Connecticut communities celebrate Ramadan, Lent and Lunar New Year
Thousands across our state and the world are celebrating this week, as they mark religious and cultural holidays.
Ramadan, Lent, and Lunar New Year converge this week, a rare occurrence since the three holidays follow different lunar calendars.
Despite the differences, each holiday centers on renewal and new beginnings.
Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent, a 40-day period of reflection and fasting observed by Catholics and Christians.
“It’s a door into an opening, into this season of Lent, where we can go into a quieter time, a more reflective time, a time to be more mindful of who we are created as God’s beloved ones,” Rev. Mary Anne Osborn of Trinity Episcopal Church said.
Ashes of palm leaves are used to make a cross on the forehead, an outward sign of repentance. Parishioners received ashes at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Portland.
“I love that we have ashes to represent that this season is beginning and it’s the season that we’re particularly mindful of,” Osborn said.
A new start is also celebrated with the Lunar New Year, also known as Tet in Vietnam.
In Wethersfield, the Vietnamese community wore red, a symbol of good luck, as they rang in the year of the horse over the weekend.
“Horse is a strong animal,” Thomas Pham, president of the Vietnamese Mutual Assistance Association of Connecticut, said. “It’s always standing, never lay down so this means it’s going to be a strong year.”
Muslims around the world are observing Ramadan, a 30-day period of fasting, charity, and prayer from sunrise to sunset.
“It’s like a new year or like a new month, a new me. And the whole objective is that we build positive habits throughout these 30 days that we can try to sustain for the rest of the year,” Imam Khizer Ali of the Farmington Valley American Muslim Center said.
Hundreds attended the Farmington Valley American Muslim Center in Avon on Wednesday night, staying for a sixth daily prayer, which is special for Ramadan.
Ali said this holy month is all about gratitude and remembering those who have less than.
“In Palestine and throughout the world there are adults, children that participate in the fasting aspect of this month and they wake up, sometimes they don’t even have a meal to eat in the morning,” he said. “When I think about that, obviously it breaks my heart. But I’m very grateful throughout this month. And that’s something that really motivates me to be better.”
Participants are encouraged to give back to their community.
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