Religious Holy Days
A listing of the current semester's religious observances. Please note that most Muslim and Jewish holy days begin at sundown before the actual day.
Fall Semester 2021
| Date | Observance | Religion | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 6-8 | Rosh Hashanah | Judaism | The Jewish New Year. |
| September 8 | Nativity of the Theotokos | Orthodox Christian | The Nativity of the Theotokos, celebrating the birth of Mary, is one of the Twelve Great Feasts of the Eastern Orthodox liturgical year. |
| September 9 | Fast of Gedaliah (fast begins at dawn) | Judaism | Lament the assassination of Gedaliash, the righteous govern of Judah. |
| September 14 | The Exaltion of the Cross | Orthodox Christian | A feast in commemoration of the historical recovery of the true cross from the Persians and its return to Jerusalem. |
| September 15-16 | *Yom Kippur | Judaism | Also know as the Day of Atonement, it is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. |
| September 20-29 | Sukkot | Judaism | Sukkot commemorates the years that the Jewish people spent in the desert on their way to the Promised Land, and celebrates the way in which God protected them under difficult conditions. |
| September 27 | HoShanah Raba | Judaism | Begins the night before at sundown. |
| September 28 | *Shemini Atzeret | Judaism | Eighth Day of Assembly. |
| September 29 | *Simchat Torah | Judaism | Day of Celebrating the Torah. |
| October 6 | Mahalaya Amavasya | Hindu | Day of paying homage to ancestors. |
| October 7 | Navaratri begins | Hindu | Navaratri is the Hindu festival that celebrates the battle and victory of god Rama over the demon king Ravana. |
| October 14 | Buddha’s Return to Heaven | Buddhist | Celebrating to observe the Buddha’s descent from the Trayastrimsa heaven down to earth. |
| October 15 | Navaratri Ends | Hindu | Navaratri is the Hindu festival that celebrates the battle and victory of god Rama over the demon king Ravana. |
| October 15 | Dusshera | Hindu | Festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil. |
| October 18/19 | Milad un Nabi | Muslim | (Muslims have differences of opinion whether or not to celebrate mawlid/mawlid al-Nabi or the Prophet’s birthday– It is commemorated in Rabi’ al-awwal, the third month in the Islamic calendar.) |
| October 19 | Sharad Purnima | Hindu | Harvest festival marking the end of the monsoon season. |
| November 1 | All Saint’s Day | Christian/Catholic | Christian festival celebrated in honor of all the saints. |
| November 2 | All Soul’s Day | Christian/Catholic | A day of remembrance for all of the deceased. |
| November 2 | Dhan Teras | Hindu | Marks the first day of Diwali. |
| November 4 | Diwali | Hindu | Festival of lights celebrating victory of light over darkens, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. |
| November 4 | Bandi Chhor Divas | Sikh | Sikh holiday which coincides with the day of Diwali. |
| November 6 | Birth of the Báb | Baha’i | Celebration of the Birth of Bab (founder of Bábism). |
| November 7 | Birth of Bahá’u’lláh | Baha’i | Celebration of the Birth Bahá’u’lláh (founder of Baha’i). |
| November 19 | Guru Nanak Birthday | Sikh | Guru Nanak, also referred to as Baba Nanak, was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. |
| November 21 | The Entrance Into the Temple of the Theotokos | Orthodox Christian | The Feast of the Entrance into the Temple of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is celebrated on November 21 each year. The Feast commemorates when as a young child, the Virgin Mary entered the Temple in Jerusalem. |
| November 21 | Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe | Christian/Catholic | Feast day in honor of Jesus Christ as Lord over all creation. |
| November 24-25 | Day of the Covenant | Baha’i | The Day of the Covenant is the day when Baháʼís celebrate the appointment of ʻAbdu’l-Bahá as the Centre of Baha’u’llah’s Covenant. |
| November 27-28 | Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá | Baha’i | Holy day that commemorates the death of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. |
| November 28 | First Sunday in Advent | Christian/Catholic | Start of the Advent season. |
| November 28 | Chanukah | Judaism | The Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the Festival of Lights. |
| November 29 | Hanukkah Starts | Judaism | Festival commemorating the recovery of Jerusalem and subsequent rededication of the Second Temple. |
| December 6 | Hanukkah Ends | Judaism | Festival commemorating the recovery of Jerusalem and subsequent rededication of the Second Temple. |
| December 8 | The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Christian/Catholic | Day of celebration for belief in the immaculate conception of the virgin Mary. |
