holy day

/ˌˈhoʊli ˌdeɪ/

Other forms: holy days; holy daies

Definitions of holy day

1. noun

   a day specified for religious observance
   synonyms: religious holiday

   types:

   fast day

   a day designated for fasting

   Christian holy day

   a religious holiday for Christians

   Jewish holy day

   a religious holiday for Jews

   Dormition, Feast of Dormition

   celebration in the Eastern Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary's being taken up into heaven when her earthly life ended; corresponds to the Assumption in the Roman Catholic Church and is also celebrated on August 15th

   quarter day

   a Christian holy day; one of four specified days when certain payments are due

   major fast day

   one of two major fast days on the Jewish calendar

   minor fast day

   one of five minor fast days on the Jewish calendar

   Feast of Booths, Feast of Tabernacles, Succos, Succoth, Sukkoth, Tabernacles

   a major Jewish festival beginning on the eve of the 15th of Tishri and commemorating the shelter of the Israelites during their 40 years in the wilderness

   Rosh Chodesh, Rosh Hodesh

   (Judaism) the beginning of each month in the Jewish calendar; marked by a special liturgy

   High Holiday, High Holy Day

   Jewish holy days observed with particular solemnity

   holy day of obligation

   a day when Catholics must attend Mass and refrain from servile work, and Episcopalians must take Communion

   January 20, Saint Agnes's Eve

   a Christian holy day

   Easter Day, Easter Sunday

   the day (in March or April) on which the festival of Easter is celebrated

   Palm Sunday

   Sunday before Easter

   Passion Sunday

   second Sunday before Easter

   Good Friday

   Friday before Easter

   Low Sunday

   the Sunday following Easter

   Holy Saturday

   the Saturday before Easter; the last day of Lent

   Holy Innocents' Day, Innocents' Day

   December 28, commemorating Herod's slaughter of the children of Bethlehem

   Septuagesima, Septuagesima Sunday

   the 3rd Sunday before Lent (or the 9th before Easter)

   Quinquagesima, Quinquagesima Sunday

   the Sunday before Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent)

   Quadragesima, Quadrigesima Sunday

   the first Sunday in Lent

   Trinity Sunday

   eighth Sunday after Easter

   Rogation Day

   one of the three days before Ascension Day; observed by some Christians as days of supplication

   Holy Thursday, Maundy Thursday

   the Thursday before Easter; commemorates the Last Supper

   Corpus Christi

   Thursday after Trinity Sunday; first celebrated in 1246

   June 29, Saints Peter and Paul

   first celebrated in the 3rd century

   Epiphany, Epiphany of Our Lord, January 6, Three Kings' Day, Twelfth day

   twelve days after Christmas; celebrates the visit of the three wise men to the infant Jesus

   March 19, Saint Joseph, St Joseph

   a Christian holy day

   Twelfth night

   eve of Twelfth day; evening of January 5

   All Souls' Day, November 2

   a day of supplication for all the souls in purgatory

   Ash Wednesday

   the 7th Wednesday before Easter; the first day of Lent; the day following Mardi Gras (`Fat Tuesday'); a day of fasting and repentance

   Ember Day

   a day set aside for fasting and prayer

   Purim

   (Judaism) a Jewish holy day commemorating their deliverance from massacre by Haman

   Feast of Weeks, Pentecost, Shabuoth, Shavous, Shavuot, Shavuoth

   (Judaism) Jewish holy day celebrated on the sixth of Sivan to celebrate Moses receiving the Ten Commandments

   Rejoicing in the Law, Rejoicing of the Law, Rejoicing over the Law, Shimchath Torah, Simchas Torah, Simchat Torah, Simhat Torah, Simhath Torah

   (Judaism) a Jewish holy day celebrated on the 22nd or 23rd of Tishri to celebrate the completion of the annual cycle of readings of the Torah

   Fast of Ab, Fast of Av, Ninth of Ab, Ninth of Av, Tisha b'Ab, Tisha b'Av, Tishah b'Ab, Tishah b'Av

   (Judaism) a major fast day on the Jewish calendar commemorating the destruction of the temples in Jerusalem

   Channukah, Channukkah, Chanukah, Chanukkah, Feast of Dedication, Feast of Lights, Feast of the Dedication, Festival of Lights, Hannukah, Hanukah, Hanukkah

   (Judaism) an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem in 165 BC

   Lag b'Omer

   (Judaism) Jewish holy day; the 33rd day after the 2nd day of Passover; the 18th day of Iyar

   Advent Sunday

   the first of the four Sundays during Advent

   Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, pancake day

   the last day before Lent

   August 6, Transfiguration, Transfiguration Day

   (Christianity) a church festival held in commemoration of the Transfiguration of Jesus

   type of:

   holiday

   a day on which work is suspended by law or custom