Holidays & Celebrations
3 total works
A country's celebration of its independence is vital to its history. Though over time independence days have become focused on parades, performances, and family gatherings, they are essentially days of remembrance, for they mark the beginning of countries' newfound freedom and hope for the future, allowing citizens to create their own sense of identity. ""Independence Days"" looks at the various ways that cultures have come to celebrate their countries' independence, including Independence Day in the United States, Emancipation Day in the former British territories, and Bastille Day in France.
Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year for more than 1 billion Muslims. This month of fasting, introspection, and devotion to God is one of the more physically demanding months within the Muslim calendar, but followers maintain that the spiritual rewards far outweigh the sacrifices. Believed to be the time that the sacred Muslim text, the Quran, was revealed, Muslims consider Ramadan necessary for revitalizing their spiritual lives. For one month, Muslims are required to fast during the daylight hours, and to abstain from certain behaviors, such as lying or smoking, which can taint this sacred period. The end of Ramadan is celebrated in a three-day festival called Eid al-Fitr, a time for friends and families to get together, make amends, and extend forgiveness. ""Ramadan"" describes the various customs and traditions of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Oceania and how social and political influences have shaped these observances.
Despite their best intentions, people are imperfect and will inevitably make mistakes. They yearn for a chance to start over, to right wrongs, and to create a better future by improving upon the past. Several religious holidays around the world are devoted to this task. These observances allow individuals to reflect on their errors and make amends with those they have wronged. ""Lent, Yom Kippur, and Other Atonement Days"" focuses on the observation of Lent in the Christian tradition, the Jewish observance of Yom Kippur, and Vassa, the Buddhist practice also known as the Rains Retreat or Buddhist Lent. The Christian, Jewish, and Buddhist days of atonement vary greatly in beliefs and customs across different regions, but each has the ultimate goal of the practitioners bettering themselves through prayer, humility, and repentance.