Viewing archives for November

27th November 2025

Bahai

Abdu’l-Baha was the eldest son of Baha’u’llah, the Prophet-Founder of the Baha’i Faith. Born in Persia in 1844 and named Abbas, Abdu’l-Baha was the eldest son of Baha’u’llah, and from the age of eight, He shared His Father’s exile and imprisonment. Throughout His life, He demonstrated praiseworthy qualities and was known for His loving kindness, selfless spirit of service, and generosity, especially towards those in need. Baha’u’llah referred to Him as “the Master”, “the Mystery of God” and “a shelter for all mankind”, however, Abdu’l-Baha preferred to be called “Abdu’l-Baha”, meaning “the Servant of Baha”, in reference to His servitude to Baha’u’llah and His teachings.

In Baha’u’llah’s will and testament, He instructed all to turn to Abdu’l-Baha as the authorized interpreter of the Baha’i Writings and also as the perfect exemplar of the Baha’i Faith’s spirit and teachings.

When finally released from prison, Abdu’l-Baha traveled to Egypt, Europe, and North America, to promote the Baha’i teachings, giving numerous public talks and interviews, and meeting with people from all walks of life.

When Abdu’l-Baha passed away at the age of 77 on 28 November 1921, in the Holy Land, His funeral was attended by 10,000 mourners of numerous religious backgrounds. In spontaneous tributes to an admired personality, He was eulogized as One who led humanity to the “Way of Truth,” as a “pillar of peace” and the embodiment of “glory and greatness.”

25th November 2025

Bahai

Every year in late November Baha’is around the world honor unity on the Day of the Covenant. This special Baha’i Holy Day recognizes and celebrates the appointment of Abdu’l-Baha as the Center of Baha’u’llah’s Covenant, that unbroken, unified line of guidance which safeguards the Baha’i Faith from division and disunity.

So Baha’is celebrate the unity of their Faith—and the essential unity of all Faiths—on the Day of the Covenant. They also recognize, on this special day, the wider covenant that exists between God and humanity, which expresses itself in the singular purpose, common principles, and prophetic connections that link every Faith. This eternal covenant between God and humanity calls on each human being to recognize and accept all of the founders of the world’s great Faiths, acknowledging the system of divine education Baha’is call progressive revelation.

The Baha’i teachings say that God reveals religious and mystical truth through a systematic succession of prophets and messengers throughout history. Baha’is see those great teachers, the founders of the world’s major Faiths, as bringing different stages in one continuous spiritual educational system for all humanity.

Those messengers of God, history tells us, each made a promise to their followers that they would return to lead humanity to God again. This greater eternal Covenant, which calls on every person of faith to recognize and accept the next prophet of God, forms the basis of the successive system of divine education called progressive revelation.

Baha’is see the unity of religion as an organic, unbroken chain of God’s messengers, who all taught the same essential Faith. This great Covenant – God’s promise never to leave His creation bereft of guidance – has held true throughout every time and civilization.

1st November 2025

Christian (Western Churches)

(The Catholic Church in England and Wales moves this festival to the nearest Sunday if it falls on a Saturday or a Monday.)

All Hallows’, originally All Martyrs’

This day provides a chance to offer thanks for the work and witness of all Christian saints, recognising that not all are known or specially celebrated. Many churches stress this day rather than Hallowe’en, which falls the day before, by holding events especially designed for children. 

2nd November 2025

Christian

On this day in particular the departed are remembered and prayers on their behalf are offered. From earliest times Christians have prayed for the souls of the dead. In the year 998, All Souls, ‘the faithful departed’, began to be remembered in the Church calendar on this day.

2nd November 2025

Rastafari

One of the holiest days of the Rastafarian year, it celebrates Haile Selassie’s accession to the Ethiopian throne. It cements the role Ethiopia plays at the heart of Rastafarian tradition.

Amongst followers of Rastafarianism, a religion which developed in the 1930s in Jamaica under the influence of Marcus Garvey’s “Back to Africa” movement, Haile Selassie I is regarded as a messiah who will lead the peoples of Africa and the African diaspora to freedom. The date of his coronation is celebrated by believers throughout the world as one of the most sacred days of the Rastafarian calendar.

Haile Selassie’s birthname was Tafari Mekonnen. When he was crowned Emperor in 1930, he assumed the name Haile Selassie, “Might of the Trinity”, as well as the title “King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah.”

He reigned until 1974, when he was deposed in a military coup following famines and economic turmoil in the country. Put under house arrest by the military authorities, he died in 1975, reputedly of natural causes, although many believe he was killed on the order of the military. Rastafarians themselves believe that Selassie is still alive, and that his widely reported death is part of a conspiracy to discredit their religion. In the end, the dissent which toppled his government came from the same group of elite intellectuals to which he had afforded support and education, in opposition to the influence of feudal tradition.

