October 21

Holidays

102 holidays recorded on October 21 throughout history

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Antiquity 14

Taiwan celebrates Overseas Chinese Day to honor the millions of citizens living abroad who maintain strong cultural a…

Taiwan celebrates Overseas Chinese Day to honor the millions of citizens living abroad who maintain strong cultural and economic ties to the island. Established to recognize their financial contributions and political advocacy, the holiday reinforces the government’s commitment to supporting diaspora communities as vital partners in the nation’s global influence and diplomatic outreach.

The British Empire celebrated Trafalgar Day to commemorate Admiral Horatio Nelson’s decisive 1805 naval victory over …

The British Empire celebrated Trafalgar Day to commemorate Admiral Horatio Nelson’s decisive 1805 naval victory over the combined French and Spanish fleets. By securing absolute control of the seas, this triumph ended Napoleon’s plans for a cross-channel invasion of Britain and established the Royal Navy’s maritime dominance for the next century.

Catholics honor Saint Ursula, Saint Hilarion, and John of Bridlington today, reflecting a diverse tradition of asceti…

Catholics honor Saint Ursula, Saint Hilarion, and John of Bridlington today, reflecting a diverse tradition of asceticism, martyrdom, and monastic scholarship. These commemorations connect modern believers to the early Church’s foundational figures, whose lives established the liturgical patterns and spiritual archetypes that defined medieval European religious identity for centuries.

French citizens celebrated the Tonneau during the final days of the harvest season, honoring the humble barrel as a p…

French citizens celebrated the Tonneau during the final days of the harvest season, honoring the humble barrel as a pillar of the nation's agricultural economy. By elevating this essential vessel to the status of a secular holiday, the Republican calendar sought to replace traditional religious feast days with symbols of labor, commerce, and the practical tools of daily life.

Nacho lovers across North America celebrate the invention of the snack today, honoring the 1943 creation by maître d'…

Nacho lovers across North America celebrate the invention of the snack today, honoring the 1943 creation by maître d' Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya. He improvised the dish for hungry American military wives in Piedras Negras, Mexico, transforming simple tortilla chips, melted cheese, and jalapeños into a global culinary staple now synonymous with casual dining and stadium concessions.

Ursula supposedly led 11,000 virgins on pilgrimage to Rome, only to be massacred by Huns at Cologne on the return jou…

Ursula supposedly led 11,000 virgins on pilgrimage to Rome, only to be massacred by Huns at Cologne on the return journey. The number likely came from a medieval misreading: 'XI.M.V.' meant eleven martyred virgins, not eleven thousand. Relics in Cologne's church filled entire walls. DNA testing in the 1900s showed the bones included men, children, and even animals. The legend grew from a clerical error into centuries of devotion and art.

Honduras's Armed Forces Day on October 21 commemorates the founding of the Honduran military in 1954, following a cou…

Honduras's Armed Forces Day on October 21 commemorates the founding of the Honduran military in 1954, following a coup that brought a military-backed government to power. The Honduran military was deeply involved in politics throughout the Cold War period, with numerous coups and interventions, including the 2009 removal of President Manuel Zelaya that was widely condemned as unconstitutional. Armed Forces Day now celebrates an institution that is constitutionally subordinate to civilian government — a principle that took decades of democratic pressure to establish.

Thai nurses wear white uniforms year-round in tropical heat.

Thai nurses wear white uniforms year-round in tropical heat. They're addressed as 'phi,' meaning older sibling — a mark of respect built into the language itself. The profession gained formal recognition after King Rama VI established the first nursing school in 1913. Today Thailand has one of Southeast Asia's highest nurse-to-patient ratios, but most work 12-hour shifts six days a week. National Nurses' Day falls on the birthday of Queen Sirikit, whose Red Cross work made healthcare access her signature cause.

India's Police Commemoration Day marks October 21st, 1959, when Chinese troops ambushed an Indian police patrol in La…

India's Police Commemoration Day marks October 21st, 1959, when Chinese troops ambushed an Indian police patrol in Ladakh. Ten policemen died. It was peacetime. The border wasn't disputed on maps. China and India had signed a friendship treaty eight years earlier. The ambush started a border conflict that's still unresolved 64 years later.

The Báb — meaning "the Gate" in Arabic — was a 19th-century Iranian merchant named Siyyid ʻAlí-Muhammad who in 1844 d…

The Báb — meaning "the Gate" in Arabic — was a 19th-century Iranian merchant named Siyyid ʻAlí-Muhammad who in 1844 declared himself the promised one foretold in Islamic prophecy. He attracted thousands of followers, was imprisoned by the Iranian government, and was publicly executed in Tabriz in 1850. His teachings became the foundation of the Baháʼí Faith, which the Báb presented as preparing the way for a new universal revelation. The Baháʼí calendar places his birth festival in late October. His actual birth year was 1819 or 1820; the Baháʼí calendar assigns a fixed date for observance.

