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MARCH 2009
NEWSLETTER
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In this issue:
10thAnniversary Birthdays AGM, etc. Clothing Store Food Programme IT Suite
News, Ads, etc.
A - H
L - P
R - W
PMF flyers
Monday, 2nd March
Bahai
Nineteen Day Fast (start)
Ends 20th March.
During this period Baha'is go without food or drink from sunrise to sunset.
Christian
Clean Monday - Beginning of Lent (Orthodox)
The start of the "Great Lent" for Orthodox Christians.
This day is called Clean Monday, and occurs seven weeks before the Orthodox Easter.
Tuesday, 3rd March
Living Memory Course
(see separate article)
Shinto
Hina-matsuri - Festival of Dolls
Celebrates daughters in the family.
Thursday, 5th March
Visit by Baroness Cox to DCRSC (AM)
(see separate article)
Talk by Baroness Cox at Plymouth Guildhall (PM)
(see separate article)
Women-only Swimming Session at Plymouth Pavilions
(see separate article)
Christian
St. Piran's Day
Piran is regarded as the patron saint of Cornwall and tin miners.
He was born in Ireland. The Cornish flag may have been inspired by the legend that Piran discovered the process for smelting tin: black rock with a white cross of pure metal.
(see separate article)
Friday, 6th March
Arts & Craft Workshop (Printing Techniques)
(see separate article)
Muslim Women's Friendship Group
(see separate article)
Christian
Women' World Day of Prayer
This dates from 1887 and is celebrated on the first Friday of March.
Monday, 9th March
Jewish
Fast of Esther (Taanit Esther)
A three-day fast in commemoration of the fast of Mordechai and Esther. This is not a major Jewish fast.
Muslim
Milad un Nabi (Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad)
Shia Muslims celebrate this five days later.
Some Muslims do not approve of celebrating the birthday, and regard doing so as a religious innovation.
Tuesday, 10th March
Living Memory Course
(see separate article)
Jewish
Purim
Purim commemorates the time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination by the courage of a young Jewish woman called Esther.
Wednesday, 11th March
Living Memory Course
(see separate article)
Sikh
Hola Mohalla (Lunar Calendar)
Hola Mohalla is three day festival of military exercises and mock battles, together with religious discussions and devotional music, at Anandpur Sahib on the day after Holi.
Jewish
Shushan Purim
In some places Purim is celebrated one day later.
In this case it is called Shushan Purim.
Hindu
Holi
The Hindu spring festival.
Thursday, 12th March
Living Memory Course
(see separate article)
Friday, 13th March
Red Nose Day
(see separate article)
Arts & Craft Workshop (Printing Techniques)
(see separate article)
Saturday, 14th March
Plymouth Mullti-Lingual Families Meeting
(see separate article)
Muslim
Milad un Nabi (Shia)
Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.
Sunni Muslims celebrate this five days earlier.
Some Muslims do not approve of celebrating the birthday, and regard doing so as a religious innovation.
Tuesday, 17th March
Christian
St. Patrick' Day
St, Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.
Thursday, 19th March
Christian
St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Friday, 20th March
DCRSC Board Meeting
(see separate article)
Muslim Women's Friendship Group
(see separate article)
Arts & Craft Workshop (Printing Techniques)
(see separate article)
Pagan
Spring Equinox - Eoster
Spring Equinox celebrates the renewed life of the Earth that comes with the Spring.
Saturday, 21st March
Bahai
Naw-Ruz
Baha'i New Year
Zoroastrian
Jamshedi Noruz (Fasli)
Zoroastrian New Year' Day in the Fasli calendar.
Shinto
Shubun-sai - Equinox day
A day for visiting graves.
Also associated with Buddhism in Japan.
Sunday, 22nd March
Christian
Mothering Sunday
Mothering Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent.
Not the same as Mothers' Day in the USA.
Wednesday, 25th March
Christian
Annunciation
Marks the angel Gabriel' message to the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the incarnation of Christ.
It also celebrates the incarnation itself as the date falls nine months before Christmas.
Thursday, 26th March
DCRSC Volunteer' Meeting
(see separate article)
Zoroastrian
Khordad Sal (Fasli)
The birthday of Zoroaster, celebrated on this date in the Fasli calendar. Also known as the Greater Noruz.
Friday, 27th March
Arts & Craft Workshop (Printing Techniques)
(see separate article)
Thursday, 2nd April
Women-only Swimming Session at Plymouth Pavilions
(see separate article)
Friday, 3rd April
Muslim Women's Friendship Group
(see separate article)
Sunday, 6th April
Hindu
Bikarami Samvat - Varsha-Pratipada
The Hindu Spring New Year celebrated particularly in South India. Diwali, another Hindu New Year, is the more popular in the UK.
