NASA Goddard encourages and celebrates different faiths.

On the first of every month, my husband’s employer (NASA Goddard) sends out an email with activities and events going on at the Center, including a list of all the celebrations for that month. One would absolutely expect nationally-recognized holidays to be on there, as well as Christian ones as they’re the religious majority.

Surprisingly, though, and this was pointed out to me by Matt when he started working there… they include all faiths! Baha’i, Islam, Hindu, smaller sects of Christianity, Judaism, Humanism, and even Paganism/Wicca! It always shocks me to see a Sabbat there.

Below is the section of the email sent to all NASA Goddard employees this morning with the holidays for the month of February, including some links at the bottom with additional information and a diversity calendar:

February 1

Columbia Disaster (United States) Commemorates the day in 2003 when NASA lost astronauts Anderson, Brown, Chawla, Clark, Husband, McCool, and Ramon during landing. NASA continues to honor the fallen heroes of the STS-107 crew and their dedication to the spirit of exploration and discovery.

February 2 

Groundhog Day (United States) Legend holds that if the groundhog comes out of its hole and sees its shadow, it will go back in and six more weeks of winter and a bad growing season will follow. If it’s cloudy, the groundhog will see no shadow, winter will soon be over, and crops will be good.

February 2 

Candlemas (Christian) Celebrates the presentation of the baby Jesus, the Christians’ Savior, in the Temple of Jerusalem 40 days after his birth. This religious holiday originated with the ancient Jewish custom that required mothers to present their first male child in the temple. As a Jewish mother, Mary would have presented Jesus on February 2. The day is associated with light and purification. The holiday takes its name from the custom of blessing the church’s supply of candles for the year on this date.

February 2 

Imbolc  (Pagan and Wiccan) A celebration of light and the coming of spring; one of the “Greater Sabbats” during the Wiccan year. Imbolc, which, like all Pagan and Wiccan holidays, begins at sundown on the day before, is a celebration of fire and light and the return of life.

February 4

Mawlid al-Nabi (Islamic)  Commemorates the prophet Muhammad’s birthday circa 570. Begins at sundown the previous day.

February 8

Tu B’Shevat (Jewish) Israel’s New Year Celebration for trees, similar to National Arbor Day in the U.S. Jews around the world also observe this holiday. Begins at sundown the previous day.

February 12

Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday (United States)  This day commemorates the birth of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), one of the greatest presidents of the United States, who changed the course of history by preserving the American Union during the Civil War, thereby preserving American democracy. In the process of saving the Union, Lincoln issued the historic Emancipation Proclamation, which paved the way for the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ending slavery in the United States. Lincoln’s eloquence and conviction are reflected in such historic speeches as the Gettysburg Address, given at the site of the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania during the Civil War, when he declared that “this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.” On this day, wreath-laying ceremonies are held at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site in Hodgenville, Kentucky, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., and at Lincoln’s tomb in Springfield, Illinois.

February 12

Darwin Day (Humanist)  A week to promote both an understanding among people of all religions and living according to the principles of fellowship, equality, and justice.

February 13

Brotherhood/Sisterhood Week (Christian, Jewish)  A week to promote both an understanding among people of all religions and living according to the principles of fellowship, equality, and justice.

February 14

Race Relations Day (United States) A holiday designated by some churches to encourage understanding among all races.

February 14

Valentine’s Day (United States) Recognizes the possible execution date around 270 AD of one of two Christian martyrs named Valentine. Legend says that one secretly performed marriages between young people in opposition to the Roman Emperor’s ban on marriage; another had the power to patch up lovers’ quarrels. Since the Middle Ages, this day has been dedicated to romantic love.

February 15

Susan B. Anthony Day (United States) Honors one of the first woman’s rights advocates, working especially for equal suffrage. She was born on this day in 1820.

