March 16
Holidays
50 holidays recorded on March 16 throughout history
Quote of the Day
“The circulation of confidence is better than the circulation of money.”
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Finnish-American and Canadian communities celebrate Saint Urho today, honoring a mythical saint who supposedly drove …
Finnish-American and Canadian communities celebrate Saint Urho today, honoring a mythical saint who supposedly drove grasshoppers out of Finland to save the grape harvest. While the figure originated as a playful 1950s parody of Saint Patrick, he now serves as a distinct cultural touchstone that reinforces Finnish heritage and identity across North America.
The Nazis banned Lithuanian books for forty years, but grandmothers kept printing presses in their cellars.
The Nazis banned Lithuanian books for forty years, but grandmothers kept printing presses in their cellars. Book smugglers — knygnešiai — strapped banned primers and prayer books under their coats, crossing the Prussian border at night. Caught? Siberia or execution. But they didn't stop. Between 1864 and 1904, these smugglers moved an estimated 30,000 Lithuanian-language books annually through forests and frozen rivers, keeping an entire language alive in defiance of Tsarist Russia's attempt to erase it through forced Cyrillic conversion. Lithuania celebrates them every March 16th because they proved you can't kill a culture if someone's willing to carry its words on their back.
Romans honored Bacchus during the Bacchanalia, a multi-day festival of wine, ecstatic dance, and ritual liberation.
Romans honored Bacchus during the Bacchanalia, a multi-day festival of wine, ecstatic dance, and ritual liberation. By 186 BCE, the Roman Senate grew so alarmed by the perceived social disorder and secret conspiracies surrounding these rites that they strictly curtailed the celebrations, forcing the cult underground to survive in private.
He negotiated with an emperor, governed a city, and built a monastery—but Heribert of Cologne's most desperate moment…
He negotiated with an emperor, governed a city, and built a monastery—but Heribert of Cologne's most desperate moment came when Emperor Otto III died in his arms at age 21. The young ruler's courtiers immediately turned on Heribert, accusing him of stealing imperial relics during their chaotic retreat from Rome in 1002. He'd actually saved them. For this "theft," rival factions tried to destroy his career as archbishop. Heribert spent his remaining years founding Deutz Abbey across the Rhine, creating what became one of medieval Germany's great centers of learning. The man they called a thief built something that outlasted all his accusers' names.
A fourteen-year-old boy refused to sacrifice to Roman gods in 274 AD, and the prefect of Rome couldn't believe his de…
A fourteen-year-old boy refused to sacrifice to Roman gods in 274 AD, and the prefect of Rome couldn't believe his defiance. Agapitus stood in the forum while Emperor Aurelian's officials offered him wealth, position, anything to just sprinkle incense. He wouldn't. They boiled him in water — he survived. They threw him to lions in the Colosseum — the animals wouldn't touch him. Finally, they beheaded him outside the city walls. His feast day, August 18th, became so popular that medieval parents across Europe named their sons after him, hoping they'd inherit even a fraction of that stubborn courage. Sometimes the empire's cruelty accidentally created exactly what it feared most: proof that some convictions couldn't be tortured away.
A leper founded one of Ireland's most influential monasteries.
A leper founded one of Ireland's most influential monasteries. Finian Lobhar — "the Leper" — established Swords Abbey near Dublin in the 6th century, training hundreds of monks despite his condition that should've made him untouchable. The disease didn't stop him from becoming one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland, spreading Christianity across the countryside when most sufferers were exiled to die alone. His students went on to establish dozens of monasteries throughout Europe. The church that cast out lepers as unclean made one a saint.
They fought for Hitler, but weren't Nazis—that's the impossible position of Latvia's Waffen-SS volunteers, commemorat…
They fought for Hitler, but weren't Nazis—that's the impossible position of Latvia's Waffen-SS volunteers, commemorated today. In 1944, roughly 115,000 Latvians joined German units, not out of love for the Reich but because Stalin had already murdered 35,000 of their countrymen the year before. The Nuremberg Trials explicitly didn't classify them as war criminals, recognizing they'd been trapped between two genocidal empires. Latvia banned the observance in 2000, then brought it back in 2005, and it remains one of Europe's most controversial memorials—because sometimes history doesn't offer heroes and villains, just people caught between two different versions of hell.
