Category: Today’s Holiday

Ceres was the ancient Roman goddess of grain and of harvests, often identified with the Greek goddess Demeter. The festival known as Cerealia was observed at various locations only by Roman matrons, who, for several days preceding the festival, abstained from wine and other carnal pleasures. People who were in mourning were not allowed to appear at the celebration. For this reason, the Cerealia was not observed after the Battle of Cannae, when 50,000 Roman troops were killed by Hannibal. Discuss

On April 12, 1980, 13 soldiers stormed Liberia’s executive mansion, killing William R. Tolbert and 26 other government leaders. After the massacre, 13 cabinet members were publicly executed. The soldiers were led by Samuel Kanyon Doe, who immediately set up a military regime called the People’s Redemption Council. He also declared April 12 National Redemption Day; for Doe’s political opponents, National Redemption Day was a time to memorialize the many individuals who were killed in 1980. Today, many Liberians observe the anniversary by remembering the slain. Discuss

The cult of the Phrygian goddess Cybele (also known as Magna Mater) was established in Rome on this day in 204 BCE, and April 4 continued to be set aside as a commemoration of the foreign goddess’ arrival in Rome. In the beginning, no Roman citizens were allowed to take part in it. But over time it spread to the streets of Rome, where Cybele’s image was carried in a chariot drawn by lions with her castrated priests leaping and gashing themselves in a frenzy of devotion. The procession went from the Palatine to the Circus, where plays known as ludi megalenses were held. Discuss

This holiday marks the anniversary of the 1955 start of the Greek Cypriot liberation struggle against British colonial forces. The Turkish community, which preferred an alliance with Turkey, also took up arms, complicating the struggle. Greek Cypriot National Day is celebrated in South Cyprus, which is the Greek partitioned part of the island. Almost all public services and most private shops are closed. The holiday is often celebrated with parades in city streets, along with music, dancing and flag-waving. Discuss

Madagascar Martyrs’ Day memorializes those who died in the Revolt of 1947 against the French. Madagascar had been a French colony since 1896 and then was named an overseas territory within the French Union in the 1946 constitution. On March 29, 1947, the people staged a nationalist uprising against colonial forces. Casualties from the conflict were reported as high as 80,000. French military courts tried the leaders of the revolt and executed 20 of them. On March 29, the Malagasy government and people remember those patriots who sacrificed their lives for their country’s freedom. Discuss

This national holiday in Greece celebrates the anniversary of the country’s proclamation of independence in 1821 after four centuries of Turkish occupation. The war that followed went on until 1829, when finally the Turkish sultan recognized the independence of Greece. The day is marked with church services and military parades—an especially impressive parade is held in Athens. Greek communities in other parts of the world also observe the day. In New York City, Greece Independence Day is celebrated on the Sunday nearest to March 25 with a parade up Fifth Avenue. Discuss

Liber and Libera were ancient Roman fertility deities, worshipped along with Ceres. The triad of Ceres, Liber, and Libera was identified with the Greek deities Demeter, Dionysus, and Persephone. At the festival held in honor of Liber and Libera on March 17, young Roman boys who had come of age wore the toga virilis for the first time. In the ancient Italian town of Lavinium, a whole month was consecrated to Liber. The various rituals carried out during this time were designed to ensure the growth of newly planted seeds. Discuss

This national holiday commemorates the day in 1968 when Mauritius gained independence from Britain, after being under its rule since the early 19th century. Discuss

St. Frances of Rome (1384-1440) was a model for housewives and widows. Despite the death of her children, her husband’s banishment, and the confiscation of their estates, she continued to nurse the sick and care for the poor. St. Frances’s feast day is observed on March 9, the date on which she died. Because she is also the patron saint of motorists, it is customary for Italian drivers to flock to the Colosseum in Rome for the blessing of their cars. Crowds also visit Tor de Specchi and Casa degli Esercizi Pii (formerly her home), whose rooms are opened to the public on this day. Discuss

The Iditarod is the world’s longest and toughest sled dog race, across the state of Alaska from Anchorage on the south-central coast to Nome on the Bering Sea just south of the Arctic Circle. The race, which began in 1973, follows an old frozen-river mail route and is named for a deserted mining town along the way. A number of events are clustered around the running of the race. At Wasilla, near Anchorage, Iditarod Days are held on the beginning weekend of the race and feature softball, golf on ice, fireworks, and snow sculptures. Discuss