KHORDAD SAL

The birth anniversary of Prophet Spitaman Zarathushtra (Zoroaster), who founded Zoroastrianism, is celebrated as Khordad Sal. It falls sometime in August or September, on the sixth day of the Parsi month of Farvardin.

The exact year of Zarathushtra's birth is not known, but it is generally accepted that he was born in the beginning of the first millennium BC.

Similarly, the day of his birth is also not precisely known, and the fixing of Khordad Sal as his birthday is symbolical. The religious lore and texts of the Parsis mention the festival and its importance. In some old Parsi texts, this day is also spoken of as the Navroz-I-Khas, which means 'special new year's day', while the real New Year's day is referred to as Navroz-I-Am, meaning 'common new year's day'.

In the olden days, the king and nobility, especially, observed Khordad Sal as Navroz-I-Khas. It is said to be the day on which many historic events of old Iran are said to have happened. Later, it came to be observed solely as Zarathushtra's birthday.

Rituals

Clean, rangoli-strewn homes, children with vermilion spots on their foreheads, new clothes, fragrant flowers and delicious meals, all form part of the rituals. Jashan, or thanksgiving prayers, are offered to God in the agiaries. A grand feast is prepared to mark the occasion.

Since the Parsi community is especially tight-knit, its celebrations bring kith and kin together; so does Khordad Sal.The festival is also an opportunity for the Parsis to review their lives and actions, and make resolutions for the future.

WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY - USA

On August 26th, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution, recognizing the right of women to vote, was signed. Obviously, passage of the Amendment didn't come easily. The names of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton have passed into legend on account of the struggles they faced in rallying public opinion to their cause, and both passed away before seeing their dream of women's suffrage become a reality. And it's not like everyone was suddenly in favor of women's suffrage once the vote was granted to women. Even after the Amendment passed, some states still refused to officially go on record in favor of the Amendment as late as 1984. And that's just the issue of women's suffrage in the US. Women still struggle to have their equality recognized in all sorts of ways all over the world. This day is an opportunity to recognize this struggle.

Our Lady of Czestochowa : Poland

History

According to tradition, the icon of Jasna Góra was painted by Luke the Evangelist on a tabletop built by Jesus himself, and the icon was discovered by St. Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine and collector of Christian relics in the Holy Land. The icon was then enshrined in the imperial city of Constantinople, according to the legend, where it remained for the next 500 years.

Icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa.

In 803, the painting is said to have been given as a wedding gift from the Byzantine emperor to a Greek princess, who married a Ruthenian nobleman. The image was then placed in the royal palace at Belz, where it remained for nearly 600 years.

History first combines with tradition upon the icon's arrival in Poland in 1382 with a Polish army fleeing the Tartars, who had struck it with an arrow.

Legend has it that during the looting of Belz, a mysterious cloud enveloped the chapel containing the image. A monastery was founded in Częstochowa to enshrine the icon in 1386, and soon King Jagiello built a cathedral around the chapel containing the icon.

However, the image soon came under attack once again. In 1430, Hussites (pre-Reformation reformers) attacked the monastery, slashed the Virgin's face with a sword, and left it desecrated in a puddle of blood and mud.

It is said that when the monks pulled the icon from the mud, a miraculous fountain appeared, which they used to clean the painting. The icon was repainted in Krakow, but both the arrow mark and the gashes from the sword were left and remain clearly visible today.

The miracle for which the Black Madonna of Częstochowa is most famous occurred in 1655, when Swedish troops were about to invade Częstochowa. A group of Polish soldiers prayed fervently before the icon for deliverance, and the enemy retreated. In 1656, King John Casimir declared Our Lady of Częstochowa "Queen of Poland" and made the city the spiritual capital of the nation.

The Virgin again came to the aid of her people in 1920, when the Soviet Russian Red Army gathered on the banks of the Vistula River, preparing to attack Warsaw. The citizens and soldiers fervently prayed to Our Lady of Częstochowa, and on September 15, the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, she appeared in the clouds above Warsaw. The Russians were defeated in a series of battles later dubbed the "Miracle at the Vistula."

During Nazi occupation, Hilter prohibited pilgrimages to Jasna Góra, but many still secretly made the journey. In 1945, after Poland was liberated, half a million pilgrims journeyed to Częstochowa to express their gratitude. On September 8, 1946, 1.5 million people gathered at the shrine to rededicate the entire nation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. During the Cold War, Jasna Góra was a center of anti-Communist resistance.

Pope John Paul II, a native of Poland, was a fervent devotee of the Virgin Mary and of her icon at Częstochowa. As pope, he made pilgrimages to pray before the Black Madonna in 1979, 1983, 1991, and 1997. In 1991, he held his Sixth World Youth Day at Czetochowa, which was attended by 350,000 young people from across Europe.

Other popes have honored the "Queen of Poland" as well. Pope Clement XI officially recognized the miraculous nature of the image in 1717 and in 1925 Pope Pius XI designated May 3 a feast day in her honor. Pope Benedict XVI visited the shrine on May 26, 2006.

Namibia heroes day.

Namibia celebrates Heroes Day as a public holiday.

August 26th is celebrated by Namibians as a remarkable day of their independence. The Namibians remember this day as the day that marks the death of Namibians heroes in their war for Independence.

