Diwali: Here's how it's celebrated

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What is Diwali, and how is it celebrated?

This week, Hindus around the world are celebrating one of their most important holidays, Diwali. It's an occasion that has become popular in recent years among Americans of all faiths. But what is the meaning behind the holiday, and how do people celebrate?

Diwali is the five-day festival of lights, symbolizing the victory of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and spiritual light over darkness, according to the Hindu American Foundation. The name comes from the Sanskrit word "deepavali," which means row of lights, and it is commemorated with the lighting of candles, clay lamps and firecrackers.

Followers celebrate Diwali by gathering in local temples, homes and community centers or any appropriate place where family and friends can make positive goals and appreciate good fortune. Celebrations generally include special food and sweets, performing "pujas," or religious ceremonies, reciting prayers and singing songs to the Hindu god Vishnu, known as the sustainer of the universe, and the goddess Lakshmi, who is known as the goddess of wealth and prosperity.

Diwali traces its roots back to the Ramayana, one of India's greatest epics dating back to the 7th century B.C., that tells the tale of a prince named Rama who was considered the embodiment of "dharma" or righteous living. As the eldest son of his father, Rama was meant to inherit the throne but was instead exiled to the forest for 14 years by his jealous stepmother. Diwali celebrates Rama's return from exile.

Considering the millions of Indian Americans in the U.S., Diwali is celebrated widely in communities across the country. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were an estimated 5.2 million people in the U.S. who identified as Indian as of 2023.

Burqa ban: Portugal may make it illegal to cover face in public

Portugal's parliament approved a bill last week that bans face veils worn for "gender or religious" reasons in a move that is seen as targeting the face coverings worn by some Muslim women.

The bill was sponsored by the conservative Chega party and bans burqas, a full-body garment that covers a woman from head to foot, and niqabs, the full-face Islamic veil with space around the eyes, from being worn in most public places.

The fines for wearing face veils in public would range between 200 and 4,000 euros ($234 and $4,669).

Lawmakers from other parties disagreed.

"This initiative is used solely to target foreigners, those who have a different faith," said center-left Socialist Party lawmaker Pedro Delgado Alves, whose party voted against the bill.

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa still could veto the bill or send it to the Constitutional Court for review.

Full or partial bans on face and head coverings

If signed into law, Portugal would join Austria, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, who have full or partial bans on face and head coverings.

The Quran encourages women to observe modesty, and some women interpret this to include covering the face and body. The burka is mandatory for women in public in Afghanistan. In Iran, women are required to wear a headscarf. Other Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia have a public decency law requiring women and men to wear loose-fitting clothing.

Wearing a burqa in public is protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion.

Pope Leo holds first meeting with survivors of clergy sex abuse

Pope Leo met Monday for the first time with a group of survivors of sex abuse and advocates for victims in the Vatican.

Ending Clergy Abuse defines itself as a global network of human rights defenders and survivors working together to end clergy sex abuse and impunity.

The group said Pope Leo promised to maintain a permanent dialogue as they press for a zero-tolerance policy for abuse in the Catholic Church.

Participants who came from Argentina, Uganda, Canada, Germany and the United States said the audience inside the Apostolic Palace lasted one hour and the pope listened intently to their concerns. They said they found him to be humble, sincere and committed to ending abuse, although they said he asked them to be patient.

The meeting included a discussion of the work the Vatican has done on abuse through the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. The pope suggested the two bodies establish dialogue, according to the Vatican.

"It was a deeply meaningful conversation, reflecting a shared commitment to justice, healing, and genuine change," Hickey said. "Survivors have long sought a place at the table, and today we felt heard."

This newsletter is written by Susie Pinto.

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