# Question on using the term "high holidays" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 16, 2019, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607 "2019-04-16T01:21:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/1 "2019-04-16T01:21:59Z")
Hi Is the term “high holidays” only used in a Jewish religious context or does it extend to Christian holidays? Is Easter among Catholics a high holiday? I have only seen 'high holidays"used in a Jewish context. I look forward to your feedback. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/2 "2019-04-16T02:00:37Z")
AFAIK the phrase is only used for the period of the Jewish holidays Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Christianity distinguishes the “great feasts” or “major festivals” etc. from minor holidays, but I don’t think they’re ever called “high holidays”. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/3 "2019-04-16T02:56:44Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > AFAIK the phrase is only used for the period of the Jewish holidays Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. > > Christianity distinguishes the “great feasts” or “major festivals” etc. from minor holidays, but I don’t think they’re ever called “high holidays”. Right. And the alternative is calling the Jewish observances as “High Holy Days”, which is how I knew them. I am unaware of an equivalency in Christianity. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/4 "2019-04-16T03:03:54Z")
Catholics consider Easter to be the greatest of all events (Catholics have an ["Easter duty](http://catholicstraightanswers.com/what-is-the-easter-duty/)") but they don’t use the term “High Holidays,” or “high holy days.” ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/5 "2019-04-16T03:32:34Z")
I’ve been a member of four different Christian denominations (Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, CMA), and haven’t ever heard the term used in reference to Christian holidays. Christians certainly consider Easter and Christmas to be their two most important holidays / holy days, but, in any of the denominations I’ve been in, there hasn’t been a special term to describe them. I wonder if part of the reason that there’s a particular term for High Holidays in Judaism is their close proximity to each other on the calendar. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/6 "2019-04-16T05:16:55Z")
The term “High Holidays” is the accepted English translation of the Hebrew term “הימים הנוראים”, literally: “Days of Awe”, which refer to Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (and arguably, the 10 days between them). It’s supposed to be the time one repents from all of one’s sins from the past year. (That’s why, BTW, you never say “happy Yom Kippur”. If you’re having a happy Yom Kippur, you’re doing it wrong). ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/7 "2019-04-16T10:06:32Z")
I’m thinking this is more a GQ. I’ll movr it there. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/8 "2019-04-16T10:47:28Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Catholics consider Easter to be the greatest of all events (Catholics have an ["Easter duty](http://catholicstraightanswers.com/what-is-the-easter-duty/)") but they don’t use the term “High Holidays,” or “high holy days.” No, I believe the highest in Christianity is Pentecost. And the nearest equivalent term for Christians is **Holy Week**. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/9 "2019-04-16T10:54:30Z")
“high days and holidays” is, or was, a commonly used phrase in the UK. _“High days and holidays can be especially difficult for older people living on their own, so if you have an elderly friend or relative, pay them a visit today. On high days and holidays, the council building opens its doors and hosts a number of free activities for the public to enjoy.”_ "Holiday obviously relates to ‘holy day’ and especially the main ones (and Sundays) when many people got a day off work - Easter, Christmas etc. In the UK, we also have ‘bank’ holidays which are public holidays not related to religion (unless you worship Mammon). I am guessing that some hack coined the phrase “high days and holidays” and it caught on, partly because of the alliteration. ‘high’ is frequently used to mean special - high spirits; a high old time; high standards and so on. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/10 "2019-04-16T11:29:50Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Christians certainly consider Easter and Christmas to be their two most important holidays / holy days, but, in any of the denominations I’ve been in, there hasn’t been a special term to describe them. In Spanish those two plus Pentecost are all grouped under the label _Pascuas_, which is also the word used for Passover. It can also mean a holiday in general (although that concept is antiquated) and if we say someone “resembled Pascuas” (_estaba hecho unas Pascuas_) it means they were extremely happy and felt the need to share whatever the good news were with the rest of the world. Not giving individual translations for each expression because they mean pretty much what I’d expect any English speaker to guess. Easter = _Pascua, Pascua de Resurrección_. The complete period from Palms Sunday until Easter Sunday both included, _Semana Santa_ (Holy Week). Christmas day = _Pascua de la Natividad, Navidad_ the whole holiday period from Christmas Eve until the Epiphany is called _las Pascuas Navideñas_. Pentecost = \*(Pascua de) Pentecostés, Pascua del Espíritu, Pascua del Espíritu Santo \* Passover = _Pascua judía_ > [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](#): > > No, I believe the highest in Christianity is Pentecost. > > And the nearest equivalent term for Christians is **Holy Week**. For Catholics and as **kunilou** says, Resurrection Sunday aka Easter Sunday. Pentecost is kind of… the appendix to the Resurrection. ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/11 "2019-04-16T11:48:28Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The term “High Holidays” is the accepted English translation of the Hebrew term “הימים הנוראים”, literally: “Days of Awe”, which refer to Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (and arguably, the 10 days between them). It’s supposed to be the time one repents from all of one’s sins from the past year. > > (That’s why, BTW, you never say “happy Yom Kippur”. If you’re having a happy Yom Kippur, you’re doing it wrong). I knew not to wish someone a happy Yom Kippur, but is there something that \*is \*appropriate to say to recognize the importance of the day to a friend, colleague, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/12 "2019-04-16T12:15:43Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > “high days and holidays” is, or was, a commonly used phrase in the UK. _“High days and holidays can be especially difficult for older people living on their own, so if you have an elderly friend or relative, pay them a visit today. On high days and holidays, the council building opens its doors and hosts a number of free activities for the public to enjoy.”_ > > "Holiday obviously relates to ‘holy day’ and especially the main ones (and Sundays) when many people got a day off work - Easter, Christmas etc. In the UK, we also have ‘bank’ holidays which are public holidays not related to religion (unless you worship Mammon). I am guessing that some hack coined the phrase “high days and holidays” and it caught on, partly because of the alliteration. > > ‘high’ is frequently used to mean special - high spirits; a high old time; high standards and so on. I heard an American Catholic Bishop use the term in the context Notre Dame fire during the Easter period. So I think using the term high holidays may be an antiquated term among lay people, but maybe not among the clergy. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/13 "2019-04-16T12:20:05Z")
For many of us not entrenched in judeo-christian ideology, this coming Saturday is our high holiday. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/14 "2019-04-16T12:59:18Z")
> [@Emiliana](#): > > I knew not to wish someone a happy Yom Kippur, but is there something that \*is \*appropriate to say to recognize the importance of the day to a friend, colleague, etc.? Simply wish them “Well over the fast.” I have heard “Happy Yom Kippur” as a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/15 "2019-04-16T19:57:01Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Simply wish them “Well over the fast.” > > I have heard “Happy Yom Kippur” as a joke. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/16 "2019-04-16T20:10:09Z")
> [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](#): > > No, I believe the highest in Christianity is Pentecost. > > And the nearest equivalent term for Christians is **Holy Week**. For Catholics there are also “Holy Days of Obligations” [What Are the Holy Days of Obligation? | Catholic Answers Magazine](https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/what-are-the-holy-days-of-obligation) ---
**Author:** ![Crybaby\_Boobie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crybaby_boobie/32/545_2.png) [@Crybaby\_Boobie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crybaby_Boobie)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/17 "2019-04-16T20:13:19Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > For many of us not entrenched in judeo-christian ideology, this coming Saturday is our high holiday. It’s hard to see what you did there through all the smoke. ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/18 "2019-04-16T20:25:44Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > For many of us not entrenched in judeo-christian ideology, this coming Saturday is our high holiday. Wait, passover isn’t part of judeo-christian ideology now? Incidentally, my phone wanted to autocorrect that to judo-christian or nude-Christian. ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/19 "2019-04-16T21:39:56Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > Wait, passover isn’t part of judeo-christian ideology now? Kayaker was making a joke. This coming Saturday is 4/20, a.k.a. a day to celebrate [marijuana](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/420_(cannabis_culture)). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2019, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607/20 "2019-04-16T22:02:22Z")
> [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](#): > > No, I believe the highest in Christianity is Pentecost. For Christian churches with an evangelical bent (I do not mean fundamentalist. Evangelical is different, although there’s overlap between the two groups) Pentecost is a very big deal. It’s the celebration of when the Apostles went forth to proclaim the Word of God to all the world. For others, like Catholics, Easter is considered more important because it marks Christ’s (and our) triumph over death and eternal damnation. Theologically speaking, Christmas has never been as “important” as the other two. It’s certainly big, but so is Good Friday, the Ascension, the Transfiguration and some others. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-on-using-the-term-high-holidays/832607.md?page=2)