religion

Passover is a major Jewish holiday commemorating the Exodus from slavery in Egypt.

The Five Books of Moses, also known as the Pentateuch or Torah, are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

The Anglican Communion traces its origin to the Church of England's 16th-century separation from Rome.

John Calvin was a French theologian whose work shaped Reformed and Presbyterian Protestantism.

The Reformation began with Martin Luther's Ninety-five Theses in 1517 in Wittenberg, Germany.

Theravada and Mahayana are the two main extant branches of Buddhism.

Diwali is a festival of lights celebrated in Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism.

The Eastern Orthodox Church is structured as autocephalous patriarchates and is led collectively rather than by a single supreme bishop.

Christmas is celebrated on December 25 in most Western Christian traditions and on January 7 in many Eastern Orthodox churches.

Vatican II was an ecumenical council of the Catholic Church held from 1962 to 1965.

The Mormon religion, formally the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was founded by Joseph Smith in 1830.

Zoroastrianism, founded by the prophet Zoroaster in ancient Persia, is one of the oldest continuously practiced religions.

Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

Jainism, founded in ancient India, emphasizes non-violence, non-attachment, and asceticism.

Tibetan Buddhism, a form of Vajrayana, recognizes the Dalai Lama as a major spiritual leader.

The Bhagavad Gita is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic Mahabharata.

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, mandatory at least once for adult Muslims who are physically and financially able.

Sunni and Shia are the two major branches of Islam, differing primarily on the question of legitimate succession after the Prophet Muhammad.

Pope Francis became pope in March 2013, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI who resigned.

The Catholic Church traces its origin to Saint Peter, regarded as the first Pope.

Islam is the world's second largest religion and the fastest growing by adherents.

Judaism is the world's oldest monotheistic religion, with a continuous tradition spanning more than 3,000 years.

The Quran is the central religious text of Islam and is considered by Muslims to be the word of God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

Christianity is the world's largest religion by adherents.

Hinduism is widely considered the oldest of the world's major religions, with roots dating back at least 4,000 years.

The Bible is the central religious text of Christianity, comprising the Old and New Testaments.

There are five pillars of Islam: shahada, salat, zakat, sawm, and hajj.

The Torah comprises the first five books of the Hebrew Bible and is the central reference of Judaism.

Buddhism's Four Noble Truths are the truths of suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path leading to cessation.

Sikhism, founded by Guru Nanak in the 15th century, is a monotheistic religion originating in the Punjab region.

Shinto is an indigenous religion of Japan centered on kami, spirits associated with natural elements and ancestors.

Mecca is the holiest city in Islam, and Muslims face the Kaaba in Mecca during the five daily prayers.

Jerusalem is a holy city for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The Vatican is the seat of the Catholic Church and the residence of the Pope.

Easter, the central feast of Christianity, commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting from dawn to sunset.

The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar with 12 months totaling about 354 days, used in Islamic religious observances.