March 21
NOW RUZ (Zoroastrianism) Esphand 29
The spring equinox is the time for Now Ruz (alternately spelled Naw Ruz or Noruz), the new year's celebration for a quarter of a million Zoroastrians around the globe. Zoroastrianism, the world's oldest continuous monotheistic tradition, begins its new year with a vernal celebration of new life. This joyous time is sometimes preceded by intense house-cleaning, with individuals scrubbing, waxing and even repainting their homes to emphasize the theme of renewal. During the holiday, which is observed for nearly two weeks in Iran and for varying periods by Zoroastrians elsewhere, individuals visit relatives, wear new clothing, exchange gifts and spend time in nature.
Recommended Reading: Pheroza J. Godrej and Firoza Punthakey Mistree's 726-page A Zoroastrian Tapestry: Art, Religion & Culture is an exhaustive, full-color guide to Zoroastrianism, though some readers may not be able to afford the $250 list price (Mapin, July 2002). For an outstanding historical and ethnographic introduction, try Paul Kriwaczek's In Search of Zarathustra: The First Prophet and the Ideas that Changed the World (Knopf, Feb.), which received a starred review in PW.
April 17-24
PASSOVER (Judaism) 15—23 Nisan 5763
Passover, or Pesach, is one of the most important festivals of the Jewish calendar, and commemorates the miraculous exodus of Jewish slaves from Egypt. They are believed to have departed in such haste that they did not have time to bake bread for the journey. Instead, they made a cracker-like flat bread without yeast, an expedient deed re-enacted each year at Passover when Jews eschew leavened bread in favor of matzoh. The eight-day observance of Passover is marked by a ritual meal called a seder, at which Jews read the story of the exodus aloud.
Recommended Reading: In Celebrating the Jewish Holidays: Stories, Poems, Essays (University Press of New England, Apr.), editor Steven J. Rubin presents brief primary sources from recent and contemporary Jewish writers. Ron Wolfson offers a second edition of Passover: The Family Guide to Spiritual Celebration (Jewish Lights, Mar.), with practical tips for creating memorable—and more spiritually focused—Passover celebrations. And in The Women's Passover Companion: Women's Reflections on the Festival of Freedom (Jewish Lights, Apr.), Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld, Tara Mohr and Catherine Spector provide a women's Hagaddah and information about women's seders.
April 20/27
EASTER (Western Christianity/Eastern Christianity)
In the Christian liturgical calendar, Easter comes as the culmination of Lent and Holy Week. After Christ has been welcomed into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday), betrayed at the Last Supper (Maundy Thursday), crucified (Good Friday), and allowed to rest in a tomb (Holy Saturday), he is believed to have risen from the dead. Easter Sunday marks Christ's resurrection with joyous festivities and special foods. In North America and Europe, many traditions from the pre-Christian spring festival of Ostara are still present in Easter customs; rabbits and eggs, for example, are enduring symbols of fertility.
Recommended Reading: In Wisdom for the Easter Journey (Jossey-Bass, Jan. 31), Douglas Connelly offers short readings from some of Christendom's finest writers, including Frederick Buechner, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and John Wesley. Anthony Aveni's The Book of the Year: A Brief History of Our Seasonal Holidays (Oxford, Jan.) is a lively cultural history of all of our major holidays, including Easter.
May 13
MAWLID AL-NABIY (Islam) 12 Rabi' I
Tradition states that the Prophet Muhammad was born in Makkah (Mecca) in 570 A.D. His birth is marked by Mawlid al-Nabiy, which is not a festival authorized by the Prophet or based on any specific passage in the Qur'an. As such, it is not celebrated by all Muslims, and is forbidden by more conservative religious sects. It was first observed in the beginning of the 13th century by Muslims in the Middle East. There is some historical evidence of influence from the Christian observance of Christmas; during the Crusades, Muslims began using wax lights, torch-lit processions and special foods to celebrate Mawlid al-Nabiy. The prophet's birthday has been particularly important in Indonesia, the nation with the world's largest Muslim population.
Recommended Reading: There's certainly no shortage of current books on Islam. For a well-illustrated primer, try The Atlas of Islam: People, Daily Life and Traditions by Neil Morris (Barrons, Mar.). Beginners may also appreciate Malcolm Clark's Islam for Dummies (Wiley, Apr. 3).
May 13
ASCENSION OF THE BAHÁ'U'LLÁH (The Bahá'í Faith) 13 'Azamát The Bahá'í Faith was founded by Bahá'u'lláh ("glory of God"), a 19th-century Iranian spiritual leader whom Bahá'ís regard as the most recent in a line of great prophets stretching back to Abraham. Bahá'ís celebrate nine annual festivals, including the Day of Ascension, which marks the anniversary of Bahá'u'lláh's 1892 passage into immortality. On this day, Bahá'ís suspend work and celebrate around the world.
Recommended Reading: The first-ever trade edition of Bahá'u'lláh's The Book of Certitude (Bahá'í Publishing, June) offers the prolific author's account of the tenets of the faith and the universal mission of all religions.
