Welcome to TIO’s Religious Calendar

September 2024

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For Native Americans, September marks the season of Genuuqwiikw, the season of mountain trails and the beginning of the fall hunt for game; the Iroquois Green Corn Ceremony, a time of renewal involving dances, fasting, offerings, and readings from the code of Handsome Lake; and the Jicarilla Apache Ghost Dance in New Mexico.

Sunday, September 1

  • Religious Calendar Begins — Orthodox Christianity
    The Orthodox liturgical calendar begins on September 1. This is in contrast to the beginning of the Catholic liturgical calendar, which starts on the first Sunday of Advent or the first Sunday closest to the Feast of St. Andrew, which falls annually on November 30 in the Gregorian calendar.

  • Sri Krishna Jayanti or Krishna Janmashtami – Hinduism [Ends September 7]
    A festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, the eighth incarnation of the god Vishnu, whose purpose was to destroy the demon Kansa who was responsible for evil’s increase in the world.

Saturday, September 7

  • Vinayaka Chaturthi - Birth of Ganesh Chaturthi – Hinduism
    Vinayaka Chaturthi is a 10-day festival marking the birth of the elephant-headed deity Ganesha, the god of prosperity and wisdom. It begins on the fourth day (chaturthi) of the month of Bhadrapada, the sixth month of the Hindu calendar.

Sunday, September 8

  • ‘Izzat – Bahá’í
    The beginning of the tenth month of the Bahá’í year, meaning “might.”

  • Nativity of the Mother of God (Theotokos) or Birth of the Blessed Virgin – Christianity
    This festival celebrates the birth of Mary, the mother of Jesus of Nazareth. In Eastern Orthodox churches she is known by the honorific of Theotokos.

  • Das Laxanä Parva [Daslakshan Parva] begins – Jainism [Ends September 18]
    The Festival of the Ten Virtues, celebrated over ten days by the Digambara Jains, helps believers to recall and practice forgiveness, tenderness or humility, honesty, contentment or purity, truth, self-restraint, austerities, charity, celibacy, and non-attachment.

Thursday, September 12

  • Coptic New Year (Enkutatash) — Coptic Christianity
    "Enkutatash is the name for the Ethiopian New Year and means ‘gift of jewels’ in the Amharic language. The story goes back almost 3,000 years to the Queen of Sheba of ancient Ethiopia and Yemen, who was returning from a trip to visit King Solomon of Israel in Jerusalem, as mentioned in the Bible in I Kings 10 and II Chronicles 9. She had gifted Solomon with 120 talents of gold (4.5 tons) and many unique spices and jewels. When the Queen returned to Ethiopia, her chiefs welcomed her with enku or jewels to replenish her treasury." — Bill Petro

Saturday, September 14

  • Elevation or Exultation of the Holy Cross – Christianity
    This day recognizes the Cross as a symbol of Christ’s love for humankind and God’s victory over death. It also marks the finding of the Holy Cross by St. Helen after it had been stolen in the 7th century C.E. Orthodox churches begin their commemoration at sundown on the preceding day. In the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition, this day is known as Meskel and is marked on September 27th.

Sunday, September 15

  • Mawlid-al-Nabi (birthday of Mohammad) — Islam
    'Mawlid' is Celebrated by Muslims during the month of Rabiulawal, the third month of the Muslim calendar. Also commonly known as 'Milad un Nabi', this day is observed as a public holiday in many countries with a large Muslim population as it commemorates the anniversary of the birth of the founder of Islam and the proclaimer of the Qurʾan.

Tuesday, September 17

  • Pitru Paksha (Nayrouz) — Hinduism [Ends October 2]
    The beginning of a two-week period during which Hindu adherents perform shraddha rites to gratify the spirits of their deceased ancestors, including giving food or other donations as a form of charitable service. Hindus believe in Sanatana Dharma--a lifestyle with prime importance for righteousness, values to respect every living being in the universe, as well as those who have left us.

Sunday, September 22

  • Ohigan – Buddhism
    A celebration of the equinox that is of particular importance to Japanese, Korean, and Tibetan Buddhists. During this festival, the six Paramitas [virtues] are emphasized: generosity, morality, wisdom, honesty, endeavor, and patience.

  • Autumn Feast – Native American spirituality
    A day to honor the harvest end and the coming and going of the seasons, including prayers, songs, and the telling of tribal stories.

  • Mabon [Harvest Home] – Wicca
    Marking the second or continuing harvest, this festival celebrates life’s encapsulation as a seed to survive the cold winter, as well as the Harvest of the Vine, which symbolizes the divine power to transform the nectar of youth into the wine of elders’ wisdom and spiritual maturity.

Friday, September 27

  • Meskel — Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity
    This day recognizes the Cross as a symbol of Christ’s love for humankind and God’s victory over death. It also marks the finding of the Holy Cross by St. Helen after it had been stolen in the 7th century C.E. Orthodox churches begin their commemoration at sundown on the preceding day.

  • Mashiyyat — Bahá’í
    The beginning of the eleventh month of the Bahá’í year, meaning “will.”

Sunday, September 29

  • St. Michael and All Angels – Christianity
    A celebration of the archangel Michael and all angels (from the Greek angelos, “divine messenger”) mentioned in the Bible.