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Major Religious Holidays
The following list of holidays are ones that involve fasting, require worship attendance, or prohibit work. It is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all religious traditions or observances. Students may request a Dean’s Excuse for Religious Observances by emailing Chaplain Alex Hendrickson, Rabbi Alex Malanych, or by contacting their class dean. More details can be found here. Holidays marked with an asterisk begin and end at sundown.
FALL SEMESTER 2025
November 30-December 24: Advent (Protestant Christian & Roman Catholic)
December 8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Protestant Christian & Roman Catholic)
December 8: Bodhi Day (Buddhism)
December 14-22: Hanukkah* (Judaism)
December 24: Christmas Eve (Protestant Christian/Roman Catholic)
December 25: Christmas Day (Protestant Christian/Roman Catholic)
SPRING SEMESTER 2026
January 1: Solemnity of Mary (Roman Catholic) & Shogatsu/Gantan-sai (Shinto)
January 5: Twelfth Night (Christian) & Birth of Guru Gobind Singh (Sikh)
Jaunary 6: Epiphany (Protestant/Orthodox Christian/Roman Catholic)
January 7: Christmas (Orthodox Christian)
January 13: Maghi (Sikh)
January 16: Isra & Miraj* (Muslim)* 19
February 1-2: Imbolc* (Wiccan/Pagan)
February 2: Candlemas (Protestant/Orthodox Christian & Roman Catholic)
February 3: Setsubum-sai (Shinto)
February 15: Parinirvana (Buddhist) & Maha Shivaratri (Hindu)
February 17: Shrove Tuesday (Protestant Christian/Roman Catholic) & Lunar New Year (Confucian, Buddhist)
February 18: Ramadan begins (Muslim) & Ash Wednesday/Lent begins (Protestant Christian/Roman Catholic) & Losar/Tibetan New Year (1st 3 days are most important) (Buddhist)
February 25: Ayyám-i-Há begins* (Bahá’í)
March 1: Ayyám-i-Há ends (Bahá’í)
March 2-20: 19 Day Fast (Bahá’í)
March 2-3: Purim* (Jewish)
March 3: Holi (Hindu) & Hola Mohalla tentative (Sikh)
March 15: Lailat al-Qadr/Night of Power* (Muslim)
March 19: Ramadan ends tentative (Muslim)
March 20: Eid-al-Fitr (Muslim)
March 20-21: Spring Equinox/ (Wiccan/Pagan) & Naw Rúz* (Bahá’í)
March 29: Palm Sunday (Protestant Christian/Roman Catholic)
March 30: Māgha Pūjā Day (Buddhist)
April 1-9: Passover* (Jewish)
April 2: Maundy Thursday (Protestant Christian/Roman Catholic)
April 3: Good Friday (Protestant Christian & Roman Catholic)
April 5: Easter (Protestant Christian & Roman Catholic)
April 10: Good Friday (Orthodox Christian)
April 12: Easter (Orthodox Christian)
April 14: Baisakhi/Vaisakhi (Sikh)
April 20-21: Riḍván begins* (Bahá’í)
April 21-22: Yom Ha’Atzmaut* (Jewish)
May 1: Beltane / May Day (Wiccan/Pagan) & Vesak / Buddha Day (Buddhist)
May 2: 12th Day of Riḍván (Bahá’í)
May 5: Lag B’Omer (Jewish)
May 14: Ascension Day (Protestant Christian & Roman Catholic)
May 21: Ascension Day (Orthodox Christian)
May 21-23: Shavuot* (Jewish)
May 23-25: Declaration of the Báb* (Bahá’í)
May 24: Pentecost (Protestant Christian & Roman Catholic)
May 26-27: Eid-al-Adha* (Muslim)
May 28-29: Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh* (Bahá’í)
May 31: Pentecost (Orthodox Christian) & 31 Trinity Sunday (Protestant Christian & Roman Catholic)
June 15-July 14: Muharram* (Muslim)
June 16: Guru Arjan Martyrdom (Sikh)
June 20: Litha/Summer Solstice (Wiccan/Pagan)
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