The SS veterans march through Riga every March 16th, and here's what makes it so complicated: these weren't Nazi ideo…
The SS veterans march through Riga every March 16th, and here's what makes it so complicated: these weren't Nazi ideologues — they were Latvians caught between Stalin's occupation that killed 35,000 of their countrymen in 1940-41 and Hitler's invasion that followed. When Germany conscripted them into Waffen-SS units in 1943, many saw it as their only chance to fight the Soviets who'd already deported their families to Siberia. They fought at the Velikaya River, holding back the Red Army's advance. After the war ended, here's the twist: the Nuremberg Trials specifically excluded these conscripted Baltic legions from war crimes charges, recognizing they weren't volunteers. Today's march isn't celebrating Nazism — it's mourning men who had no good choices, only catastrophic ones.
A slave who became Ireland's first monk—decades before Patrick ever set foot there.
A slave who became Ireland's first monk—decades before Patrick ever set foot there. Abban was born around 500 CE in Leinster, trained in Gaul, and returned to establish his monastery at Mag Arnaide while Patrick was still a boy in Britain. He built twelve churches across southeast Ireland, including his abbey at New Ross on the River Barrow. When Patrick finally arrived as a missionary, he found Abban's monasteries already thriving, complete with schools and scriptoriums copying manuscripts. History gave Patrick all the credit, but Abban had already lit the candles.
Bahaïsme : quinzième jour du mois de l'élévation / ‘alá’' consacré au jeûne, dans le calendrier badīʿ.
Bahaïsme : quinzième jour du mois de l'élévation / ‘alá’' consacré au jeûne, dans le calendrier badīʿ.
Abraham d'Édesse († 370), ermite.
Abraham d'Édesse († 370), ermite.
Allon de Bobbio († VIIe siècle), moine à l'abbaye de Bobbio.
Allon de Bobbio († VIIe siècle), moine à l'abbaye de Bobbio.
Finian Lobhar (en) († 560), abbé de l'abbaye de Swords près de Dublin.
Finian Lobhar (en) († 560), abbé de l'abbaye de Swords près de Dublin.
Hilaire et Tacien (it) (it) († 285), évêque et diacre ; avec Félix, Large et Denis ; martyrs à Aquilée.
Hilaire et Tacien (it) (it) († 285), évêque et diacre ; avec Félix, Large et Denis ; martyrs à Aquilée.
Hipparque († 297), Jacques, Romain, Lolien, Philotée, Paragre et Habibus, martyrs à Samosate.
Hipparque († 297), Jacques, Romain, Lolien, Philotée, Paragre et Habibus, martyrs à Samosate.
Papas († IVe siècle), martyr à Séleucie en Perse.
Papas († IVe siècle), martyr à Séleucie en Perse.
Valentin († 312), évêque et Damien, diacre, martyrs à Terracina.
Valentin († 312), évêque et Damien, diacre, martyrs à Terracina.
Argentina Argentina: Día del Cura Brochero.Rev.
Argentina Argentina: Día del Cura Brochero.Rev. P. José Gabriel del Rosario Brochero.Conocido popularmente como el Cura Brochero o el Cura gaucho. San José Gabriel del Rosario fue canonizado el 16 de octubre de 2016 por el Papa Francisco, compatriota suyo.
Día Internacional del Macaco.Muchas especies de esta clase de primates están en peligro de extinción y esto es lo que…
Día Internacional del Macaco.Muchas especies de esta clase de primates están en peligro de extinción y esto es lo que hace que este día sea tan importante.
Argentina Argentina: Misiones: Aniversario del Club Deportivo Jorge Gibson Brown.Fundación: 16 de marzo de 1916 (109…
Argentina Argentina: Misiones: Aniversario del Club Deportivo Jorge Gibson Brown.Fundación: 16 de marzo de 1916 (109 años) en Posadas.
Ecuador Ecuador: Día del Baloncesto Ecuatoriano.Se conmemora a la exjugadora de la selección ecuatoriana de baloncest…
Ecuador Ecuador: Día del Baloncesto Ecuatoriano.Se conmemora a la exjugadora de la selección ecuatoriana de baloncesto femenino, Vanessa Ochoa Ochoa, quien falleció en un accidente acuático. El baloncesto se empezó a practicar en Ecuador en 1912. En la actualidad, la Liga Ecuatoriana de Baloncesto Profesional conocido como su acrónimo Liga BásquetPro es el torneo más importante del baloncesto ecuatoriano de carácter profesional de ese país.
