A daily study of the Network’s diverse faiths
Chief Seattle (siʔał, Se – Se) (c1786-1866). Suquamish Tribe day honouring the Chief of the Duwamish Confederacy, an ancestral leader of noble Suquamish and Duwamish parentage who was born on Blake Island, Washington, New Spain and after whom the city of Seattle (Si’ahl, Duwamps), Washington State is named. Known as an orator, he argued for ecological responsibility and respect for Native Americans’ land rights and pursued a path of change with the white settlers. Seattle had earned his reputation as a leader at a young age, ambushing and defeating groups of tribal enemy raiders. Like many of his contemporaries, he owned slaves captured during his raids and the Hudson’s Bay Company called him Le Gros (The Big Guy). Seattle was converted to Christianity by French missionaries and was baptised in the Roman Catholic Church in 1848 with the baptismal name of Noah. He kept his people out of the 1856 Battle of Seattle and was unwilling to lead his tribe to the reservation then established, the government allowing him to move to his father’s longhouse. Seattle visited the town named after him and died on the Suquamish reservation at Port Madison, Washington, where he rests. In 1890, a group of Seattle pioneers set up a monument over his grave, with an inscription identifying him as the firm friend of the whites. The site was restored and a native sculpture added in 1976 and again in 2011. Due to Covid-19, this year the Suquamish Tribe will have a small event open to Suquamish Tribal Members and their households only and look forward to the opening up of Chief Seattle Days to the larger community in 2022. Most events will take place in downtown Suquamish around the House of Awakened Culture and many of the activities from the 1911 celebration will be featured: traditional salmon bake, canoe races, baseball tournaments, drumming and dancing, with a memorial service at the Chief Seattle gravesite. Newer events will include: Coastal Jam, Powwow, Fun Run, craft and food vendors and Youth Royalty Pageant, all free events with free parking. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Commemoration of death 7 June. Image: © Copyright – 2015 Suquamish Tribe.
Khordad Sal. Zoroastrian Parsi Kadmi celebration of the Birthday of the Prophet Zarathushtra on the sixth day after NoRuz, with visits to Fire Temple to give thanks to Ahura Mazda the one God, for giving humanity the ideal gift of the Prophet Zarathushtra, whose philosophy is both giving and fulfilling. Khordad means perfection and Sal year and there is a jashan thanksgiving ceremony, with prayer and stories of Zarathushtra’s miraculous birth and life, normally followed by a lavish community meal, drinking and dancing. This is a symbolic date, as the actual date of his birth cannot be accurately identified. It is one of the most important days in Zoroastrianism and devotees look at ways in which they can improve the lives of others and themselves, clean their houses, display torans (decorative door hangings) of fresh flowers and create rangoli chalk designs on the floor. They wear new clothes, cook traditional dishes, exchange gifts and greet each other with Khordad Sal Mubarak! (Happy Khordad Sal!). Zarathustra’s ideas of monotheism, tempered by belief in the Devil and the struggle between Good and Evil with a final judgement, greatly influenced today’s major world religions, particularly Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Bahá’í faith. Zoroastrians have endured many hardships, the most significant being the 334 BCE invasion of Persia by Alexander and the Muslim 633 to 654 CE conquest of Persia. Though greatly diminished in numbers, Zarathustra’s followers have continued to honour his revolutionary teachings for over 3,000 years. An optional holiday in Pakistan. Due to calendar differences, the date in Iran was 26 March. Image: hindijaankaari.in.
St Pius X (Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto) (1835-1914). Feast Day for Italian Pope who was ever mindful of his humble origins, saying: “I was born poor, I lived poor, I will die poor,” and was thus embarrassed by the pomp of the papal court, saying: “Look how they have dressed me up,” and: “It is a penance to be forced to accept all these practices. They lead me around surrounded by soldiers like Jesus when he was seized in Gethsemane.” Pius was known for vigorously opposing modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting liturgical reforms and scholastic philosophy and theology. He initiated the preparation of the Pio-Benedictine 1917 Code of Canon Law (Codex Iuris Canonici, CIC) the first official comprehensive and systematic codification of Latin canon law since the Twelfth Century. Pius encouraged Italian Catholics to become more politically involved, denouncing the ill-treatment of indigenous peoples on the plantations of Peru and sheltering refugees from the 1908 Messina earthquake at his own expense. He foresaw World War I, saying: “This is the last affliction the Lord will visit on me. I would gladly give my life to save my poor children from this ghastly scourge.” Pius died on 20 August and is venerated in the Catholic Church. Patron of first communicants, catechists, Esperantists, pilgrims, emigrants from Treviso, Society of Saint Pius X, Archdiocese of Kottayam, India, Santa Luċija, Malta, Archdiocese of Zamboanga, the Philippines, Patriarchy of Venice. Image: catholicnewsagency.com.
Prayer God of Comfort, we each are hands to each other, hand helping hand, hand supporting hand, hand comforting hand. As many do not have a friend’s healing hand, we pray for all to have the touch of a friend to bring the small healings that friends bring, as with small healings like this we can continue. Amen