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Religious Holidays

 

Statement on Academic Accommodations for Religious Holidays

This religious holidays calendar is not an exhaustive list of all religious traditions or of the holidays observed in those traditions. If we have not included a major religious holiday of significance to you, please notify Religious and Spiritual Life via email spiritual.life@northwestern.edu

While we have made an effort to verify the accuracy of the information included here, some inaccuracies may remain. The dates of some holidays, particularly those that are calculated according to a lunar calendar (e.g., Islamic holidays), vary from region to region, and other observances and dates (e.g., Buddhist holidays) vary across cultures.

(language adapted from Harvard Divinity School's Multifaith Calendar webpage)

Calendar Key

sundown-icon Begins at sundown of the first day listed.
nightfall-icon Ends at nightfall of the last day listed.
workrestrictions-icon Significant work restrictions.
fasting-foodaccom-icon Involves fasting practices or food accommodations.

Religious Holiday Calendar 2023-24

 Find more information & schedules for Jewish High Holidays click here.

Fall 2023

Holiday Affiliation

Mabon

Pagan, Wiccan Sep. 22

sundown-iconnightfall-iconworkrestrictions-icon
Rosh Hashanah

Judaism Sept. 15-17 

fasting-foodaccom-icon
Navaratri

Hindu Oct. 15-24

sundown-iconnightfall-iconworkrestrictions-iconfasting-foodaccom-icon
Yom Kippur

Judaism Sept. 24-25
Dussehra Hindu Oct. 24
Mawlid al-Nabi Islam Sept. 24-Oct. 3

sundown-iconnightfall-iconworkrestrictions-icon
Sukkot

Judaism Sept. 29-Oct. 6

sundown-iconnightfall-iconworkrestrictions-icon
Shemini Atzeret

Judaism Oct. 6-8

sundown-iconnightfall-iconworkrestrictions-icon
Simchat Torah

Judaism Oct. 7-8

workrestrictions-icon
Diwali

Hindu Nov. 12-16

sundown-iconworkrestrictions-icon
Twin Holy Birthdays:
Birth of Bab/Báha'u'lláh

Bahá’í Oct. 16-17
Samhain Pagan, Wiccan Oct. 31-Nov. 1
All Saints' Day Christianity Nov. 1
Día de los Muertos Christianity Nov. 1-2
Fatimiyyah  Shia Islam Nov. 17
Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Birthday Sikh Nov. 27
Feast of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholicism Dec. 8
Bodhi Day Buddhism Dec. 8
sundown-iconnightfall-icon
Hanukkah
Judaism Dec. 7-15
Yule Pagan, Wiccan Dec. 21-Jan. 1
Christmas Eve Christianity Dec. 24
Christmas Christianity Dec. 25
Kwanzaa Pan-African Dec. 26-Jan. 1
workrestrictions-icon
Gantan-sai
Shinto Jan. 1

Winter 2024

Holiday Affiliation
Lady Fatimah's Birthday Shia Islam Jan. 3
Epiphany / Twelfth Night / Three Kings Day Christian Jan. 6

workrestrictions-iconChristmas

Orthodox Christian

Jan. 7

Imam Ali's Birthday

Shia Islam Feb. 2

workrestrictions-iconLunar New Year

Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist Feb. 10
Mab'ath/ Isra Islam Feb. 11
Vasanta Pachami Hindu Feb. 14
Imbolc / Candlemas Pagan, Wiccan Feb. 1-2
Setsubun-sai Shinto Feb. 3
Nirvana Day Buddhist Feb. 15
Maha Shivaratri Hindu Mar. 8

fasting-foodaccom-iconAsh Wednesday

Christian Feb. 14
Magha Puja Day Buddhist Feb. 24

Mid-Sha'baan

Islam Feb. 25

sundown-icon nightfall-icon fasting-foodaccom-icon
Purim

Jewish Mar. 23-24

sundown-iconHoli

Hindu Mar. 25-26
Ostara / Spring Equinox Pagan, Wiccan Mar. 20

sundown-iconNaw-Rúz
(New Year’s Day)

Bahá’í Mar. 20

Spring 2024

Holiday Affiliation

sundown-icon fasting-foodaccom-icon
Ramadan

Islam Mar. 10 - Apr. 10

Palm Sunday

Christian Mar. 24
Mahavira-Jayanti Jain Apr. 21

sundown-icon nightfall-icon workrestrictions-icon fasting-foodaccom-icon
Pesach (Passover)

Jewish Apr. 22-30
Maundy Thursday Christian Mar. 28
fasting-foodaccom-iconGood Friday Christian Mar. 29
fasting-foodaccom-iconVesak / Buddha Day Buddhist May 22
workrestrictions-iconEaster Christian Mar. 31

Imam Ali's Martyrdom

Shia Islam April 1

Vaisakhi
(New Year’s Day)

Sikh Apr. 13-14
workrestrictions-iconPascha (Easter) Orthodox Christian May 5

sundown-icon workrestrictions-icon fasting-foodaccom-icon
Eid al-Fitr

Islam Apr. 9-10
sundown-iconThe Festival of Ridván Bahá’í Apr. 20 - May 1

Imam Ja'far Sadiq's Martyrdom

Shia Islam May 5

sundown-icon nightfall-iconfasting-foodaccom-icon
Yom HaShoah

Jewish
May 5-6
Beltane Pagan, Wiccan Apr. 30 - May 1

sundown-icon nightfall-icon workrestrictions-icon 
Shavuot

Jewish June 11-13
Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh Bahá’í May 28

 

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