Holidays

For Roman Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox Christians today is HOLY SATURDAY. In many churches, the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ starts tonight with EASTER VIGIL services that can include the Christian initiation of new adults. EASTER, which Orthodox Christians refer to as HOLY PASCHA, continues through tomorrow. On Monday, followers of American Indian religion will hold the YAQUI DEER DANCE, a ceremony integrating the ancient rite of the Yaqui people of Arizona with the Christian Easter ceremony.

YOM HASHOAH, or HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY, commemorating the 6 million Jews and 5 million others who were killed under the Nazis, begins sundown Wednesday night and continues into Thursday.

At sundown Friday followers of Baha'i will begin the 12-day period known as RIDVAN, which commemorates the formal declaration of Baha'u'llah to his family and followers in a garden outside Baghdad on the eve of his second exile in 1863. Work is suspended on the 1st, 9th and 12th days.