Category: Catholic
St. Patrick’s Day
Irish communities around the world celebrate their patron saint on Saint Patrick's Day, March 17. It is the Irish national holiday, and a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, the territory of Montserrat, and the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The holiday is also widely celebrated in the United States, and [...] Read More »
Valentine’s Day
Valentine's Day is a holiday dedicated to love and romance in many cultures. It is a good day to get engaged, plan a specially romantic date, buy chocolates or flowers for your sweetheart, or simply “give a valentine” to your friends. Many schoolchildren exchange Valentines with their class mates, which can be home-made cards or [...] Read More »
Twelfth Night, Epiphany, or Three Kings Day
Don’t Forget to Leave Out Some Food for the Camels!
January 6th is the twelfth day after Christmas, celebrated as Epiphany or the Feast of the Three Kings in many countries with strong Christian traditions, such as Germany, Austria, Poland, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Argentina. It commemorates the visit of the Three Wise Men, or [...] Read More »
Lucyfest: Santa Lucia’s Festival
On December 13th, one of the shortest, darkest days of winter, Sweden celebrates Lucyfest, in honor of Saint Lucia, the Queen of Lights, in a festival that also has roots in Italy, Germany and Norway. Traditionally, each village had its own Santa Lucia: a young woman, dressed in a white gown, wearing a red [...] Read More »
Our Lady of Guadalupe: the Virgin Morena, or la Reina de Mexico
December 12 is one of the most important dates in the Mexican calendar: the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico’s patron saint. Thousands of faithful make the pilgrimage to the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, which houses the cloak of the "Virgen Morena," the "Dark Virgin." Festivals are held all around the [...] Read More »
St. Nicholas Day: Open Presents on December 6!
December 6 is Saint Nicholas Day, celebrated with various traditions in many European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland. In Holland and the Flemish-speaking parts of Belgium, the morning of December 6 is the day that children receive presents, rather than Christmas Eve [...] Read More »
Los Dias de los Muertos
On November 1st and 2nd, many countries celebrate All Hallow’s Eve (Halloween), All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. In some Latin American countries, the day is known as Los Dias de los Muertos (“The Days of the Dead”). In Mexico, these days have become a spectacular national holiday. Unlike many [...] Read More »
