77 Religious Holidays Quiz (Part 3)

[A] June 16 | Sikhs remember their fifth Guru who was tortured on hot sand for refusing conversion. His martyrdom established the principle of fighting oppression that defines Sikhism today.

[D] June 19 | Catholics parade the Eucharist through streets in elaborate processions worldwide. Medieval towns competed for most ornate displays, basically inventing religious float competitions.

[B] June 24 | Christians celebrate the only saint whose birth gets a feast day besides Jesus. Midsummer bonfires mark the occasion, mixing pagan traditions with Christian celebration seamlessly.

[A] June 27 | Catholics honor Jesus's physical heart as symbol of divine love for humanity. Sacred Heart imagery in art ranges from beautiful to surprisingly anatomical.

[D] June 29 | Rome celebrates its patron saints who supposedly died on the same day. The two apostles who disagreed constantly now share a feast day eternally.

[A] July 5-6 | Shia Muslims mourn Hussein's martyrdom with passionate rituals and processions. Some communities perform theatrical reenactments that make Shakespeare look understated.

[B] July 9 | Bahá'ís commemorate their prophet's execution by firing squad at noon precisely. The first volley mysteriously missed, adding miraculous elements to historical tragedy.

[B] July 13 | Jews fast commemorating Jerusalem's walls being breached before the Temple's destruction. Summer fasting makes this particularly challenging, proving devotion through dehydration.

[D] July 31 | Catholics honor the Jesuit founder who transformed from soldier to saint. His Spiritual Exercises became history's most influential self-help book, predating the genre by centuries.

[D] August 2-3 | Judaism's saddest day commemorates both Temples' destruction on the exact same date centuries apart. The cosmic coincidence makes this the unluckiest day in Jewish history.

[A] August 6 | Christians celebrate Jesus glowing white while chatting with Moses and Elijah. Peter's suggestion to build three tents shows even apostles had awkward social moments.

[A] August 15 | Catholics believe Mary was assumed bodily into heaven, avoiding decomposition entirely. The theological debate over this lasted centuries before becoming official dogma.

[C] August 16 | Hindus celebrate Krishna's midnight birth with fasting until midnight festivities begin. Human pyramids break butter pots hung high, recreating Krishna's childhood mischief competitively.

[D] August 21-28 | Jains observe eight days of intensive fasting, meditation, and forgiveness seeking. The final day's universal forgiveness makes this the ultimate spiritual reset button.

[C] September 4 | Muslims celebrate Prophet Muhammad's birthday with varying enthusiasm depending on interpretation. Some throw parades while others consider celebrating birthdays un-Islamic, causing theological debates.

[C] September 22-24 | Jewish New Year features apples dipped in honey and aggressive horn blowing. The shofar's sound supposedly confuses Satan, making it spiritually strategic noise pollution.

[B] September 25 | Jews fast mourning Gedaliah's assassination which ended Jewish autonomy in ancient times. Coming right after Rosh Hashanah, it tests post-holiday fasting endurance immediately.

[B] October 1-2 | Judaism's holiest day involves 25 hours of fasting and marathon prayer sessions. Wearing white and no leather shoes creates the ultimate spiritual dress code.

[D] October 6-13 | Jews build temporary huts and shake palm branches with citrons for a week. The combination of construction projects and fruit waving makes this Judaism's most interactive holiday.

[B] October 13-14 | The mysterious eighth day after seven-day Sukkot that nobody quite understands. Jews pray for rain, making this the only holiday with weather requests.

[D] October 14-15 | Jews finish reading the Torah and immediately start over, dancing with scrolls enthusiastically. Synagogues turn into religious dance parties with surprisingly athletic Torah handling.

[C] October 20-24 | Hindu festival of lights involves fireworks, sweets, and aggressive house cleaning. The economic boost from gold buying makes jewelers consider this their Christmas.

[D] October 22 | Bahá'ís celebrate their herald's birth with work suspension and community gatherings. Born in 1819, the Bab's message prepared the way for Bahá'u'lláh's later teachings.

[A] October 23 | Consecutive birthdays of Bahá'í founders create a two-day celebration called Twin Holy Days. The back-to-back holidays maximize spiritual observance while minimizing calendar confusion.

[A] November 1 | Catholics honor all saints, known and unknown, in one efficient celebration. Following Halloween immediately, it transforms from spooky to sacred overnight.

[C] November 2 | Catholics pray for souls in purgatory, essentially crowd-sourcing spiritual advancement. Mexican Día de los Muertos makes this the most colorful memorial tradition worldwide.

[B] November 5 | Sikhs celebrate their first Guru with illuminated gurdwaras and massive langar meals. The founder who declared "no Hindu, no Muslim" gets honored by everyone.

[D] November 23 | Catholics end the liturgical year declaring Christ's universal kingship. Pope Pius XI created this in 1925, proving new holidays can still catch on.

[A] November 24 | Sikhs honor their ninth Guru who died defending religious freedom for Hindus. His sacrifice for another faith's rights makes this martyrdom uniquely selfless.

[A] November 27 | Bahá'ís commemorate their faith's interpreter passing at exactly 1:15 AM. The precise timing means worldwide observance happens across all time zones simultaneously.

[C] November 30 | Christians begin their pre-Christmas countdown with wreaths, calendars, and chocolate consumption. Four weeks of anticipation makes Christmas morning's payoff even sweeter.

[B] December 3 | Catholics honor the missionary who baptized more people than anyone except the apostles. His preserved body tours periodically, making him history's most traveled corpse.

[C] December 8 | Buddhists celebrate Buddha's enlightenment under the Bodhi tree after 49 days meditating. Fig trees worldwide get decorated, creating Buddhism's version of Christmas trees.

[C] December 8 | Catholics celebrate Mary's conception without original sin, not Jesus's conception as commonly confused. The theological complexity took 1,854 years to become official dogma.

[B] December 12 | Mexican Catholics honor Mary's appearance to Juan Diego with roses and pilgrimages. The tilma with her image defies scientific explanation, frustrating skeptics for centuries.

[C] December 14-22 | Jews celebrate oil lasting eight days with gift-giving that rivals Christmas commercially. The miracle of lights became the miracle of competing with Santa.

[C] December 25 | Christians celebrate Jesus's birth on a date chosen to compete with pagan winter festivals. The global economic impact proves religious holidays can move markets literally.