Custodianship of the popular opinion of Haile Selassie has gradually moved towards the Rasta movement, as the movement itself has gained more freedom, not least through the spread of reggae music. This tradition has proved very efficient in disseminating basic knowledge of Selassie into popular conscience, especially in the Caribbean. Just as old Ethiopians swear on Selassie as Janhoy (meaning the Elephant, as in the Emperor who is greater than the King of the jungle, the Lion), throughout the English-speaking parts of the region it is common to substitute ‘God knows’ with ‘Selassie knows’. Iconic images of His Imperial Majesty can be found virtually anywhere.

9th November 2025

National

The Sunday nearest to Armistice Day, devoted to remembering the dead of the two World wars and subsequent wars. 

15th November 2025

Japanese

Girls of seven, boys of five and girls of three are dressed up in new clothes and taken to a Shinto shrine to pray for their future well-being. As is the case with Hinamatsuri, the family’s care for children and their upbringing is a central aspect of Japanese family life.

As part of the festival, girls are dressed in kimonos while boys wear haori jackets and hakama trousers, for the celebration, and visit the shrine with their families to participate in a Shinto purification ceremony to pray for a long and happy life and to mark their passage into middle childhood. The ages three, five and seven are said to have been chosen as odd numbers are considered auspicious in Japanese numerology.

The custom dates back to the Heian period (794-1185) when child and infant mortality was high. It began amongst court nobles and then spread to the samurai class who added several rituals. During the samurai era, it was customary for children to have their heads shaved at birth. It was kept short until the age of three. The Shichi-go-san festival marked the time when children could start growing their hair, referred to as “kamioki” (literally ‘putting on hair’).

Although this custom is no longer observed, the celebration of the day that marked it is. At the age of three, boys and girls make their first debut at the local shrine wearing traditional Japanese clothes. Then at the age of five, boys celebrate ‘hakamagi-no-ig’, their first time to officially wear ‘hakama’ or formal Japanese pants. And at the age of seven, girls celebrate ‘obitoki-no-gi’ when they wear the traditional ‘obi’ sash to tie their kimono for the first time instead of simple cords. Children get Chitoseame in a bag with a crane and a turtle on it. In Japan these animals are symbols of long life. Chitoseame is wrapped in an edible rice paper so children do not have to bother with removing the wrapping.

5th November 2025

Buddhist

Anapanasati day, which is observed by monks in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, is marked by two different ceremonies: one falls on the day after the final day of the three months long Rains Retreat; the other falls on the same day or at some time during the month that follows.

The first is the ‘Invitation’ or ‘Pavarana’ ceremony (see above), usually held towards the end of   October. On the same day or up to a month later comes the Kathina ceremony. Anapanasati is the last day on which the Kathina ceremony may be observed.

This ceremony, the ‘Invitation’, takes place at the very end of the Rains Retreat when the monks and nuns meet together and invite one another to point out each other’s faults, as they have been observed during the Retreat. Its purpose is to help them in purifying themselves. A monk (Bhikkhu) has to be open to any criticism from colleagues or from lay people he (or she) has met regarding his/her behaviour.

Being open to criticism in this manner was a way of life the Buddha himself inaugurated. Since then the monks of the Sangha need to be sensitive to complaints made by others in order to win their respect and to encourage them to learn and progress in the Dhamma (teaching). In particular they have to take note of the remarks made by their fellow monks. It is a kind of check-and-balance system between individual Bhikkhus as well as between the senior and the junior monks.

The ‘Invitation’ Ceremony is important ceremonially as well as spiritually. Without it there cannot be a proper Kathina robe-offering – any gifts of robes will only be the ordinary robe-offerings which often follow the Retreat, with no advantage or benefit to the monks themselves.

The second ceremony of Anapanasati falls on or after the final day of the three months long Rains Retreat, after cloth has been presented to the Sangha (the community of monks and nuns) by members of the lay Buddhist community. This is made into a Kathina robe by sewing patches of the cloth together. The robe is then offered by the monks present to a particular monk, usually an especially deserving or virtuous one, in a thoughtful ceremony conducted by four of his colleagues.

The word ‘Kathina’ is Pali in origin. It means a frame used in sewing robes in the period when the Buddha lived and taught in India. The Kathina ceremony is necessarily a monastic one, but the cost of producing and dyeing the robe is usually supported by the generous donations of local devotees. The laity are able to gain merit for themselves by observing the ceremony.

Throughout the four following months the monk who receives the robe enjoys the relaxation of five minor rules (out of the 220 that normally apply during and after the Retreat). These mainly relate to travel and the receipt of alms. Normally a Bhikkhu, whether senior or junior, has to inform his fellow monks who live in the same temple before he goes out. Once he has received the Kathina-robe he can choose whether to do so or not. He also has less restriction on where he travels. Usually he has to carry all the three pieces of his/her robe wherever he goes, but now he can now leave one behind if he wishes. He can also accept other robes if offered during the period of four months.

