HOLIDAYS

A provincial statutory holiday observed on the third Monday in February in most provinces. About two-thirds of all Canadians will have the day off on Family Day.

Alberta was the first province to introduce the statutory holiday in 1990 under the Premier at the time, Don Getty.

The establishment of the day created some controversy. Some people believed that the day was established as a response to a cocaine possession scandal one of the former Premier’s sons was involved in at the time. According to an archive, “Premier Getty was obviously embarrassed by the revelation and admitted publicly that he had neglected his family, saying that it was important for all Albertans to take more care with their families also.”

By the middle of the 15th century, most of modern Serbia had come under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, with some parts under control by periods by the Austrians and the Hapsburgs.

In January 1804, Serbia was under the control of the Dahijas, a renegade section of elite Ottoman troops. Fearing control would be taken back by the Ottomans, they executed 70 Serb nobles in an event called the ‘Slaughter of the Dukes’. This event triggered the first Serbian uprising which began on February 14th.

Initially, the uprising was supported by the Sultan of the Ottomans, but their demands for greater autonomy for Serbia led to military suppression by the Ottomans. The Serbians defended themselves against these attacks and by 1805 had formed a government.

In 1813, after the end of the Russo-Turkish War, the Ottoman Empire turned its focus back to Serbia, retaking the country.

A second uprising took place between 1815 – 1817, with the result that Serbia became a Principality.

On February 15th 1835, the Principality of Serbia adopted the first Constitution in the Balkan region.The constitution was drafted by Dimitrije Davidović, Prime Minister of Serbia, Minister of Education and chief secretary of cabinet to Prince Miloš Obrenović I, and was adopted in the City of Kragujevac in 1835. 

It established a Serbian Parliament, with a royal dynasty and abolished feudalism and serfdom. The constitution was short-lived and was repealed in April 1835.

It wasn’t until 1867 that the last Turkish troops left Serbia.

Serbian Statehood Day is celebrated on the same day as Orthodox Candlemas (Sretenje), which is why that first constitution is known as the Sretenje Constitution (Candlemas Constitution).

The traditions of St. Valentine’s Day mix elements of both ancient Roman rites and Christian tradition. To confuse matters, three different saints named Valentine are recognised by the Catholic Church. Valentine may not be the luckiest of names, as all three of the saints are martyrs.

One legend tells us that Valentine was a priest in Rome during the third century. Emperor Claudius II decreed that marriage was to be outlawed for young men, as he thought that single men made better soldiers than those who were married with families.

Valentine felt the decree was unjust and unfair and he defied the Emperor by performing secret marriages for young lovers. When his actions for undercover lovers were discovered, Claudius ordered Valentine to be executed. Variations on this legend say that Valentine was put to death for trying to help fellow Christians escape from harsh Roman prisons where they were often tortured. 

According to another legend, Valentine may have actually sent the first ‘valentine’ greeting himself in 270 AD the day before he was to be executed for refusing to renounce his Christian beliefs. Allegedly he sent a note of appreciation to his jailer’s blind daughter for bringing him food and delivering messages while he was imprisoned, signed “from your Valentine.”

While we can never be certain as to the true origin of the St. Valentine legend, one thing is for certain, it must have been an appealing and enduring story because by the Middle Ages, Valentine had become one of the most popular saints in France and Britain.

The timing observance of his saint’s day may have been driven by the commonplace practice of trying to integrate previous pagan festivals into the Christian calendar. in this case, the Lupercalia festival.

In ancient Rome, February was seen as the beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and wheat throughout the interiors (we still refer to Spring Cleaning to this day).

Lupercalia, which began on the ‘ides (15th) of February’, was a fertility festival dedicated to the agricultural god Lupercus and to the Goddess of Love, Juno, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. Roman maidens placed their names into an urn set up in the public squares and young single men drew from it to get a ‘blind date’ for the coming year. More often than not, these annual matches often ended in marriage.

St. Valentine’s Day was set at February 14th by Pope Gelasiusin 498AD. By this time, the ‘lottery’ system for romantic dating was deemed un-Christian and had been outlawed. During the Middle Ages, the practice of love lotteries carried on as ‘Chance Boxes’. In France, drawings from the boxes allotted couples one year to get married or part company. In England, it was a common practice for men to wear the name of the girl they drew from the chance boxes on their sleeve, encircled with a heart.

