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"The greatness of a culture can be found in its festivals."
Siddharth Katragadda
Ascension Day, 18 May
What
Ascension Day celebrates Jesus leaving the Earth and being taken up to Heaven to re-join God the Father.
This event is called the Ascension.
Why
40 days after his resurrection, Jesus was taken up, body and soul, to Heaven to re-join God the Father.
This event is called the ascension, and Jesus’ eleven remaining apostles witnessed it.
Angels helped the apostles understand what was happening: that Jesus had overcome death and would now live forever.
In the Bible, the book called the Acts of the Apostles, describes the ascension in great detail.
For Christians, the event is also proof of the power and glory of God.
Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and ascension are key events that shape Christian beliefs.
Meet young Kezia who's an actor and who describes her daily life as a Christian.
She tells us us that being a good Christian is more than just going to church.
It's all about your actions, how you interact with people and belonging to a community where people support you in your faith.
Who and Where
How
In many European countries, Ascension Day is a a public holiday.
In the Catholic tradition, people celebrate with a three-day procession with torches and banners to ask for God’s mercy.
The procession symbolises Christ’s journey to the Mount of Olives and entry into heaven.
Some people hold an all-night vigil.
In the UK and in Jersey, people attend church services where they pray, sing hymns and also receive Holy Communion.
Learn more about Ascension day customs and traditions in the UK here.
Here is a list of ascension hymns written and composed by people from all over the world.
Listen to the hymn "Hail The Day That Sees Him Rise" by the 16th century hymn writer Charles Wesley.
It is also known as "Hymn For Ascension Day,"
In Europe during the Middle Ages, it was a tradition to eat a bird on Ascension Day.
Many follow this custom today and pigeons, duck, quail, pheasants, partridges grace the dinner tables.
People keep bouquets made of wheat ears, daisies, poppies and olive branches in churches and in their homes.
In Jersey
Do write and tell us how you will celebrate Ascension Day.
Will you attend services in our beautiful Jersey churches?
We'd love to know.
Bodhi Day/Wesak, 19 May
What
Bodhi day celebrates the day when Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and became The Buddha or The Enlightened One.
According to the Buddhist scriptures, this event took place in Bihar in northern India, more than 2500 years ago.
Why
Who and Where
Buddhists all around the world celebrate Bodhi day.
How
People decorate their homes with lanterns, oil lamps, garlands and light incense sticks in front of statues of the Buddha.
They visit Buddhist temples and meditate there.
Many Buddhists also send ‘Wesak cards’ to their friends.
Join young Shelin, whose origins are Srilankan, and see how she celebrates Wesak.
Here is a video of two wonderful Buddhist stories "Siddhatha and the Swan" and "The Monkey King" that you will enjoy.
The first story is about kindness to all living beings and the second one is about how to be a good leader and care for others.
Another story with a profound moral is the story of the mustard seed.
This shows you how suffering and death is everywhere and is unavoidable.
The story is followed with an explanation of the Buddhist belief in impermanence – that everything changes.
This teaches us to find happiness in everyday things and not get possessive about anything.
In Jersey
If you are a Buddhist, do write and tell us how you will celebrate Bodhi Day.
And if you have Buddhist friends, will you get to celebrate and meditate with them?
We'd love to know.
Shavuot, 26-27 May
What
Shavuot or the Feast of Weeks is a Jewish holiday, celebrated between May 25–27 on the Gregorian calendar.
The holiday has both an agricultural and biblical significance:
it marks the wheat and barley harvest in Israel, and it is when God revealed the Holy Book of the Torah on Mt. Sinai to Moses.
Why
According to the Old Testament, the Jewish people were being treated like slaves by their cruel Egyptian masters.
One day on Mt Sinai, God revealed the Ten Commandments to Moses.
With God's guidance and led by Moses, they left Egypt and began their journey back to their homeland.
Listen to a group of Jewish children tell us about the significance of Shavout to them.
From the symbolism of freedom from slavery, children learn that we must treat others as we would want to be treated.
Shavuot is known also as "the Day of the First Fruits", because it's the time the farmers of Israel would bring their first harvest to Jerusalem as a token of thanksgiving.
Who and where
Jews all over the world celebrate Shavout.
How
It is a custom for Jews to go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem during the festival.
Synagogues are decorated with plants and flowers and Jews read the Torah and the Book of Ruth.
The Ten Commandments are also read as part of the Shavout service.
Then, it is customary to eat a family meal which consists of dairy foods, such as blintzes, challah and cheesecakes.
If you'd like to try and cook them, here are the recipes and then some more recipes.
Many young people celebrate their confirmation as Jews during the festival.
In Jersey
If you are Jewish, do write and tell us if you will go to the Synagogue and how you will celebrate Shavout.
And if you have Jewish friends, will you get to celebrate with them?
We'd love to have your feed-back.