Tuesday, 7th April
Meeting of the DCRSC Clothing Store Volunteers
(see separate article)
Friday, 10th April
Good Friday
(details to follow)
Saturday, 11th April
Plymouth Mullti-Lingual Families Meeting
(see separate article)
Sunday, 12th April
Easter Sunday
(details to follow)
Monday, 13th April
Sikh
Vaisakhi
The Sikh New Year Festival, which also commemorates the founding of the Khalsa by the tenth Guru (Guru Gobind Singh) in 1699. Also spelled Baisakhi.
Tuesday, 14th April
Sikh
Birthday of Guru Nanak (Nanakshahi calendar)
The founder of the Sikh religion was born on 14 April 1469.
This festival is also currently celebrated according to the Lunar Calendar, but this may change.
Sikh
Hola Mohalla (Nanakshahi Calendar)
Hola Mohalla is currently celebrated according to the Lunar Calendar, but this may change.
Hindu
Rama Navami
Birthday of Lord Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu and the hero of the Ramayana
Hindu
Swaminarayan Jayanti
This day marks the birth of Bhagwan Swaminarayan for those of the Swaminarayan tradition.
Friday, 18th April
Jain
Mahavira Jayanti
The birth anniversary of Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankar and the "founder" of modern Jainism.
Sikh
Birthday of Guru Tegh Bahadur (Nanakshahi calendar)
Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675) was the ninth of the Sikh Gurus.
Sikh
Birthday of Guru Angad Dev (Nanakshahi calendar)
Guru Angad Dev (1504-1552) was the second of the Sikh Gurus.
Saturday, 19th April
Hindu
Hanuman Jayanti
This festival marks the birth of Hanuman, the Monkey God.
Jewish
Fast of the Firstborn
Observed only by firstborn males, on the day before Passover.
This fast celebrates the survival of Jewish firstborn sons from the 10th Plague of Egypt.
Monday, 20th April
Muslim Women's Friendship Group
(see separate article)
Plymouth Asylum Seekers & Refugees Consortium Meeting
(see separate article)
Buddhist
Theravada New Year
New Year festival for Theravada Buddhists, celebrated for three days from the first full moon day in April.
Jewish
Passover (1st day)
The start of the season of Passover when Jews commemorate the liberation of the Children of Israel who were led out of Egypt by Moses. Work is not permitted on the first two and the last two days of Passover.
Monday, 21st April
Bahai
Ridvan (1st day)
The start of a 12-day festival when Baha'is celebrate the day when Baha'u'llah said that he was the prophet predicted by the Bab.
The most important Baha'I festival.
Rastafari
Anniversary of Haile Selassie' visit to Jamaica
Marks the date Haile Selassie I visited Jamaica in 1966.
Haile Selassie was the Emperor of Ethiopia.
Rastas believe Haile Selassie is God, and that he will return to Africa members of the black community who are living in exile.
Wednesday, 23rd April
Christian
St George' Day
Saint George is the patron saint of England.
Sunday, 27th April
Christian
Easter (Orthodox)
Orthodox Christians celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ - his return from death after the Crucifixion.
The most important Christian festival
Monday, 28th April
Jewish
Passover (final day)
The eighth and final day of Passover.
Note that Passover lasts for seven days in Israel.
Tuesday, 29th April
Bahai
Ridvan (9th day)
Marks the arrival of Baha'u'llah' family at the Ridvan garden.
Monday, 4th May 2009
May Day Holiday
(details to follow)
Plymouth Trades Council May Day Festival
(see separate article)
Thursday, 7th May
Women-only Swimming Session at Plymouth Pavilions
(see separate article)
Saturday, 9th May
Plymouth Mullti-Lingual Families Meeting
(see separate article)
Monday, 25th May
Spring Bank Holiday
(details to follow)
Saturday, 6th June 2009
DCRSC Festival Day
(Details to be announced)
Tuesday, 9th June
DCRSC Annual General Meeting
(see separate article)
Thursday, 11th June
Women-only Swimming Session at Plymouth Pavilions
(see separate article)
Saturday, 13th June
Plymouth Mullti-Lingual Families Meeting
(see separate article)
Monday, 15th – Sunday, 21st June
Refugee Week
(see separate article)
Sunday, 21st June 2009
Father's Day
(details to follow)
Thursday, 9th July
Women-only Swimming Session at Plymouth Pavilions
(see separate article)
Thursday, 11th July
Women-only Swimming Session at Plymouth Pavilions
(see separate article)
August
No Women-only Swimming Session at Plymouth Pavilions
this month due to the School Holidays
(see separate article)
Monday, 31st August 2009
Summer Bank Holiday
(details to follow)
September
South West Sinfonietta Concert
Date to be announced.
Sunday, 8th November 2009
Remembrance Sunday
(details to follow)
Wednesday, 11thNovember 2009
Remembrance Day
(details to follow)
Monday, 30th November 2009
St. Andrew's Day
(details to follow)
Friday, 25th December 2009
Christmas Day
(details to follow)
Saturday, 26th December 2009
Boxing Day
(details to follow)