Also at this time, it was commonly believed in parts of England and France that February 14 marked the beginning of birds’ mating season, which increased the notion that Valentine’s Day should be a day for romance.

Valentines messages started to appear around the beginning of the Fifteenth century, and even in these formative times, they were often given anonymously, perhaps harking back to the unknown recipients of the Roman lotteries.

Unfortunately, the history of this day has become somewhat obscured over time, so it is not widely known why it came to be considered unlucky.

The “Thirteen Club”: In the late 19th century, a group in New York, led by Civil War Captain William Fowler, formed the “Thirteen Club” to actively defy the superstition. Members held their first meeting on Friday, January 13, 1882, in room 13, sat down to a 13-course meal, and walked under a ladder to prove the superstition wrong.

Airlines and Buildings Skip 13: Many hotels, high-rise buildings, and hospitals do not have a 13th floor or room 13. Some airlines even skip row 13 on their planes.

However, not all Fridays were created equal. Good Friday, in contrast, was believed to bring good luck, especially for sailors who made their maiden voyages on this auspicious day. Similarly, the number 13 has been associated with bad luck since ancient times.

The exact origins of this superstition, however, remain unknown. Some attribute it to the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, where there were 13 individuals at the table, including Jesus and his 12 disciples. The 13th guest, Judas Iscariot, is infamous for betraying Christ and taking his own life.

This belief led to the notion that if 13 people shared a meal, one of them would die within the year. The fear of the number 13 gained immense popularity in the 19th century, prompting people to go to great lengths to avoid it. It was common practice to skip the number when numbering hotel rooms, and the 13th floor of buildings was often labeled as the 14th floor.

Friday 13 February Bad Friday

Unfortunately, the history of this day has become somewhat obscured over time, so it is not widely known why it came to be considered unlucky.

The “Thirteen Club”: In the late 19th century, a group in New York, led by Civil War Captain William Fowler, formed the “Thirteen Club” to actively defy the superstition. Members held their first meeting on Friday, January 13, 1882, in room 13, sat down to a 13-course meal, and walked under a ladder to prove the superstition wrong.

Airlines and Buildings Skip 13: Many hotels, high-rise buildings, and hospitals do not have a 13th floor or room 13. Some airlines even skip row 13 on their planes.

However, not all Fridays were created equal. Good Friday, in contrast, was believed to bring good luck, especially for sailors who made their maiden voyages on this auspicious day. Similarly, the number 13 has been associated with bad luck since ancient times.

The exact origins of this superstition, however, remain unknown. Some attribute it to the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, where there were 13 individuals at the table, including Jesus and his 12 disciples. The 13th guest, Judas Iscariot, is infamous for betraying Christ and taking his own life.

This belief led to the notion that if 13 people shared a meal, one of them would die within the year. The fear of the number 13 gained immense popularity in the 19th century, prompting people to go to great lengths to avoid it. It was common practice to skip the number when numbering hotel rooms, and the 13th floor of buildings was often labeled as the 14th floor.

In 1886, Myanmar (then called Burma) came under British control, but the British made a distinction between how central Burma and the various outlying ethnic groups were ruled.

Following the end of the Second World War, General Aung San, head of the interim Burmese government and representatives from the Shan states, the Kachin hills and the Chin hills met in Panglong to determine the future of Burma.

They reached an agreement which was signed and passed on 12 February 1947. The agreement unified Burma and demanded that the British government restore independence to all of Burma. The Panglong agreement formed the basis for the creation of the Union of Burma. The deal also offered the ethnic leaders the possibility of seceding from the union if they were dissatisfied with the new nation.

The agreement was a key event in the history of Myanmar as it directly led to the creation of Burma as an independent state in January 1948.

While instrumental in the Panglong agreement, Aung San did not live to see Burma gains its independence in January 1948. He was assassinated on 19 July 1947.

Iran had been an absolute monarchy ruled by the Pahlavi dynasty since 1925. In the 1960s, a series of reforms intended to modernise Iran had failed to improve the economic conditions. Large-scale rioting took place following the arrest of the cleric, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini who had made a speech attacking the Shah. Khomeini was sent into exile in November 1964.

In 1978, resistance against the rule of the Shah intensified, with marches, demonstration, and strikes paralysing the country. Recognising that he had lost control and suffering from ill-health, the Shah left Iran on January 16th 1979.

