 | JUL-1: Canada Day marks the beginning of Canada in
1867. |
 | JUL-1: Some Native American plains tribes begin Sun Dance
rituals on this day. The celebration includes the decoration of a a
sacred crow totem. |
 | JUL-4: Independence Day in the U.S. marks the birth of the
United States in 1776. |
 | JUL-5: Buddhists celebrate Asala: the day when the
Buddha made his first spiritual proclamation to five ascetics. |
 | JUL-8: Yom Tammuz is an observance by
some Jews of the bwreach of the walls of Jerusalem. It is a day of mourning and fasting
from dawn to dusk. |
 | JUL-8: This is Gay Pride Day in the Netherlands. The
celebration will be particularly significant this year, as the
definition of marriage in the country has recently been expanded to
include both same-sex and opposite-sex couples. |
 | JUL-9: The Martyrdom of the Bab is observed by members of the Baha'i Faith. It was the date in 1850
CE
when the Bab was executed for his religious beliefs at the age of 31.
Members of the Baha'i faith abstain from work and commerce on this
day. |
 | JUL-9: This is celebrated in Australia as Aborigine's Day,
also known as National Aboriginal and Islander Day of
Celebration (NAIDOC). A main purpose of this day is to
promote increased understanding of Aboriginal cultures in Australia. |
 | JUL-11: Roman Catholics celebrate St. Benedict Day in
honor of the father of the Western Church's monastic tradition. He
founded the Benedictine Order. |
 | JUL-13 to 15: O-bon is a Japanese Shinto celebration in honor of their
ancestors. They light lanterns, hold circular folk dances, and welcome their
departed spirits. |
 | JUL-15: On this day, in 1099, Christians on the first crusade
captured Jerusalem, burning 6,000 Jews alive in their synagogue and
slaughtering 30,000 Muslims who took refuge in their mosque. Some Christians
formed a reconciliation walk in 1999;
they
retraced
the steps of the first crusade, arriving in Jerusalem on this day,
apologizing for the tragedy. |
 | JUL-24: This is Pioneer Day the anniversary of the date when the first members
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
entered Salt Lake Valley after a long westerly trek to escape religious
persecution and genocide by other Christians. |
 | JUL-28: Khao
Pansa marks the beginning of the Buddhist lent. It is the
preferred day for Buddhist men in some countries to be ordained as
monks. It is celebrated in the full moon of the eight lunar month,
typically in July. |
 | JUL-29: Jews observe Tisha be-Av: a day of fasting in
recollection of tragedies in the history of the Jewish people, including
the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple 516 BCE by the Babylonians, and
in 70 CE by the Romans. |
 | JUL-31: Lammas (aka Lunasa) is the first of the harvest festivals
celebrated by Wiccans and many other Neopagans. The holiday actually falls on
AUG-1, but many Wiccans follow the ancient Celtic practice of starting each each day
at noon. |
 | JUL-31 : International Society for Krishna
Consciousness (ISKCON)
begins their celebration of Jhulan Yatra, the swing festival for their deities
Radha and Krishna |