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Nacional del Oso Panda.(en inglés: National Panda Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Nacional del Oso Panda.(en inglés: National Panda Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Nacional de la Vacunación.(en inglés: National Vaccination Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Nacional de la Vacunación.(en inglés: National Vaccination Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día de la Libertad de Información.(en inglés: Freedom of Information Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día de la Libertad de Información.(en inglés: Freedom of Information Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día de la Prensa Afroestadounidense.(en inglés: Black Press Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día de la Prensa Afroestadounidense.(en inglés: Black Press Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Nacional de la Alcachofa.(en inglés: National Artichoke Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Nacional de la Alcachofa.(en inglés: National Artichoke Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día de Todo lo Que Haces Está Bien.(en inglés: Everything You Do is Right Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día de Todo lo Que Haces Está Bien.(en inglés: Everything You Do is Right Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día de Apreciación de los Labios.(en inglés: Lips Appreciation Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día de Apreciación de los Labios.(en inglés: Lips Appreciation Day).
Dia do Ouvidor.
Dia do Ouvidor.
Dia da Bandeira do Estado do Paraná.
Dia da Bandeira do Estado do Paraná.
Aniversário do município de Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro.
Aniversário do município de Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro.
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día de Saint Urho.(en inglés: St. Urho's Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día de Saint Urho.(en inglés: St. Urho's Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Nacional de los Amantes de los Rizos.(en inglés: National Curl Crush Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Nacional de los Amantes de los Rizos.(en inglés: National Curl Crush Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Sin Selfies.(en inglés: No Selfies Day).
Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Sin Selfies.(en inglés: No Selfies Day).
Festejo del día: Santo Patriarca Abraham.(imagen ilustrativa).
Festejo del día: Santo Patriarca Abraham.(imagen ilustrativa).
Santos Hilario y Taciano de Aquileia, mártires.
Santos Hilario y Taciano de Aquileia, mártires.
San Papas de Seleucia, (s.
San Papas de Seleucia, (s. IV).
Eusébie et ses variantes Eusebia, Eusébia, Ysaline, Ysoie, Ysoline, variantes féminines d'Eusèbe et d'Eusebius, à ne …
Eusébie et ses variantes Eusebia, Eusébia, Ysaline, Ysoie, Ysoline, variantes féminines d'Eusèbe et d'Eusebius, à ne pas confondre avec les Ysabelle, Élisabeth et leurs variantes des 22 février et 17 novembre comme dates de leurs fêtes majeures).
Aux Héribert.
Aux Héribert.
Beatos Juan Amias y Roberto Dalby, presbíteros y mártires (f.
Beatos Juan Amias y Roberto Dalby, presbíteros y mártires (f. 1589).
Beato Juan Sordi o Cacciafronte,obispo y mártir (f.
Beato Juan Sordi o Cacciafronte,obispo y mártir (f. 1181).
Santa Eusebia de Hamay, abadesa (f.
Santa Eusebia de Hamay, abadesa (f. c. 680).
Fêtes religieuses romaines : premier jour des Bacchanales sous leur forme originelle, après les Lupercales de début f…
Fêtes religieuses romaines : premier jour des Bacchanales sous leur forme originelle, après les Lupercales de début février par exemple ;
Fêtes religieuses romaines : culte initiatique de Cybèle.
Fêtes religieuses romaines : culte initiatique de Cybèle.
Bénédicte d'Assise († 1260), clarisse à Assise où elle fut la deuxième supérieure de Saint-Damien à la suite de saint…
Bénédicte d'Assise († 1260), clarisse à Assise où elle fut la deuxième supérieure de Saint-Damien à la suite de sainte Claire / santa Chiara d'Assisi.
Sérapion de Novgorod († 1516), moine et évêque.
Sérapion de Novgorod († 1516), moine et évêque.
Christodule († 1093) dit « le Thaumaturge », fondateur en 1088 du monastère Saint-Jean-le-Théologien sur l'île de Patmos.
Christodule († 1093) dit « le Thaumaturge », fondateur en 1088 du monastère Saint-Jean-le-Théologien sur l'île de Patmos.
Torello de Poppi († 1282), bienheureux ermite italien.
Torello de Poppi († 1282), bienheureux ermite italien.
Christian feast day: Eusebia of Hamage
Christian feast day: Eusebia of Hamage
Mythologie finnoise (Finlande) : Saint Urho's Day (en) / fête du personnage imaginaire Saint Urho.
Mythologie finnoise (Finlande) : Saint Urho's Day (en) / fête du personnage imaginaire Saint Urho.