An introduction to Faith Festivals
We have been asking our trustees to share with us a brief guide to a Faith festival that is important to them.
Click on the buttons below to see what they say.
Some of our trustees have shared Festivals they are celebrating and what it means to them.
Faith Festivals
We will be adding to these over the next few months, so please come back and have a look again!
We hope you find them useful and informative!
Hindu Festivals – NAWRATRAS -SHARAD NAVRATRAS: 22 Sept to 2 October 2025
What is this festival? Naw or Nav means nine, ratra means night so it is the festival of nine nights. As with all other Hindu festivals there are a few different aspects attached to the festival of Nawratras ie Seasonal: The nawratras are celebrated twice a year, in the Spring, Chatria Navratras and in the…
Faith Festivals… Sukkot
Sukkot… by Angela Banner, Jewish representative of Redbridge Faith Forum This is another harvest festival We decorate an outside booth or hut with fruit and vegetables. We also eat our meals there. On the last day of this festival there is great rejoicing in the synagogue. This year it begins 6th October…
Faith Festivals… Yom Kippur
What Yom Kippur means to me… by Angela Banner, Jewish representative of Redbridge Faith Forum This is the festival of Passover. Yom Kippur is a fast day usually lasting approximately 25+ hours. It is the holiest day of our year. It is the only festival which takes precedence over the sabbath. It…
Hajj and the Feast of Sacrifice (Eid Al Adha)
Eid Al Adha by Mohamed Omer, Muslim representative & Chair of Redbridge Faith Forum Every year, Muslims young and old, rich and poor, kings and peasants from all over the world take part in the largest gathering on Earth; the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. The Hajj is a religious obligation that every Muslim must fulfil, if…
Faith Festivals… Shavoth 1st June
Shavoth by Angela Banner, Jewish representative of Redbridge Faith Forum This is the festival of Shavoth This is a harvest festival. It is customary to forego meat and during this time. Instead milk related dishes are served. Angela has been a Jewish representative on our Board of Trustees since 2014 and is a long term…
VESAK – 12th May 2025
VESAK is a religious and cultural festival celebrated by Buddhists all over the world. It is celebrated in the day of full moon in the month of May with utmost devotion. This day holds great importance for Buddhists as the day is marked important events that took place in the life of Buddha on this…
Vaisakhi:- 14th April 2025
VAISAKHI: Khalsa Sajna Divas Vaisakhi is one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar. It marks the day in 1699 when Guru Gobind Singh Ji the 10th Sikh Guru established the Khalsa Panth at Sri Anandpur Sahib. It is also known as Khalsa Sajna Divas which usually takes place on 13 or 14 April. In…
Faith Festivals… Pesach 12th April to 20th April
What Pesach means to me… by Angela Banner, Jewish representative of Redbridge Faith Forum This is the festival of Passover. This remembers the exodus of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. We eat unleavened bread (Matzo) as the Israelites didn’t have time to bake bread because of their speedy departure from Egypt. …
Hindu Festivals – NAWRATRAS -CHATRIA NAVRATRAS: 30th March to 7th April 2025
What is this festival? Naw or Nav means nine, ratra means night so it is the festival of nine nights. As with all other Hindu festivals there are a few different aspects attached to the festival of Nawratras ie Seasonal: The nawratras are celebrated twice a year, in the Spring, Chatria Navratras and in the…
Baha’i Naw-Ruz (New Year) 20th March 2025
Baha’i Naw-Ruz (New Year) 20th March 2025 Naw-Ruz is one of the 9 Baha’i Holy Days that are celebrated all over the world, annually, by members of the Baha’i Community. On all of the Holy Days work is suspended and school children usually take the day off, if permitted, to celebrate with their family and…