Odes of March - Part 1

I love March.

Despite being named for the Roman god of war, March is a very poetic month.  Its beginning and end have descriptive similes: it "comes in" and "goes out" "like a lamb" or "a lion," depending on the weather.  March has "Madness," if you're a basketball lover (or in love with one). In the northern climes, March ushers in a time desperately yearned-for through many a long, dark night: the First Day of Spring.  Also, the end of the NCAA season.  All the stuff poetry is made of.

A nun praying on Palm Sunday articles.latimes.com Not only a poetic and athletic month, March also abounds with holidays. Its special cosmological position as the harbinger of spring has not gone unnoticed by several faiths.  Besides the obvious attraction to Pagans who celebrate the Spring Equinox (Eoster) every 20th, Catholics commemorate four Saints in March, including Joseph (husband of Mary), and Patrick -- but more on that later.  There is also Mothering Sunday on the fourth week of lent, and Annunciation Day on the 25th, marking Gabriel's announcement to Mary of her own mothering, exactly nine months from Christmas.

When the lunar calendar allows, one or more of the holy days preceding Easter, (when Protestants join in), and Easter, itself, may take place in March.  Again, depending on the lunar calendar, Jews sometimes celebrate Purim in early March or Passover in late March, which occurs on the night of the 26th this year. But that's not all, as the late Billy May (sharing the name of another great month) would say.

Holi Festival of 

The lunar calendar, apparently much preferred for ecclesiastic purposes, usually places the Hindu spring religious festival, Holi, around the beginning of March, which includes dousing family and friends with colors (wet and dry paint) among the observances and festivities. On the day following Holi, Sikhs celebrate Hola Mohalla, featuring games and mock battles.

Back to the real calendar, the Baha'i begin their new year, Naw Ruz, on the first day of spring (March 21).  Meanwhile, the Japanese Shinto call the Spring Equinox Shubun Sai and spend it visiting the graves of the departed and remembering ancestors. On a cheerier note, earlier in the month, the Japanese celebrate Hina Matsuri, the Festival of Dolls, in honor of their daughters. Aw-w-w... And lastly, the Zoroastrians celebrate March 26 in honor the birthday of Zoroaster, the founder, obviously, of Zoroastrianism.  March really should be hailed as the "Multi-faith Month."