1. Religious Events January 2010 The start of the Western calendar year Friday 1 January Christian – New Year’s Day Shinto - Oshogatsu Shinto New Year, one of the most popular occasions for shrine visits.

2. Religious Events January 2010 The Catholic Church in England and Wales moves this festival to the nearest Sunday if it falls on a Saturday or Monday. Sunday 3 January Christian – Epiphany

3. Religious Events January 2010 Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708) was the tenth and last of the Sikh Gurus. He instituted the Five Ks and established the Order of the Khalsa. Tuesday 5 January Sikh – Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh

4. Religious Events January 2010 Celebrates the visit of the wise men (the magi) to the infant Jesus. In the East, the Epiphany celebrates the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the River Jordan. Wednesday 6 January Christian – Epiphany Christian – Armenian Orthodox – Christmas Day Armenian Christians celebrate Christ's birth at Epiphany, except for Armenians in the Holy Land, who celebrate Christmas on January 19th. Orthodox churches mark the baptism of Jesus on this day.

5. Religious Events January 2010 Rastafarians believe Ethiopia to be their spiritual homeland, and a place to which they want to return. Thursday 7 January Rastafari – Christmas Day (Ethiopian) Christian – Christmas Day (Orthodox) Most Orthodox churches use the Julian rather than the Gregorian version of the Western calendar. As a result, they celebrate Christmas 13 days later than other Christian churches.

6. Religious Events January 2010 Epiphany takes place on the 6th of January, but most Christians celebrate it on the first Sunday after that date. Sunday 10 January Christian – First Sunday after Epiphany Christian – Baptism of the Lord Commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. Occurs on the first Sunday after Epiphany.

7. Religious Events January 2010 According to tradition, "St. Hilary's is the coldest day of the year." St. Hilary was a fourth century Bishop of Poitiers. Wednesday 13 January Christian – St Hilary’s day

8. Religious Events January 2010 Makar Sankrant is one of the most important festivals of the Hindu calendar and celebrates the sun's journey into the northern hemisphere. Thursday 14 January Hindu – Makar Sankrant

9. Religious Events January 2010 Japanese who have reached legal adulthood (20 in Japan) in the previous year attend a shrine to give thanks. Friday 15 January Shinto – Seijin Shiki (Adults’ Day)

10. Religious Events January 2010 First celebrated in 1908. The days of 18-25 January (regardless of the days of the week involved) were originally chosen because they covered the days between the feast of St Peter and the feast of St Paul. Monday 18 January Christian – Week of prayer for Christian Unity (start)

11. Religious Events January 2010 Dedicated to Saraswati, the goddess of learning and Brahma's wife. The festival marks the beginning of Spring. Wednesday 20 January Hindu – Vasant Panchami

12. Religious Events January 2010 Patron saint of girls, martyred at the age of 13. Thursday 21 January Christian – St Agnes

13. Religious Events January 2010 Anglicans and Catholics celebrate St Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus. Monday 25 January Christian – St Paul’s Day

14. Religious Events January 2010 The UK Holocaust Memorial Day was first held in January 2001. The date was chosen as the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Wednesday 27 January Jewish & Multifaith – National Holocaust Memorial Day

15. Religious Events January 2010 Doctor of the Church and patron saint of students and theologians. Thursday 28 January Christian – St Thomas Aquinas

16. Religious Events January 2010 The Jewish New Year for trees - For religious accounting purposes all trees have their anniversaries on this festival, regardless of when they were planted. Saturday 30 January Jewish – Tu B’Shevat

17. Religious Events January 2010 Guru Har Rai (1630-1661) was the seventh of the Sikh Gurus. Sunday 31 January Sikh – Birthday of Guru Har Rai