Happy March!
Lion or lamb?  So far snow storms across the country have pounded any glimmer of spring out of our minds, but it's around the corner.  We promise!  This year March is packed full of special religious holidays that your co-workers or clients may be celebrating.
It's nice to be aware of special events, as well as be sensitive to those who may be expressing their religious devotion on certain dates.  Here's what this month looks like:
  
 
Traditional holidays
8 March: 
 
 
International Women's Day
 
The
 day was commemorated for the first time in 1911. At a meeting in 
Copenhagen in 1910, the Socialist International established a Women's 
Day to honor the movement for women's rights and to build support for 
achieving universal suffrage for women.
This festival of Persians, Kurds and Bahai. Eggs and evergreen plants serve as symbols of life,
 continuity, and eternity. On this day Alevi also celebrate the birth of
 Ali who was born in Mecca on the first day of spring or Norouz in 598/9
 AD. Ali ibn Abi Talib was a cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad.
 
 
 
 
 
Christianity
 
24 March: Palm Sunday
    
 
28 March: Holy Thursday/Maundy Thursday
 
Catholic
 Christians commemorate the anniversary of the institution of the 
Eucharist by Jesus at the Last Supper and of the washing of the 
disciples' feet which is symbolically reenacted in many churches as a 
sign of humility.
 
 
 
Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus, when He sacrificed Himself for man's redemption.
 
30 March: Holy Saturday
A Catholic mass without bells or organ music.
 
 
 
31 March: Easter Sunday
The
 most holy of Christian sacred days. The day commemorates the 
resurrection of Jesus and the victory of life over death. Customs: the 
Easter Vigil is held in the night of Holy Saturday, the Easter candle is
 sanctified and lit. The Easter Bunny and Easter eggs are a commercial 
aspect of the holiday that has become a children's tradition. 
 
 
Hinduism
 
27 March: Holi
Holi
 is a colourful spring festival and commemorates the rescue of Prince 
Prahlad from a fire pyre where his sister Holi had taken him. A bonfire 
is lit to signify the burning of Holika and to 
thank Lord Vishnu for his good deed. Ashes from the bonfire are marked on worshippers as a sign of inner cleansing.
 
 
 
Judaism
 
26 March to 2 April: Pesah/Passover
The
 feast of unleavened bread is dedicated to the celebration of the 
deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. At the Seder, a unique 
dinner ceremony, Jews commemorate the "pass over" when God would send 
the Angel of Death to kill the firstborn males but would see that the 
Israelites had marked their houses with lambs' blood and would command 
his angel to "pass over", to kill no one there. (All 
Jewish holidays begin at sundown on the previous day.)
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