October -- the eighth month

DATE	HOLIDAY	DESCRIPTION
October 1	Sukkot	(Eve of the Festival Tabernacles) begins at sundown - Jewish: Sukkot lasts for seven days. The first days and last days are holidays like Shabbat in which work is prohibited. In Israel, these "holy days" are just one day long. Diaspora communities celebrate them for two days. The extra day in the Diaspora commemorates a time when signal fires and couriers were used to tell those in the Diaspora that a festival was starting at the Temple in Jerusalem. The last days of Sukkot are called Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. The intermediate days of Sukkot are called Chol Ha-Moed, and work is permitted on these days. In Israel, school children are on vacation during this week. During Chol Ha-Moed Sukkot, many people take hikes around Israel and have parties in which they invite people to eat with them in their sukkot. It is a Jewish festival celebrating the harvest and commemorates the period after the exodus from Egypt during which the Jews wandered in the wilderness. It is celebrated for nine days by Orthodox and Conservative Jews outside of Israel, and for eight days by Reform Jews and by Jews in Israel. Sukkoth sometimes refers to only the first two days of Tabernacles and commemorates the dwelling of the Israelites in booths in the wilderness. Also known as Feast of Booths, Feast of Ingathering, or Feast of Tabernacles.
October 3	Bacchanalia	This day was the Festival of Dionysus in Greece and was celebrated in Rome until it was banned by government edict. The parties tended to get wild and out of hand. Dionysus (Bacchus), the god of wine, was the son of Zeus and Semele. As wine was considered to have medicinal and cultural value, Dionysus was viewed as a promoter of civilization, a lawgiver, and a lover of peace.
October 4	Laylat al Miraj and Israa'	Islamic observance of Mohammed's night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and his ascension to heaven
October 4	St. Francis Day	Christian recognition of service to people and appreciation of the natural world, as practiced by St Francis and the Franciscan Monastic Order which he founded.
(October 4, 2004)	Labour Day	(Canberra, New South Wales, AU)
October	Sukkot* ends	Jewish
October 5	Mundus Cereris	Mundus Cereris is the "Opening of the Earth Gate," refering to the "underworld." Survivors report periods of progressive trials of endurance. The "high" ritual focuses on the sexual initiation (read rape) of a young virgin.
October 6	World Communion Sunday	Protestant Christian observation of the unity of Christians in celebration of the last supper of Jesus with the disciples.
(October 7, 2004)	Shemini Atzeret	Jewish completion of the annual cycle of reading of the Torah.
October 7	Annual Earth Mass
October varies	Simchat Torah	Jewish day to celebrate the reading of the Law. Synagogue services involve readings, processions and blessing of the children.
October varies	Navaratri Dusserha	Hindu Festival of the divine mother honoring Durga, wife of Shiva, and seeking her blessings. Also observed as a celebration recalling the days of Lord Krishna.
October 9	Festival of Felicitas	Pantheist, Polytheist: This day was set aside to pay homage to Felicitas, the goddess who personified joy or felicity.
October 13	Durga Puja	Durga Puja is the greatest Hindu festival in which God is adored as Mother. It is celebrated in the autumn months of September/October. According to the Hindu solar calendar, it falls on the first nine days of the month of Ashvin, in honor of the nine manifestations of Durga. It is the time of the Durga Puja, celebrating the ten-armed goddess of fertility and the third embodiment of the Devi, Durga. It was Durga who vanquished the buffalo-demon Mahishasura. Read more here
October varies	Ramadan	9th month on Islamic calendar, devoted to the commemoration of Muhammad's reception of the divine revelation recorded in the Qur'an. The event begins when authorities in Saudi Arabia sight the new moon of the 9th month. It is the holiest period of the Islamic Year. There is strict fasting from sunrise to sunset.
October 16, 2004	Hoashanah Rabbah	(Marks the End of Seven-Day Sukkot Observance)
October 10	Dashara	(Kali's victory of Mahishasura)
October	Hitler's "half birthday"	(commemorated 6 months from Easter)
October 11	Indigenous People's Day Columbus Day observed Thanksgiving Day	(US) (US) (Canada)
October 12	Columbus Day	Commemorates the anniversary of Columbus landing at San Salvador Island in The Bahamas in 1492. It was designated a national holiday by the United States Congress in 1892, the year of its 400th anniversary. Many cities of Spain and Italy observe this day with church services and festivities. In the United States it is observed in most states on the second Monday in October. Puerto Rico and Maryland observe it on the 12th, and several states do not celebrate it at all. In Hawaii it is called Discoverers' Day, and in Alabama it may be celebrated as Fraternal Day. Columbus day is also a public holiday in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, and Costa Rica.
