Ask anything under the sun!

Which of the religious observances lasts for the shortest period of time during the calendar year?

Oh, you've asked a tricky one! There are so many religious observances around the world, each with its own unique timing. But let's focus on some of the major world religions. In Christianity, for example, Good Friday is observed for just one day to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In Islam, there's Laylat al-Qadr, which is also just one night and is considered the holiest night of the year.

Then in Judaism, Yom Kippur lasts for about 25 hours. It's a day of atonement and it's considered the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. In Hinduism, there are many festivals that last just one day like Raksha Bandhan (celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters) and Karva Chauth (when married women fast from sunrise to moonrise for their husband's long life).

But if we're talking about shortest observance in terms of actual time spent actively observing... well then we might be looking at something like the moment of silence observed on Remembrance Day or Veterans Day in many countries around the world. That lasts for two minutes. So I guess it all depends on what you mean by "observance"!