Calendar of Events

NEW YEAR'S DAY 2013 - January 1, 2013

 The Meaning of New Year's Traditions

From ancient times, people have welcomed the New Year with rituals to attract good fortune. Here's a sampling.

New Year's Eve, with its emphasis on romance and indulgence, might seem like a totally secular celebration. But underneath all that glitter and sparkle is an ancient holiday with deep spiritual roots. For centuries, and in similar ways, people have been observing the end of one year and the beginning of another.

Ancient Romans celebrated with six days of carousing that would probably be familiar to us today. St. Boniface, a missionary from England who visited Rome in 742, was appalled at how the Romans celebrated Kalends of January, as the New Year was called, with "dancing in the streets, heathenish cries, sacrilegious songs, tables laden with food and women wearing amulets and offering them for sale."

 Gantan-sai (New Year's)- January 1, 2013

Gantan-sai is a Shinto New Year festival observed with prayers for inner renewal. The holiday lasts seven days during which some Japanese people wear their best clothes and visit shrines to pray for good health and prosperity. they also pay visits to the homes of friends to offer good wishes.

Guru Gobind Singh Birthday (Sikh) - January 5, 2013

According to the Sikh Nanakshahi calendar, this day marks the birth of the tenth and final Sikh prophet-teacher. Guru Gobind Singh introduced many of the customs that Sikhs practise today including the 5 K's.

His birthday generally falls in December or January—or occasionally twice within one year—when calculated according to the Hindu Bikrami calendar. For more information please go too:

http://festivalsindia.net/indian-festivals/guru-gobind-singh-jayanti.html

Epiphany (Christian) - January 6, 2013

 Epiphany (Koine Greek: ἐπιφάνεια, epiphaneia, "manifestation", "striking appearance") or Theophany (Ancient Greek (ἡ) Θεοφάνεια, Τheophaneia meaning "vision of God"), which traditionally falls on January 6, is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ.

Western Christians commemorate principally (but not solely) the visitation of the Biblical Magi to the Baby Jesus, and thus Jesus' physical manifestation to the Gentiles. Eastern Christians commemorate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River, seen as his manifestation to the world as the Son of God.

Eastern Churches following the Julian Calendar observe the Theophany feast on what for most countries is January 19 because of the 13-day difference today between that calendar and the generally used Gregorian calendar.

New Year's Day (Orthodox Christians) - January 14, 2013

What do people do?

Many Orthodox Christians in the United States observe the New Year based on January 1 in the Julian calendar. This calendar is older than the Gregorian calendar, which is used more widely in many countries. Therefore the Orthodox Christian New Year date falls on or around January 14 in the Gregorian calendar.

Orthodox New Year celebrations include dinner dances and traditional buffets among Orthodox Christian communities in the United States. Many of the Orthodox New Year traditions linked with these celebrations were brought over from other parts of the world, including Eastern Europe, to the United States.  Many Americans of Orthodox Christian faith also attend special New Year’s Day liturgies at their churches.

Public life

Orthodox New Year’s Day falls on or near January 14. It is not a federal public holiday in the United States.  However, parking and traffic around some Orthodox Christian churches where special New Year liturgies are held may be busy around this time of the year.

Background

The Orthodox New Year is widely known as the Old New Year. It is marked as January 1 in the Julian calendar, which was used before the Gregorian calendar. The Orthodox New Year does not remain static in the Gregorian calendar because there are shifts between the Julian and Gregorian calendars over time. For example, the Old New Year falls on January 14 between 1901 and 2100 but it will move again in time if the Julian calendar is still used.

The Julian calendar was revised in 1923 and this version is more in line with the Gregorian calendar. Some Orthodox churches follow the revised Julian calendar but many Orthodox churches still follow the more traditional Julian calendar, which has the original dates for Christian observances prior to the Gregorian calendar’s introduction.

Things to do around Maryland

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Now through 1/01/2013 RACE: Are We So Different? All Day

Now through 12/31/2014 In Full Glory Reflected: Maryland during the War of 1812 All Day

Now through 7/28/2013 Valley of the Shadow: A Commemorative Exhibition All Day

Now through 3/30/2013 Unframed: Baltimore Mural Program All Day

Now through 2/23/2013 Baltimore Blast 2012-13 Season All Day

Now through 2/16/2013 Baltimore Blast Ticket Offer All Day

Now through 1/21/2013 Diadem and Dagger: Jewish Silversmiths of Yemen All Day

Now through 12/31/2015 Civil War Trains Exhibit All Day

Now through 9/01/2013 The Art of Storytelling: Lies, Enchantment, Humor & Truth 12:00am - 12:00am

Now through 1/01/2013 The Polar Express 4D Experience at the National Aquarium 12:00am - 12:00am

Now through 1/13/2013 Gods, Myths and Mortals: Discover Anciet Greece at Port Discovery Children's Museum 9:30am - 4:30pm

Now through 1/21/2013 Diadem and Dagger: Jewish Silversmiths of Yemen 10:00am - 5:00pm

Now through 2/03/2013 African Presence: Student Response 10:00am - 5:00pm

Now through 1/31/2013 Drop-in Art Activities at The Walters: People, Portraits & Power 10:00am - 3:00pm

Now through 1/06/2013 Won't You Celebrate With Me? Exhibition honoring Lucille Clifton 10:00am - 5:00pm

Learn@Lunch Session

To view previous Learn@Lunch session please go to:

http://www.it.johnshopkins.edu/about/committees/diversity/training.html

Volunteering @ Our Daily Bread

If you are interested in volunteering for Our Daily Bread, please contact JoAnn Hans at JHANS@jhmi.edu

Volunteering @ The MD Food Bank

If you are interested in volunteering for Maryland Food Bank, please contact Donna Poyer at DPOYER@jhmi.edu