9 Apr
Spiritual services and fun secular events are on this week in Multicultural Toronto. You can ask your neighbours if you can join them. There’s also a new flower show where you can escape the worries of the world.
Christian. Maundy Thursday. April 13. Some Christian churches commemorate founder Jesus Christ’s last supper with his disciples with today’s church leaders washing the feet of worshipers. An example of this is at the Ethiopian Orthodox St. Mary Cathedral, 80 & 84 Tycos Drive. Tel: 416-781-4802 for the time. http://stmaryeotctoronto.com/home-1 . Our previous Blog on this event: https://www.torontomulticulturalcalendar.com/2012/04/14/251-ethiopian-orthodox-church-maundy-thursday/ .
Image taken at the Ethiopian Church. Copyright ©2017 Ruth Lor Malloy
Christian. Good Friday. April 14. Commemorates the death of Jesus Christ. Many churches veil their statues and have special services. The Kingston Road United Church, 975 Kingston Road, for example, will have a performance of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s famous Requiem. 7:30pm. $12-$25. https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/mozart-requiem-tickets-28817331414?aff=es2.
Italy. One of the most vivid portrayals of the Easter story is the Good Friday Procession in Little Italy on April 14. 3pm. It starts from the St. Francis of Assisi Church, 72 Mansfield Avenue. Members of the congregation play bullying Roman soldiers, the indecisive King Herod, and the humiliated Jesus. Included are also examples of other Italian customs. For a map of the parade route: http://www.stfrancistoronto.org/sfoa_2/?p=1406
Good Friday Procession Little Italy. Copyright ©2013 Ruth Lor Malloy
During the Easter Season, the Church on the Queensway puts on the very popular Toronto Passion Play on April 14, 15 and 16. $5. 1536 The Queensway. (This year there’s a new version.) https://www.thechurch.to/news.
Christian. Ecumenical Good Friday Walk for Justice. Breaking Barriers. April 14. 2pm – 5pm. Free. Church of the Holy Trinity. 19 Trinity Square. Previous issues have included protests against racial profiling and bank profits over people. It has “stood with refugees, advocated for missing and murdered Aboriginal women, and worshiped with the Occupy movement.” http://www.holytrinitytoronto.org/wp/event/ecumenical-good-friday-walk/.
Christian. Easter Sunday. April 16. Celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Services in every church. This is the most important event in the Christian year. Parishioners at some Orthodox churches bring Easter bread to be blessed.
Easter Sunday is also a secular celebration of spring with Easter egg hunts and fashion parades. It is a time for family reunions and feasting (usually on turkey or vegan substitutes). The Beach has an Easter Parade, for example: http://www.beacheslions.com/. Other neighbourhoods around the city also have events.
Easter Parade. The Beach. Copyright ©2013 Ruth Lor Malloy
Jewish. Passover. Begins the evening of Monday, April 10 and ends the evening of Tuesday April 18. It celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt over 3000 years ago. It is usually a family event but some synagogues have Passover Seders. https://jewishtoronto.com/calendar
Israel’s Escape from Egypt, Illustration from a Bible card published 1907 by the Providence Lithograph Company
Korea. First Annual Concert of April Dream Choir. April 15. 6pm. $10. Fairview Library Theatre, 55 Fairview Mall Drive. Third annual commemoration for Korea’s Sewol Ferry victims. Songs, poems, dances and films all dedicated to the victims and their families. “We hope this event will comfort the people’s wounded minds from the tragedy, and raise awareness to the efforts for a safer society.” For ticket information, please email aprildreamchoir@gmail.com or call 647-293-1730. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1451070558246917&substory_index=0&id=1052874591399851
Laos. Laotian New Year. April 15 at 2pm and April 16 at 10am. Wat Lao Temple, 17969 Airport Rd., Caledon East. Tel. 905-584-6886. Email: watlao@watlao-veluwanh.com ; http://www.watlao-veluwanh.com/wat_2017_calendar_mainmonths.pdf
Image of Laotian Temple Copyright ©2017 Ruth Lor Malloy
Tamil. Tamil New Year. April 14. This is a good day to visit a Tamil temple if you want to experience the sounds, incense and enthusiasm of a crowded festival temple in Sri Lanka. In Toronto, there’s the Sri Ayyappan Temple, 635 Middlefield Road, Scarborough (416-321-6104): https://www.torontomulticulturalcalendar.com/2012/04/19/253-tamil-new-year-at-sri-ayyappan-hindu-temple/.
There’s also the Sri Siva Satyanarayana Swami Temple, 1325 Matheson Blvd. (near Dixie Road), Mississauga (905-282-0108). April 13. 5pm. www.SilvaTemple.ca . Expect a huge crowd of worshipers, chariots, and amazing drummers. As in all Asian temples, be sure to leave your shoes outside or carry them in a bag if you go into the temple.
Our 2012 report: https://www.torontomulticulturalcalendar.com/2012/04/19/253-tamil-new-year-at-sri-ayyappan-hindu-temple/
Image Copyright ©2017 Ruth Lor Malloy
Thailand. Songkron – April 13-15. Thai water festival or Thai New Year. April 13-15. Yanviriya Temple, 166 Cedar Ave., Richmond Hill. SE of Major MacKenzie Dr. E. and Yonge St. Tel. 905-884-8786.
Most temple festivals end with banquets for all. Image from Thai temple. Copyright ©2017 Ruth Lor Malloy
Thailand. Songkron. A couple Thai restaurants in Toronto are also celebrating this New Year event with a traditional water fight. The Bangkok Garden’s is on April 13 and costs $40 including dinner, water guns and water. It’s at 18 Elm Street. https://bangkokgarden.ca/special/bangkok-garden-presents-songkran-festival/
The Khaosan Restaurant has its annual water fight at 11 Charlotte St on April 16. 2-6pm. $10. https://www.universe.com/events/songkran-thai-new-year-celebration-at-khao-san-road-tickets-N20DTV .
Image Taken at Khaosan Restaurant. Copyright ©2017 Ruth Lor Malloy
Toronto. Multicultural. Easter Flower Show. Allan Gardens Conservatory, 19 Horticultural Avenue. 10am-5pm daily. April 14-May 14. Free. Easter lilies and hydrangeas. Show also at Centennial Park Conservatory. 151 Elmcrest Road. Toronto.ca/conservatories. Some sources say lilies originated from Crete, and Easter lilies from Japan. Hydrangeas are said to be native to southern and eastern Asia and the Americas.
These are just a few of the many affordable events this week expressive of the exemplary multiculturalism of Toronto. Please keep sending us information about such events preferably with posters to ruthlormalloy@gmail.com. Let us know your adventures if you take part in any event. Send us your comments and questions. If you haven’t already, follow us on twitter.com/torontomulticul. Subscribe to our newsletter above. We want to hear from you. Ruth
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