On February 1st 1979, Khomeini made a triumphal return to Iran and led the campaign to overthrow the remnants of the Shah’s rule.

Ten days later, the Pahlavi royal regime was defeated when Iran’s military declared itself “neutral” after rebel troops overwhelmed those still loyal to the Shah.

Two months later, the new government held a referendum on establishing the Islamic Republic based on a new constitution replacing the Persian monarchy that had ruled for 2,500 years. This event is marked by another public holiday, Islamic Republic Day.

Khomeini served as Supreme Leader of Iran from 1979 to his death in June 1989.

The 10-day period from the return of Imam Khomeini until the revolution’s victory is celebrated annually in Iran and is known as the Ten-Day Fajr (Dawn).

Paul was being transported to Rome as a prisoner on a ship that had sailed from Adramyttium in modern-day Turkey. On the journey, the ship had been damaged by storms and was driven aground in Malta.

Paul was made welcome by the islanders. When making a fire, Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake and the locals were astonished that he suffered no ill-effects.

Paul then healed the father of an island official, after which many islanders would come to Paul to receive healing.

While under guard as a Roman prisoner, Paul stayed on Malta for three months, leaving for Rome on a ship that had sheltered in Malta over the winter.

Paul is the patron saint of Malta…. and snakebite victims.

The day is a time for family gatherings and observed by religious ceremonies and processions, particularly at the Church of St. Paul Shipwrecked in Valletta.

The Royal Hobart Regatta is a series of aquatic competitions and displays held annually in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia and is Tasmania’s oldest sporting event.

The event runs for three days, ending on the second Monday in February, and dominates the whole river for the duration of the event.

The Monday is a public holiday in southern and eastern Tasmania. The areas are South of and including Oatlands and Swansea excluding Bronte Park, Catagunya, Strathgordon, Tarraleah, Wayatinah & West Coast.

On December 1st 1838, the first Hobart Town Anniversary Regatta was held in Hobart, Tasmania to celebrate the Tasmanian Anniversary of the 17th-century European discovery of the island by Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, who made the first reported European sighting of the island on November 24th 1642.

This holiday commemorates the death of France Prešeren (1800 – 1849), a Slovene poet who is regarded as the greatest Slovene classical author. The day also serves as a time to reflect on all Slovene cultural achievements.

Prešeren was noted for his sonnets and his poem Zdravljica (A Toast) was adopted as Slovenia’s national anthem.

During World war II, Slovene artists had been repressed and were forbidden from expressing themselves while Slovenia was occupied. This led to the anniversary of Prešeren’s death becoming a focal point for remembering Slovenian culture. After the end of the war, the day was first proclaimed as a cultural holiday in 1945.

It was a public holiday during the era of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia within the SFR Yugoslavia but was declared a work-free holiday only in 1991, the year the country declared independence.

Before the Europeans arrived in the Americas, Grenada was home to the Indigenous peoples. Christopher Columbus sighted it during his third voyage to the Americas in 1498.

Grenada had been occupied by various European nations since the start colonization of the new world in the sixteenth century. In 1649, France took full control of the island becoming one of the wealthiest colonies due to its sugar production.

Following French defeat in the Seven Years’ war, the Paris of Treaty ceded Grenada to Great Britain in 1763. Having overcome a brief rebellion by pro-French forces, Grenada remained a British colony for over two hundred years.

Movements toward independence had begun in the 1950s and in March 1967, Grenada became an Associated State and was granted full autonomy over its internal affairs.

Independence from the United Kingdom was granted on 7 February 1974. Eric Gairy became the first Prime Minister of Grenada.

Grenada produces a third of the world’s nutmeg. The odd-looking blob on the left of the flag? That’s a nutmeg kernel.

The Treaty made New Zealand a part of the British Empire, guaranteed Māori rights to their land and gave Māori the rights of British citizens.

The treaty was signed in Waitangi, a town in the Bay of Islands, by a group of Maori chiefs and the British Government, as represented by Lieutenant-Governor Hobson.

In February 1840, it was at Te Tii marae where Ngāpuhi (the largest Māori iwi – tribe) hosted around 10,000 Māori to debate the agreement for several days. On February 6th, Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed by around 40 Māori rangatira (chiefs) and representatives of the British Crown outside British Government Representative James Busby’s house (now known as Treaty House) on the Waitangi grounds.

