Religion and Festivals in the UK

Religion in the UK

The UK has a long Christian history. In the 2011 Census, 59% of people said they were Christian. Smaller numbers identified as Muslim (4.8%), Hindu (1.5%), Sikh (0.8%), and Jewish or Buddhist (less than 0.5%).

Across the country, there are many places of worship, including mosques, temples, synagogues, gurdwaras, and churches.

Everyone in the UK has the legal right to choose their religion—or to have no religion at all. In the 2011 Census, 25% said they had no religion.

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Christian Churches

In England, the Church of England is the official state church. It is Protestant and has existed since the Reformation in the 1530s.

The monarch is the head of the Church of England, while the Archbishop of Canterbury is its spiritual leader.
The monarch formally chooses senior church leaders, but usually this is done by the Prime Minister and a Church committee.
Some bishops from the Church of England sit in the House of Lords.

In Scotland, the national church is the Church of Scotland, which is Presbyterian. It is governed by ministers and elders.
The Moderator is the chairperson of the General Assembly and serves for one year, often speaking on behalf of the church.

There is no established church in Wales or Northern Ireland.

Other Protestant groups include Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Quakers.
The largest other Christian denomination is Roman Catholicism.

Patron Saints’ Days

Each UK nation has a patron saint and a special day:

Only Scotland and Northern Ireland have their saint’s day as an official holiday.
However, all four nations celebrate with parades and festivals.

England and Wales still celebrate their saints’ days, even though they are not public holidays.

Main Christian Festivals

Christmas Day (25 December) celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ and is a public holiday.
People go to church and celebrate at home with special meals like roast turkey, Christmas pudding, and mince pies.
They exchange gifts, send cards, and decorate their homes with Christmas trees.

Children believe Father Christmas (Santa Claus) brings gifts overnight.
The next day, Boxing Day (26 December), is also a public holiday.

Easter, in March or April, marks Jesus’s death on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays.

The 40 days before Easter are called Lent, a time for reflection and sacrifice.
It begins on Ash Wednesday, when people receive an ash cross on their forehead.
The day before Lent is Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), when people eat pancakes to use up rich foods before fasting.

Even non-religious people celebrate Easter with chocolate eggs, symbolising new life.

Other Religious Festivals

• Diwali (October or November) is the Festival of Lights, celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs. It symbolises the victory of good over evil.
  The city of Leicester hosts one of the largest Diwali celebrations outside India.

• Hanukkah (November or December) lasts eight days and celebrates Jewish religious freedom. Each day, a candle is lit on a menorah.

• Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting for Muslims. They give thanks to Allah and attend special meals and services.

• Eid ul Adha remembers Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son. Muslims may sacrifice an animal, but in Britain it must be done in a slaughterhouse.

• Vaisakhi (Baisakhi) celebrates the founding of the Sikh Khalsa on 14 April with parades, dancing, and singing.

Other Festivals and Traditions

• New Year’s Day (1 January) is a public holiday.
  New Year’s Eve (31 December) is celebrated across the UK.
  In Scotland, it is called Hogmanay, and 2 January is also a public holiday.

• Valentine’s Day (14 February): people send cards and gifts to loved ones.

• April Fool’s Day (1 April): people play jokes until midday.

• Mothering Sunday: three weeks before Easter; children give cards and gifts to mothers.

• Father’s Day: third Sunday in June; children do the same for fathers.

• Halloween (31 October): young people wear scary costumes and play ‘trick or treat’. People carve pumpkin lanterns.

• Bonfire Night (5 November): celebrates the failure of the Gunpowder Plot (1605) by Guy Fawkes and other Catholics to blow up Parliament.

• Remembrance Day (11 November): honours those who died for the UK, especially in World War I.
  People wear poppies and hold a two-minute silence at 11:00 am.
  Wreaths are laid at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, built in 1920.

Bank Holidays

Apart from religious holidays, the UK has bank holidays, when banks and many businesses close.
These happen in early May, late May or early June, and August.

In Northern Ireland, the Battle of the Boyne anniversary in July is also a public holiday.

Key Points

• The UK is historically Christian but religiously diverse.
• Everyone has the legal right to practise or not practise a religion.
• The Church of England is the state church; Scotland has the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
• Each UK nation has its own patron saint and celebration day.
• Key Christian festivals: Christmas, Easter, Lent, Shrove Tuesday.
• Major other religious festivals: Diwali, Hanukkah, Eid, Vaisakhi.
• Other traditions include New Year, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and Bonfire Night.
• Remembrance Day honours war dead; the Cenotaph is central to the service.
• Bank holidays occur several times a year, including one for the Battle of the Boyne in Northern Ireland.