Egypt's Naval Day marks October 21, corresponding to the date of the Battle of Ras al-Tin in 1973, when Egyptian miss…

Egypt's Naval Day marks October 21, corresponding to the date of the Battle of Ras al-Tin in 1973, when Egyptian missile boats sank an Israeli destroyer during the Yom Kippur War. The Egyptian Navy's use of Soviet-supplied P-15 Termit anti-ship missiles was one of the first successful combat uses of surface-to-surface missile warfare in history. It influenced naval doctrine globally. Egypt had been humiliated in the 1967 Six-Day War and used the 1973 war to demonstrate military competence. The naval victory was small but tactically significant.

Melchior Ndadaye was Burundi's first democratically elected president and the first Hutu to hold that office.

Melchior Ndadaye was Burundi's first democratically elected president and the first Hutu to hold that office. He won with 65% of the vote in June 1993. On October 21, 1993, 100 days after taking office, he was kidnapped and killed by soldiers who opposed his government. The assassination triggered an ethnic massacre in which 50,000 people died in days. A decade of civil war followed. Ndadaye had tried exactly what Louis Rwagasore had tried 32 years earlier: build a cross-ethnic democratic coalition. They were both killed for it.

The Roman Catholic Church honors a diverse roster of saints on October 21, including Blessed Charles of Austria and t…

The Roman Catholic Church honors a diverse roster of saints on October 21, including Blessed Charles of Austria and the martyr Peter Yu Tae-chol. Eastern Orthodox Christians observe their own distinct liturgics for figures like Tuda of Lindisfarne and Ursula. This shared calendar day transforms scattered historical lives into a unified celebration of faith across different traditions.

Apple Day started in 1990 in Covent Garden to celebrate the 2,300 varieties of apples grown in Britain.

Apple Day started in 1990 in Covent Garden to celebrate the 2,300 varieties of apples grown in Britain. Orchards were disappearing — 60% lost since 1950. Supermarkets sold six varieties. The festival brought back Catshead, Pig's Nose, Slack-ma-Girdle. Now there are Apple Day events across the country every October. Orchards are still disappearing.

Undated 88

Kirchliche Gedenktage Elias Schrenk, deutscher Erweckungsprediger (evangelisch)

Beato Pedro Capucci.

Beata María Beltrame.

Beato Luigi Beltrame.

San Vendelino de Tréveris.

San Pedro Yu Tae-chol.

San Mauronto de Marsella.

San Malco (monje).

San Juan Thwing de Bridlington.

Santas Alodia y Nunilo.

Santa Cilina de Laon.

San Bertoldo de Parma.

Venezuela Venezuela: Día Nacional del Tequeño.

Venezuela Venezuela: Día Nacional del Tequeño. En conmemoración de la fundación de la ciudad de Los Teques el 21 de octubre de 1777.

Tailandia Tailandia: Día Nacional de la Enfermera.

República Dominicana República Dominicana: Día Nacional del Poeta.

República Dominicana República Dominicana: Día Nacional del Poeta. Esta fecha honra a los poetas dominicanos y su contribución a la cultura y literatura del país. Con recitales y eventos, se promueve la apreciación por la poesía y la creatividad literaria. El Día Mundial de la Poesía se celebra el 21 de marzo.

República de China República de China: Día de los Chinos de Ultramar.

Reino UnidoReino Unido Reino Unido: Día de la Manzana.

India India: Día de Conmemoración de la Policía India.

HondurasHonduras Honduras: Día de las Fuerzas Armadas.

Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Nacional de la Torta de Queso y Calabaza.(en inglés: Pumpkin Cheesecake Day).

Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día del Puente.

Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día del Puente. Iniciativa de los saltadores BASE. Estos adictos a la adrenalina se dedican a saltar desde edificios, antenas, puentes y en acantilados.(en inglés: Bridge Day).

Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Nacional de la Manzana.(en inglés: Apple Day).

Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Nacional más Dulce.

Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Nacional más Dulce. Se celebra desde 8 de octubre de 1921 en Cleveland , para celebrar el amor de la gente por los dulces. (en inglés: Sweetest Day).

Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Nacional de Revisar Tus Medicamentos.(en inglés: Check Your Meds Day).

Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Nacional de Limpiar tu Escritorio Virtual.(en inglés: Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day).

Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día Nacional de Concientización sobre los Reptiles.(en inglés: Reptile Awareness Day).

Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día de Regreso al Futuro.

Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día de Regreso al Futuro. Inspirado en la película del mismo nombre de 1985, celebra el día en que el Delorean llegó al futuro, el 21 de octubre de 2015.(en inglés: Back To The Future Day).

Egipto Egipto: Día Naval Egipcio.

Ecuador Ecuador: Día del Electricista Ecuatoriano.

Ecuador Ecuador: Día del Electricista Ecuatoriano. Se establece este día el 21 de octubre de 1985, por decisión de la Cámara Nacional de Representantes, reconociendo la labor de estos profesionales que impulsan el desarrollo del país desde distintos ámbitos de trabajo.

Royaume-Uni : jour de la pomme (en) ;

Afrige († 303), et ses compagnons Machaire, Dicée, Procule, martyrs à Nicée.

