armed goddess Durga, wife of Shiva, and the destroyer of demons.