At the heart of Anapanasati, which means ‘mindfulness of breathing’, is a form of Buddhist meditation initially taught by Gautama Buddha. It is described in several suttas (discourses delivered by the Buddha) including the Anapanasati Sutta. It originated when the Buddha announced in advance one year that he would speak at the end of the Rains. This allowed a large number of monks, elders, and teachers to come together. He praised their various practices within the assembly, and then explained the importance to them of ‘mindfulness of breathing in and out’, and how it can bring ‘knowledge and liberation.’  Mindfulness, meditation and breath control have since come to be at the heart of Theravada Buddhism.

5th November 2025

Sikhi

Although the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak, was born in April 1469, his birth anniversary (one of Sikhs’ most widely celebrated gurpurbs) is still generally celebrated on the full moon day of the lunar month of Kartik. It is a celebration observed by all Sikhs on this date, whether they observe the Bakrami lunar calendar or the more recent Nanakshahi one.

As is the case with all other gurpurbs, an akhand path (a complete, unbroken reading of the Guru Granth Sahib) commences two days earlier so that it ends on the morning of the festival. Sikhs gather at the gurdwara for hymn-singing (kirtan) and to hear kathas (homilies) and share the langar (free meal). The gurdwara may be illuminated and street processions take place too, culminating in some cases, as at Baisakhi, in the washing and redressing of the nishan, the flag and the flagpole erected outside each gurdwara.

The name “Nanak” was used by all subsequent Gurus while penning down their own spiritual revelations, recorded now in the holy scripture called the Guru Granth Sahib. So the second Sikh Guru, Guru Angad Dev Ji is also called the “Second Nanak” or “Nanak II”. It is believed by the Sikhs that all subsequent Gurus carried the same message as that of Guru Nanak and so they have used the name ‘Nanak’ in their holy text instead of their own name and hence are all understood to carry the divine ‘Light of Nanak’.

Although each of the ten human Gurus shares a common nature and equal honour, Guru Nanak is fêted as the one who initiated the Sikh tradition and determined its direction for the future. His creativity and humanity became landmarks for those who follow his example.

24th November 2025

Sikhi

1675 CE

As ordered by the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded in Sis Ganj, near Chandi Chowk in Old Delhi, for upholding the refusal of a number of Hindu Kashmiri Brahmins’ to convert to Islam. These Hindus had turned to him for help and the Guru told them to inform the Emperor that they would only convert if the Guru also converted. This of course he then refused to do. Guru Tegh Bahadur is accordingly honoured for sacrificing his head (sir) rather than his faith (sis) for the religious freedom of those of a different religious persuasion from himself.

Guru Tegh Bahadur was the youngest of the five sons of Guru Hargobind, and was born in 1621 CE. His name means ‘Mighty of Sword’, and his father foresaw that he would become his successor as Guru in due course. He received effective training in archery and horsemanship as well as in the classic teachings of the Sikh traditions. He showed early promise of mastery in all these fields, and also gave evidence of a deeply mystical temperament by his prolonged spells of seclusion and contemplation. This strain of his genius is best expressed in his sublime poetry, preserved in the Guru Granth. There was no doubt that he was his father’s favourite and that mighty events awaited him.

The Guru held several meetings with the Emperor, Aurangzeb. During the course of the discussions and the arguments that ensued in these conferences, Aurangzeb tried to justify his actions to crush infidels, by arguing that the Hindus were destined to be thrown into hell if they did not worship Allah, the one true God. He claimed he was carrying out this policy on the orders of the Almighty and that the only way for Hindus to gain admission to heaven and to avoid hell was to embrace Islam.

Guru Tegh Bahadur in His reply told the Emperor of Delhi: ‘All men are created by God and therefore must be free to worship in any manner they like.’ It is worth noting that the Sikhs are as much against idol worship as are the Muslims. Ideologically therefore Guru Tegh Bahadur and Aurangzeb were much nearer to each other, than either were to the Hindus – whose cause the Guru was defending. It is apparent that the Guru was espousing an ideology in which he himself did not believe. This is why his sacrifice was unique.

At the end of these discussions the Emperor gave the Guru three options:
(i) To embrace Islam as His religion and receive the highest honours in his court.
(ii) To perform miracles, which the Muslims regarded as the fundamental characteristic of a true prophet;
(iii) To accept death.

The Guru declined to accept Islam or to perform any miracles.  ‘God’s favour is not for the purpose of show, like a juggler.’ Instead he willingly accepted the third offer – that of death. He was placed in prison in Delhi, and when he continued to plead the case for Hindu emancipation, he was placed in an iron cage and tortured. He was forced to witness the torture and death of some of his followers, one (Matidas) being sawn in half, while reciting the Japji, another being thrown into a cauldron of boiling water, and yet another torn apart. The Guru still refused to submit and was beheaded on the Emperor’s order. His example of courage and bravery had a profound influence on those who supported and followed him, and led eventually to a new era of freedom and tolerance for all.