| December 14 | Fast of 10 Tevet (fast begins at dawn) | Judaism | Tenth day of the Hebrew month of Tevet, is a fast day in Judaism. |
| December 25 | The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) | Christian/Catholic/Orthodox Christian | Celebration of the Birth of Jesus |
Spring Semester 2022
| Date | Observance | Religion | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1st | Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God |
Christian/Catholic | feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the aspect of her motherhood of Jesus Christ |
| January 13th | Lohri | Sikh | Lohri marks the end of winter, and is a traditional welcome of longer days and the sun’s journey to the northern hemisphere |
| January 16-17th | 15 Shevat – New Year for Trees | Judaism | the day that marks the beginning of a “new year” for trees. Commonly known as Tu Bishvat, this day marks the season in which the earliest-blooming trees in the Land of Israel emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle. |
| March 2nd | Ash Wednesday | Christian/Catholic | Marks the beginning of Lent |
| March 2nd-April 14th | *Lent | Christian/Catholic | Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days |
| March 1st | Maha Shivaratri | Hindu | Celebrated annually in honor of Lord Shiva. This solemen festival marks a remebrance of overcoming darkenss and ignorance |
| March 2nd | First Sunday of Lent | Christian/Catholic | Start of lent, a 40 day time period that represents repentance, fasting and reflection |
| March 16th | Fast of Esther (fast begins at dawn) | Judaism | The fast commemorates one of two events in the Book of Esther: either Esther and the Jewish community of Shushan having fasted for 3 days and 3 nights before she approached the king (Esther 4:16), or a fast which is presumed to have occurred on the 13th of Adar, when the Jews fought a battle against their enemies |
| March 16-17th | Purim | Judaism | Commemorates the (Divinely orchestrated) salvation of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian empire from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews |
| March 17-18th | Shushan Purim | Judaism | In cities that were protected by a surrounding wall at the time of Joshua, Purim was celebrated on the 15th of the month of Adar on what is known as Shushan Purim, since fighting in the walled city of Shushan continued through the 14th day of Adar. |
| March 19th | Holi | Hindu | Represents the arrival of spring and triumph of good over evil. |
| Feb 28th-March 1st | Isra and Mi’raj | Muslim | The Israʾ and Miʿraj are the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to Islam, the Islamic prophet Muhammad took during a single night around the year 621 |
| March 19th | Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Virgin Mary |
Christian/Catholic | Feast day for St. Joesph |
| March 25th | The Annunciation of the Lord |
Christian/Catholic | Feast day celebrating angel Gabriel visit to Mary and Mary’s consent to give birth to Jesus. |
| April 15-23rd | *Pesach/Passover (First days) | Judiasm | Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread |
| April 15-23rd | *Pesach/Passover (First days) | Judiasm | Harvest festival marking the end of the monsoon season. |
| April 14th | Holy Thursday | Christian/Catholic | Commemorates the Washing of the Feet and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles |
| April 15th | Good Friday | Christian/Catholic | Commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary |
| April 23rd | *Pesach/Passover (Last days) | Judiasm | |
| April 17th | Easter Sunday of the Ressurection of the Lord | Christian/Catholic | Commemorating the resurrection of Jesus |
| April 2nd | *Ramadan Begins | Muslim | a holy month of fasting, introspection and prayer for Muslims, the followers of Islam. It is celebrated as the month during which Muhammad received the initial revelations of the Quran, the holy book for Muslims |
| April 14th | Vaisakhi | Sikh | commemorates the formation of Khalsa panth of warriors under Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 |
| May 18th | Lag BaOmer | Judiasm | occurs on the 33rd day of the Omer, the 49-day period between Passover and Shavuot. |
| May 14-15th | Pesach Sheni | Judiasm | marks the day when someone who was unable to participate in the Passover offering in the proper time would observe the mitzvah exactly one month later. |
| May 3rd | Eid ul-Fitr (End of Ramadan) | Muslim | |
| May 26th | The Ascension of the Lord | Christian/Catholic | Celebration of the assent of Jesus into Heaven |
*Indicates religious observance that may interfere with academic work. Please be mindful when assigning work on these days.
Location
Ruth S. Harley University Center, 303
Hours
- Catholic Mass Tue: 6:00 pm Sun: 7:00 pm
- Muslim Services (Jummah) Fri: 1:15 pm - 2:00 pm