Happy Easter: Message for all faiths from Vicar of Halifax The Rev Canon Hilary Barber

April is a holy time for the Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Each faith celebrates a particular festival.

For the Christian community it is the festival of Easter, when Christians remember the death and resurrection of Jesus.

This festival is far more important than Christmas, when Christians remember the birth of Jesus. Jesus rising from the dead three days after he was crucified is the most important feature of Christianity.

For Judaism it is the festival of Passover. During Passover, Jews remember how their ancestors left slavery behind them when they were led out of Egypt by Moses.

Passover (or Pesach in Hebrew) is one of the most important festivals in the Jewish year. It is a spring festival that begins on the 15th day of Nisan - the first month of the Jewish calendar.

The celebrations last for seven or eight days, depending on where you live. In 2023 Passover begins on the evening of Wednesday, April 5.

For Islam, this year we are in the middle of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

The exact dates of Ramadan change every year. This is because Islam uses a calendar based on the cycles of the Moon.

During the month of Ramadan, Muslims won't eat or drink during the hours of daylight. This is called fasting.

Children are not expected to fast until they reach puberty, usually around the age of 14.

Ramadan remembers the month the Qur'an (the Muslim holy book) was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The actual night that the Qur'an was revealed is a night known as Lailut ul-Qadr ('The Night of Power').

Here in Halifax we have many others faith communities with their own festivals and cultural traditions: Quakers, Hindu, Sikh, Quaker, Ba’hai, and Mormons (Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints).

All these faith communities enrich our lives with their celebrations and traditions, bringing food, dance, music, lights, and silence, into the Public Square.

Here in Calderdale we truly value the contribution all people of faith make to our community life together. Happy Easter.