History of Namibia Heroes Day

These great heroes of Namibia sacrificed their life in the name of nation, independence and to pay homage to these great soldiers of Namibia. This day is declared as a national holiday in Namibia and celebrated with enormous respect and devotion by the Namibians. In respect to these brave soldiers, monuments at Heroes Acre have also been built to symbolizes the patriotic contribution of these great soldiers towards their motherland. since the return of Samuel Maherero from exile for burial 1923, the heroes have marked this day as a gesture of defiance.

Namibia Heroes Day Traditions, Culture and Activities

At the Angolian border, in the Ohangwena region, national celebrations take place annually. Thousands of people come out on the streets and roads to watch leaders like Sam Nujoma, Nahas Angula and Hifikepunye Pohamba, who officially pay their homage to these veterans of the PLAN (People’s Liberation Army of Namibia).

In their honor, military medals are awarded to the brave soldiers of the country. In their honor, a war memorial, Heroes Acre, has been built. It was dedicated in 2002. United Nation Institute for Namibia was also inaugurated on this day in 1976. Under the guidance of The UN, the University of Namibia was established, to act as a center of tertiary education in Zambia.

In a tribute to the hero, Samuel Maharero, each year thousands of people gather on the streets of Okahandja town on August 26th. This day is remembered by the Herero people as the return of their chief from exile in 1923, his reburial in town and as a symbol of their regained pride. The Herero people celebrate this day by walking down the streets in military formations while wearing military clothes.

National Pantheon of Venezuela

The Panthéon (Latin Pantheon,[1] from Greek Pantheon, meaning "Temple of all the Gods") is a building in the northern edge of the old town of Caracas, Venezuela. It was originally built as a church, but is now used as a famous burial place. The entire central nave is dedicated to Simón Bolívar, with the altar's place taken by the hero's bronze sarcophagus, while lesser luminaries are relegated to the aisles. The national pantheon's vault is covered with 1930s paintings depicting scenes from Bolívar's life, and the huge crystal chandelier glittering overhead was installed in 1883 on the centennial of his birth.

On 27 March 1874, president Antonio Guzmán Blanco decreed the transformation of the Santísima Trinidad church of Caracas into a National Pantheon, to conserve the remains of the heroes of Independence and those of eminent people. This church was constructed by Juan Domingo del Sacramento Infante in the middle of the 17'th century, the 1812 earthquake destroyed it almost totally, its slow reconstruction continued under the direction of several engineers and when was decree as Pantheon, it was still not finished.The choice of this temple for so lofty a destiny was motivated as much by its then-panoramic and distant position from the urban nucleus of Caracas, as by its historical antecedents, during the return of Simón Bolívar's remains from Santa Marta in 1842, they were deposited temporarily at this church. In the church were also buried, in 1851, the remains of Francisco Rodríguez del Toro (Marqués del Toro), those of José Gregorio Monagas, Andrés Ibarra and Ezequiel Zamora. The decree of Guzmán Blanco was accompanied with the order of the completion of its facades, being finished the project made by engineer José Gregorio Solano during 1853-1858. It was the first design of neogothic architecture in Venezuela, consisted of a symmetrical facade of three doors and two angular towers. The works were led, successively, by the engineers Julian Churión, Juan Hurtado Manrique, Tomás Soriano and Roberto García, finishing on 28 October 1875. Nevertheless, the inauguration of the building occurred during St. Simon's day, when the remains of the Liberator were transferred from the cathedral. These were placed in a wooden sarcophagus with silver and gold coating, made in a neogothic style by the French engraver Emile Jacquin. The statue of the Liberator executed in 1842 by the Italian sculptor Pietro Tenerani was also transferred from the cathedral. The sarcophagus and the statue were placed in the space that was used by the priest of the church. From the ceiling, a crystal chandelier from Bacarat with 230 lights was hung. In 1910, the government of Juan Vicente Gómez undertook a general renovation of the building, following the plans of architect Alejandro Chataing. Some changes to the facade were introduced, and the inner decoration was modified, placing a sky-light in the ceiling of the nave

New Long-Term Care Insurance Will Provide Flexible Cash Benefits

Millie Toda of Toledo, Ohio, takes cares of her husband Richard, 83, who is severely disabled from Parkinson’s Disease. She’s grateful that with the help of government-paid home health aides and adult day care, he’s able to continue living at home rather than move to a nursing home.

Even with that aid, Toda, 75, says extra money would be a big help. She could use the cash to help replace the broken lift on the front porch so she wouldn’t have to pull and push him up and down the front steps of their trailer home to get to his wheelchair.

A provision in the health care overhaul law signed by President Barack Obama last month could bring some help in the future to people like the Todas. The law establishes a voluntary, long-term care program that will provide cash to enrollees who suffer at least two limitations in daily activities, such as eating, bathing and dressing. The help could begin five years after people enroll in the program.

Psychic' octopus to predict World Cup champions

Paul, from the Sea Life Aquarium in the western German city of Oberhausen, has so far correctly forecast every World Cup game involving the national team.

But with Spain facing the Netherlands, he will be called on to pick the winner of a match without Germany playing.

He predicts by choosing a mussel from one of two boxes bearing the flags of the competing nations.

On Friday, Paul will also be asked to tip the winner of Saturday's Germany-Uruguay match for third place.