The treaty (‘te Tiriti’) was subsequently signed by another 500 Māori chiefs in various locations throughout the country.

The Māori are the Indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand, which they called Aotearoa (“land of the long white cloud”). They arrived from Polynesian islands sometime before 1300 AD. They are the first known inhabitants before the Europeans arrived in the early 1800s.

Burundi gained full independence from Belgium in 1962. This began a period of instability in the fledgling landlocked nation.

It moved from a constitutional monarchy to a republic and lurched into civil war and ethnic cleansing. In 1987, Major Pierre Buyoya led a military coup d’état to overthrow Col. Bagaza, who himself had come to power in a military coup.

Before returning to a democratically elected government, Buyoya instigated a Charter of National Unity. The charter was intended to abolish ethnic discrimination and give a mandate for the government to write a new constitution.

A referendum on the charter was held in Burundi in February 1991.  It was approved by 89.77% of voters with a 96% turnout.

Following the referendum, work began on the drafting of a new constitution which was approved in a referendum and promulgated on March 13th 1992.

Following the referendum, President Buyoya declared February 5th as National Unity Day in an attempt to reconcile the warring ethnic groups of the Tutsi and the Hutu.

At the time, the new constitution did little to dampen the ethnic tensions in the country with the newly-elected President being assassinated in 1993 and widespread ethnic killing of Tutsis taking place a year later.

And even though there are still some ethnic tensions in the country, the public holiday endures as the attempt to introduce the Charter of National Unity is seen as an important milestone on Burundi’s journey to peaceful modernity.

Portuguese colonisation of this west African country began with coastal settlements and trading posts founded in the 16th century., though it wasn’t until the 1920s when Portugal could claim control of the whole region now known as Angola.

By the start of the 1960s, several African nations had gained independence from colonial control, such as Ghana and Angola’s neighbour, Congo. While the movement for African nationalism seemed unstoppable, one European nation instead tightened its grip on its overseas colonies – Portugal.

With the demand for Angolan nationalism increasing, tensions over the forced cultivation of cotton erupted into violence in February 1961.

In Luanda, On the morning of February 4th, black militants ambushed a police patrol-car and stormed the Civil Jail of São Paulo, the Military Detection House and police barracks, to attempt to free political prisoners that were being held in those facilities.

This marked the start of the Angolan War of Independence which would continue as part of the Portuguese Colonial War until April 1974, when a new more-liberal regime came to power in Portugal and declared a cease-fire.

Europeans first visited Mozambique during the voyages of the Portuguese explorer, Vasco Da Gama at the end of the fifteenth century. By 1530, Portugal had established a strong presence in the region effectively controlling the area.

In September 1964, growing unrest amongst many Mozambicans together with similar movements in other Portuguese territories led to the start of an armed guerrilla campaign against the Portuguese.

The anticolonial struggle was led by Eduardo Mondlane of the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo).

Frelimo launched a guerrilla war against targets in northern Mozambique, claiming to have established its own administrative, educational, and economic networks in the northern districts.

On February 3rd 1969, a bomb was planted in a book sent to Mondlane at the FRELIMO Headquarters in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. When he opened the package, it exploded and killed him. Although nobody was ever charged with the killing, most historians believe that it was the work of the Portuguese government rather than political in-fighting within Frelimo.

It is estimated that up to 10,000 Mozambiquans died in the conflict that lasted almost ten years, before a ceasefire with Portugal in 1974. Mozambique gained its independence the following year.

St. Brigid is one of the three Patron Saints of Ireland, the other two are St. Columba and of course, St.Patrick.

Brigid is a Catholic and Orthodox saint. She was a pupil of St. Patrick and became famous for her kindness, mercy, and her miracles. In addition, Brigitte founded Ireland’s most famous mixed (male and female) monastery in County Kildare.

In The Life of Brigid, her biographer, Cogitosus, recorded that Brigid formed an alliance with the hermit Conleth and, together, they created a double monastery from the Early Christian tradition. She was abbess and he was bishop. Within 100 years of her death, there was a thriving, egalitarian monastery of men and women, living and practicing their spirituality equally, side by side.

Perhaps the most famous story about St. Brigid surrounds the legend of her cloak. When Brigid was refused by the King of Leinster the land to build a convent, she asked if she could have as much land as her cloak would cover. The King allowed this, but was surprised to see Brigid’s cloak grow and grow, as four of her friends took a corner each and walked pulled the cloak to cover many acres. The King then granted St. Brigid the land, and any other supplies she required, before converting to Christianity soon after.