Anatole († 500), évêque de Cahors.

Astier († 640), ermite dans la ville éponyme.

Céline de Laon († 458), épouse du comte de Laon, mère de saint Remi de Reims et de Principe de Soissons.

Céline de Meaux († 530), vierge et amie de Sainte Geneviève.

Condède († 685), moine de l'abbaye de Fontenelle, puis fondateur et abbé du Monastère de Belcinac.

Domnole († VIIe siècle), prêtre au diocèse d'Auxerre.

Fintan de Munnu († 635), moine fondateur de l'abbaye de Teach-Munnu (aujourd'hui Taghmon), en Irlande.

Georges (723), Jean, Julien, et leurs compagnons, martyrs à Jérusalem par les sarrasins.

Hugues († 910), abbé du monastère d'Ambronay.

Mauront de Marseille († 782), abbé du monastère de Saint Victor, puis évêque de Marseille.

Modeste († 305), et 272 martyrs, à Naples.

Séverin de Cologne († Ve siècle), évêque de Cologne et patron de cette ville, ainsi que des tisserands.

Unni († 936), archevêque de Hambourg.

Walfroy le Stylite († 595), apôtre des Ardennes, moine stylite.

Berthold († 1106), frère convers bénédictin à Parme.

Gébizon († 1082), bénédictin au Mont-Cassin.

Genaro Fueyo Castañón et ses compagnons († 1936), bienheureux prêtre espagnol mort martyr lors de la guerre civile es…

Genaro Fueyo Castañón et ses compagnons († 1936), bienheureux prêtre espagnol mort martyr lors de la guerre civile espagnole.

Guillaume Della Torre (it) († 1226), évêque de Côme.

Imaine de Looz († 1270), épouse de Godefroid III de Louvain, puis bénédictine.

Jacques de Strepa († 1409), bienheureux évêque polonais.

Joseph Puglisi († 1993), prêtre martyr, assassiné par la mafia.

Nicolas Barré († 1686), bienheureux minime français, fondateur des sœurs de l'Enfant-Jésus.

Pierre Capucci († 1445), bienheureux dominicain italien à Cortone.

Pierre Yu Tae-ch'ol († 1839), fils de saint Augustin Yo Chin-gil, martyr à 13 ans à Séoul.

Hilarion de Kiev († vers 1055), métropolite de Kiev, aux dates éventuellement "juliennes" ou orientales.

Hilarion de Moglène († 1164), moine, évêque et évangélisateur.

Jean de Monembasia († 1773), martyr.

Philothée l'athonite (XIVe siècle), Moine au mont Athos.

Visarion, Opréa et Sophonie (XVIIIe siècle), Martyrs.

Caïus, Dase, Zotique, et leurs variantes linguistiques polyglottes ;

aux Sterenn,

Ursule (à dictons ci-après) et ses variantes : Ursula, Ursuline, Ursin(e/-a/-o).

Aux Viateur,

Walfroy.

Christian feast day: Asterius of Ostia

Argentina Argentina: Día del Técnico en Esterilización.

Argentina Argentina: Día del Seguro.Fue establecido por el Decreto N.º 24.203 del 8 de septiembre de 1944.

Argentina Argentina: Día del Seguro.Fue establecido por el Decreto N.º 24.203 del 8 de septiembre de 1944. La fijación de ese día fue propiciada por la Superintendencia de Seguros de la Nación para conmemorar la primera iniciativa gubernamental, atribuida a Bernardino Rivadavia, de crear un Banco de descuentos y una Compañía de Seguros Marítimos que, aunque no llegó a materializarse, se concretó el 21 de octubre de 1811 en una nota dirigida por el Primer Triunvirato al Tribunal del Consulado.

Día Mundial de Regreso al Futuro.

Día Mundial de Regreso al Futuro. Es la fecha en el que los personajes viajaron y aunque ese día fue el 21 de octubre de 2015, aún se celebra por la nostalgia de esta película.

Día Mundial de los Hombres contra la Violencia de Género.

Día Mundial de los Hombres contra la Violencia de Género. Para sensibilizar sobre el rol de los hombres en erradicar la violencia de género y promover la igualdad.

Día Internacional del Nacho.

Día Internacional del Nacho. Platillo de la cocina mexicana, que consiste en trozos de tortilla de maíz fritos, cubiertos de queso.

Día Mundial del Cifrado.

Día Mundial del Cifrado. Evento digital global organizado por la Global Encryption Coalition (GEC), asociación creada en el marco de la Internet Society.

Día Internacional de la Reparación.

Día Internacional de la Reparación. Iniciativa creada en 2017 por Open Repair Alliance, una comunidad internacional de empresas y organizaciones que se han unido para trabajar por un mundo donde los productos electrónicos sean sostenible y más fácil de reparar.

Día Mundial de la Ingeniería Clínica.

Día Mundial de la Ingeniería Clínica. Tiene como objetivo reconocer la labor de los técnicos y los ingenieros clínicos en la mejora de la salud de las personas.