October 12	Dia de la Raza	"Day of the Race". (Mexico)
October 13	Halloween Backwards	(parody of Halloween)
October 16	Death of Rosenburg	Death of Rosenburg, a leader in World War II. Many Nazi leaders were captured and scheduled for trial in late September and early October. Most of them killed themselves prior to trial.
October 18	St. Luke, "Apostle & Evangelist"	Christian
October 19	Death of Hermann Goering	Death of Hermann Goering, a Nazi leader in WWII
October 20	Birth of the B'ab	Baha'i honoring of the founder, Mirza 'Ali-Muhammed, in 1819.
October 22	Dasain	Ten day Durga festival in Nepal Hindu
October 22 - 29	Preparation for All Hallows' Eve	(Abduction, holding, and ceremonial preparation of individual for sacrifice)
October 24	United Nations Day	Anniversary of the founding of the United Nations in 1945. (Haiti) (Nepal) (Swaziland)
October 25	Nirvana Celebration	Buddhist - a regional observance of the death of Buddha.
October 27	Reformation Sunday	Protestant Christian anniversary of their tradition and its emphasis on the place of the Bible and religious freedom. On October 31, 1517 c.e. Martin Luther posted a belief statement on Wittenberg Church door.
October 28	Milvian Bridge Day	Christian day of reflection on the relationship of the spiritual community and civil government, the state. On Oct 28, 312 c.e., Emperor Constantine prevailed in a battle and proceeded to make Christianity the legal religion of the Roman Empire. Read more here
October 28, 29, 30	Satanist High Holy Days	related to Halloween - human sacrifice-all three days)
October 29/November 1	All Hollows Eve	(sexual climax, sensual associaton with the demons - use any human - male or female)
October 31	All Hallows Eve	Christian celebration combining prayers and merriment involving children and families. It is a prelude to All Saint's Day. Neo Pagan and Satanist revels. For Satanists it is The Fire festival, the time to settle the score with destruction rituals, curses, and Revenge. Halloween, or All Hallows Eve, is the eve of All Saints' Day. In much of Western Europe, including France, Spain, and Italy, this eve is observed with masses and prayers at the graves of deceased loved ones. In the United States and Britain this is a night when children get dressed up in costumes of ghosts, witches, and the like, and go trick-or-treating. Since World War II it has been an occaision in the United States to collect for UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, now known as United Nations Children's Fund). The largest celebrations in the United States are in Sanata Barbara, California, and New Orleans, Louisiana. blood holiday (use animal or human, any age, male or female) and sexual climax / orgies; holiday of the dead: night dead thought to return to earth Cults begin their year on this day / marks the "dark half" of the year Great Sabbat and Fire Festival
October 31	Samhain	"Summer's End". The customs are now associated with Halloween. Ancient Celtic Festivals by Clare Walker Leslie and Frank E. Gerace describes the festival of Samhain: The Coligny Calendar referred to this festival as the "Three Nights of Summer's End." There was the last night of the old year, the first night of the new year and the night in between that belonged to no time. Samhain came at an important time in the Celtic year, as people made the transition from summer to winter. They prepared to spend the winter indoors, with stores fo grain, dried meats and fruits, and winter vegetables for themselves, and with grains and hay for their animals. It was a time to decide which animals would be used for next year's breeding and to evaluate the health of the rest of the animals. Only the healthiest animals would be kept alive through the winter. In addition, the warriors had returned from battle so men and women were together again. This was the time for prearranged marriages to begin in earnest as the long winter set in. Wiccan celebration of endings and beginnings. Revering of elders is observed. Preparation for The Isia (ring of 6, resurrection of Osiris... Isis, Hathor, Nephthys, Horus, Thoth, Anubis)
October 31	Nos Galengae of La Samhna	The day between the years a Celtic fire festival
(October 31, 2004)	Day-light savings time ends	(US, Canada)

Holidays and Festivals - Encyclopedia of Days
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