February 20

Maha Shivaratri (Shiva’s Night) (Hindu) Honors the Lord Shiva, who, on this night, danced the Tandav, believed to be a dance of creation, preservation, and destruction. This festival honors Shiva who, along with Vishnu and Krishna, is one of the most important deities in Hinduism. It is observed in the spring and is celebrated with fasting, prayer, and meditation

February 20

Great Lent begins (Coptic Orthodox Christian) Also known as the Great Fast, this begins the Lenten season for the Coptic Orthodox Christians, who follow the Julian calendar. It begins with a one-week preparatory fast, followed by a 40-day fast commemorating Christ’s fasting on the mountain. The fast of Great Lent, which includes Sundays, officially ends on the Saturday before Holy Week, known as Lazarus Saturday, although fasting continues during Holy Week (Pascha). During this time, no animal products, such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, or butter, are allowed. Moreover, no food or drink may be taken between sunrise and sunset.

February 21

President’s Day (United States) A federal holiday that celebrates the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln, born February 12, 1809, and George Washington, born February 22, 1732. Present usage often regards this as a day to honor all former U.S. presidents, although the Federal holiday is still Washington’s birthday.

February 21

Mardi Gras (United States) or Fat Tuesday is a boisterous celebration held annually on Shrove Tuesday, the day before the season of Lent begins in the Western Christian liturgical calendar. The actual date varies from year to year since it depends on the date of Easter. Mardi Gras is the culmination of a long carnival season which begins on January 6, the Twelfth Night of Christmas (Epiphany). The custom was brought to the United States by the French who had paraded a fat ox through Paris.

February 21

International Mother Language Day (United Nations) This day was proclaimed by UNESCO on November 17, 1999 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and to celebrate the nearly six thousand languages spoken in the world today. It is observed on February 21 in international recognition of Language Martyrs’ Day in Bangladesh.

February 22

Ash Wednesday (Christian) The first day of Lent, a period of penance and self-examination. The ceremony that gives this day its name includes a priest marking the foreheads of penitents in the sign of the cross as a reminder that they were but ashes and dust. Dietary restrictions apply on all Fridays during Lent.

February 22

George Washington’s Birthday (United States) The birthday of George Washington (1732-1799), hero of the Revolutionary War, president of the Constitutional Convention, and first president of the United States of America, is observed on this day. When the Second Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia in May 1775, Washington, one of the Virginia delegates, was elected Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. He became a prime mover in the steps leading to the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia in 1787. When the new Constitution was ratified, the Electoral College unanimously elected Washington President. Celebrated for the first time in the late eighteenth century when George Washington was still president, Washington’s Birthday became an official Federal holiday in 1885. The Uniform Holidays Bill of 1968, which took effect in 1971, moved the holiday from February 22 to the third Monday in February. Since state governments are not obliged to adopt Federal holidays and can determine their own legal holidays, some states, such as Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Texas, renamed their state holiday “Presidents’ Day,” while other states, including Connecticut, Illinois, and Missouri, chose to observe two separate holidays to commemorate the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

February 26

Ayyam-i-Ha (Baha’i) Intercalary Days The days from February 26 to March 1 adjust the Baha’i year, which consists of 19 months with 19 days each month, to the solar calendar. These days are observed with gift-giving and special acts of charity. A time of rejoicing, generosity and welcoming neighbors in preparation for the period of fasting from March 2–20.

February 27

Great Lent begins (Eastern Orthodox Christian)  Also known as Clean Monday in Greece and Green Monday in Cyprus, this begins the Lenten season based on the Julian calendar followed by Eastern Orthodox Christians. Eastern Orthodox Lent, known as Great Lent, includes Sundays and officially ends on Lazarus Saturday, the day before Palm Sunday, although fasting continues during Holy Week. While many people no longer fast for forty days, most people observe the fast strictly for the two weeks preceding Easter

We invite you to visit the Web sites used to compile this calendar for additional information. There you will find a wealth of information on days that are recognized throughout the world. Please find the sources listed below:

http://www.diversityresources.com/rc/index.php?key=LTaqtAOLBkCP

http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/

http://www.diversitycalendar.com/Home.html

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