Shavuot (Judaism), 6-8 Sivan 5746

Shavuot is a Jewish festival that celebrates the giving of the Torah, the Five Books of Moses, on Mount Sinai. Tradition dictates that King David was born and died on this holiday. The Book of Ruth, which relates the conversion of a Moabite woman who became David's ancestress, is chanted aloud on Shavuot. In modern times, the holiday holds special meaning because it was on this day in 1967 that the Old City of Jerusalem was officially opened to the public following the Six Day War. In America today, Shavuot is a quiet festival; many synagogues hold confirmation ceremonies for the youth, celebrating their commitment to study and live the Torah.

Recommended Reading: For Torah study, a promising new book is The Women's Haftarah Commentary: New Insights from Women Rabbis on the 54 Weekly Haftarah Portions, the Five Megillot and the Special Shabbatot, edited by Rabbi Elyse Goldstein. (Jewish Lights, Apr.) For more on Judaism in the United States, see Jonathan Sarna's American Judaism: A History, which received a starred review in PW. (Yale, Apr.)

Pentecost (Western and Eastern Christianity)

Pentecost, or Whitsunday in the West, occurs roughly 50 days after Easter and commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the early Christian church. As recorded in the second chapter of Acts in the New Testament, the Spirit enabled the early Christians to understand one another in their own native languages, and to speak in languages they had not formally learned. The color red is sometimes used to decorate churches on this day, because it symbolizes the "tongues of fire" that miraculously appeared to the first Christians.

Recommended Reading: Ben Witherington's book The New Testament Story offers an accessible history of the New Testament and the early Christian church. (Eerdmans, May) For a fascinating investigation of modern Christian miracles, try Randall Sullivan's The Miracle Detective: An Investigation of Holy Visions. (Atlantic Monthly Press, Apr.)

Pioneer Day (Mormonism)

On July 24, 1847, the first hardy Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley, ending a grueling westward trek in which dozens had died, and beginning a new era of prosperous Mormon settlement in the West. Today, Latter-day Saints all over the world celebrate Pioneer Day (although only in Utah is it a state holiday), with parades, picnics, reenactments and historical hymns such as "Come, Come Ye Saints." In 1997, the LDS Church celebrated the sesquicentennial of the pioneers' arrival with a Worldwide Day of Service for Mormons to perform volunteer work in their local communities.

Recommended Reading: Val Rust's Radical Origins: Early Mormon Converts and Their Colonial Ancestors explores the family history of some of the first Mormon pioneers, finding in their backgrounds a tendency toward radical religious understandings. (Univ. of Illinois, May) If you're hungry for good cornbread and other foods beloved of the pioneers, try The Essential Mormon Cookbook: Green Jell-O, Funeral Potatoes, and Other Secret Combinations. (Deseret, Apr.)

Lammas/Lughnasadh(Wicca/Neo-Paganism)

Lammas, which literally means "Bread mass," celebrates the first fruits of the harvest season. In Ireland, the festival is called Lughnasadh, after Lugh, a Celtic sun god. During the Middle Ages, Christians adapted the ancient pagan ritual by placing loaves of bread on the altars of churches on this day. Today, Wiccans and Neo-Pagans mark the festival with a grain offering to the gods, followed by a feast. In Ireland, the holiday is still the occasion of athletic games and craft festivals, especially for crafts related to the harvest (e.g., "corn maiden" dolls).

Recommended reading: Edain McCoy's primer If You Want to Be a Witch: A Practical Introduction to the Craft presents all of the major festivals, including Lammas. (Llewellyn, June) The standard text is still Anna Franklin and Paul Mason's 2001 book Lammas, also from Llewellyn.

Sri Krishna Jayanti (Hinduism)

Sri Krishna, whom Hindus believe to be the eighth avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu on the earth, is one of the most popular deities in India. Hindus celebrate this, his birthday, with lavish feasts and joyful recitations of the god's exploits in poetry and song. It's not a holiday for dieters: since butter was Krishna's favorite food (he was even known to steal to obtain it), it features prominently in this celebration, as do sweets and other dairy products.

Recommended Reading: This fall, Ram Dass will publish Paths to God: Living the Bhagavad Gita, a new interpretation of the classic devotional text about Krishna. (Harmony, Sept. 7) In Krishna: The Beautiful Legend of God, Edwin Bryant offers many of the legends associated with the deity, from his miraculous childhood to his languorous trysts with cow maidens. (Penguin, June) To explore a 20th-century manifestation of Krishna devotion, see Holy Cow: The Hare KrishnaContribution to Vegetarianism and Animal Rights, by Steven Rosen. (Lantern, May)

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