According to another legend, Brigid gave her father’s jeweled sword to a needy man for him to barter for food.

Brigid was believed to have been buried at her monastic church in Kildare. Around the ninth century, her remains were moved to the northern town of Downpatrick in hopes of avoiding the pillages of Vikings and others. That shrine was later destroyed by English troops during the Protestant Reformation.

Guru Ravidas was born at the end of the 14th century in Seer Govardhanpur village, Uttar Pradesh, India. He was born into a low caste family who were regarded as untouchables.

Guru Ravidas was one of the first people to argue that all Indians should have a set of basic human rights. He became an eminent figure in the Bhakti Movement and taught spirituality and tried to bring forward a message of equality message based on freedom from the oppression of the Indian caste system.

41 of his devotional songs and poems are included in the Sikh Scriptures, Guru Granth Sahib.

Meera bai, a revered figure in Hindu spiritualism is said to have considered Guru Ravidas as her spiritual Guru.

The Guru’s teachings now form the basis of the Ravidassia religion. Ravidassias believe that Guru Ravidas should be treated as a saint just like the other gurus, as he lived before the first Sikh Guru and his teachings were studied by the Sikh Gurus. In recent years, this has caused conflict with Sikhs and had led to Ravidassia breaking away from the orthodox Sikh structure.

This has been one of the most important festivals of the Ahom since at least their arrival in Assam in the 12th century.

It is a festival to show respect to the departed ancestors and remember their contribution to society.

The word ‘Me’ means offerings. ‘Dam’ means ancestors and ‘Phi’ means gods. So while this festival is seen as ancestor worship, the name reflects the Ahom belief that ancestors soon turn to gods, when an individual’s immortal soul joins with the soul of the supreme being.

During Me-dam-me-phi, three Gods: Grihadam, Dam Changphi, and Me Dam Me Phi, the god of heaven, are worshipped and offered gifts.

For families, the ceremony remains intimate and usually takes place in the kitchen. A pillar called Damkhuta is created, which becomes the focus for worship and to place offerings such as homemade wine, mah-prasad (beans and chickpeas), and rice with meat and fish.

A public ceremony for Me-dam-me-Phi has taken place in Charaideo, Assam for over 400 years. Charaideo was the first permanent capital of the Ahom kingdom from the 13th century and was the burial site for the kings of the Ahom dynasty.

During the 11th century, a debate raged in Christian churches over which of the three hierarchs was indeed the greatest. Some people believed it was Saint Basil, while others were firmly in the corner of John Chrysostom. Each of these saints had their own feast day in January—with St. Basil having his on January 1st, Saint Gregory on January 25th, and John Chrysostom on January 27th. The Eastern Churches declared that each was equal before God. That’s when all three feast days were combined and celebrated on January 30th.

Thursday 29 January St. Valero’s Feast in Spain

Saint Valerius was a bishop of the capital city of Saragossa and was a part of the Council of Elbira. He, along with his deacon Vincent of Saragossa, was imprisoned under Roman Emperor Diocletian around the year 306. He was venerated by the people of Zaragoza and is the patron saint of the city.

Saint Valerius was a bishop of the capital city of Saragossa and was a part of the Council of Elbira. He, along with his deacon Vincent of Saragossa, was imprisoned under Roman Emperor Diocletian around the year 306. He was venerated by the people of Zaragoza and is the patron saint of the city.

In September 1991, a referendum for independence in Armenia ended nearly 70 years of Soviet rule.

By December 1991, the State Committee of Defense was established by the order of the President of the Republic of Armenia, Vazgen Sargsyan became the Minister of Defense.

The Armenian National Army was established on January 28th 1992, by decree of President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

Army Day was first observed in 2001, after the President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, signed Army Day into law as an official holiday.

Marking  Army Day in 2016, President Serzh Sargsyan reiterated the importance of the Armenian armed forces, saying ” It’s been a quarter of a century that we have a free and independent statehood. Throughout this time, we never doubted that our twenty-five-year long journey would be possible without the Army which we created. The Armed Forces of Armenia became the cornerstone which was laid in the foundation of our statehood.”

The day is marked by a military parade in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.

An award ceremony also takes places to honour servicemen for their dedication, courage and outstanding service rendered in the course of their military duty.