| April 2009 |
April 3
- Ramanavami (Birthday of Rama) : Hindu.
Celebration of the birth of Rama, one of the incarnations of the God Vishnu.
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April 4
National Day : Senegal.
Celebration of independence from France in 1960. |
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April 5
- Palm Sunday : Christian.
Celebrates Jesus’ last entry into Jerusalem and the beginning of Holy Week for Christians.
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April 6
Chakri Day : Thailand (Observed)
Public holiday commemorating the founding of the Chakri dynasty in the late 18th Century by King Rama I. |
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April 7
- Mahavir Jayanti (Birthday of Lord Mahavir) : Jain.
Festival commemorating the birthday of Mahavir, the religion’s twenty-fourth guru or tirtankhara, who was born in the 6th Century B.C.E.
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April 8
- Buddha’s Birth : Buddhist (Mahãyãna)
Celebration of Buddha’s birth by followers of the Mahãyãna Buddhist tradition based on the Japanese Buddhist calendar.
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April 9
- Maundy Thursday : Christian.
Commemorates the institution of the Last Supper or Eucharist by Jesus.
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April 9 - 16
- Pesach (Passover) : Jewish.
Eight-day holiday celebrating the Israelites liberation from slavery in Egypt, circa 1300 B.C.E. The first two and the last two days of Passover are usually considered the most important days of the period.
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April 10
- Good Friday : Christian.
Commemorates the day of Jesus’ crucifixion.
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April 12
- Easter : Christian.
Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus.
- Palm Sunday : Eastern Orthodox Christian & Coptic Orthodox Christian.
Celebration by Orthodox churches using the Julian calendar.
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April 13
- Easter Monday : Christian.
The Monday following Easter Sunday. Celebrated as a public holiday in many European countries.
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April 13 - 15
New Year : Cambodia and Laos.
Three-day holiday and new year celebration.
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April 14
- Vaisakhi : Sikh.
Commemorates Guru Gobind Singh’s founding (in 1699 C.E.) of the Khalsa, the ritual of bringing all those who become Sikhs into the community of equals.
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April 17
- Holy Friday : Eastern Orthodox Christian & Coptic Orthodox Christian.
Commemoration by Orthodox Christians of the crucifixion of Jesus.
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April 18
Independence Day : Zimbabwe.
Celebration of independence from Britain in 1980.
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April 19
- Easter (Pascha): Eastern Orthodox Christian & Coptic Orthodox Christian.
Celebration of Easter by Orthodox Christians following the Julian calendar.
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April 21
- Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Memorial Day) : Jewish.
Day set aside in memory of the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazi’s during World War II.
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April 21 - May 2
- Ridvan : Baha’i.
Commemorates the declaration by Baha’u’llah in 1863 C.E. of his mission as the last messenger of God to the world. During this festival, Baha’is refrain from work on the first, ninth, and twelfth days (April 21, April 29, May 2).
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April 27
Freedom Day : South Africa (Observed).
Commemorates the day in 1994 when voting rights were finally extended to all South Africans. Usually celebrated April 27th.
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April 29
Independence Day (Yom Ha’atzma’ut) : Israel.
Commemorates the establishment of the independent state in 1948. Day varies according to the lunar calendar.
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