Major Religious Holy Days 2017-2018 School Year The Holy Days listed represent religious days most commonly observed by members of our community. We hope this calendar will be helpful to you. It is worth noting that this is not an exhaustive list of holidays and observances. *Islamic Holy Days begin the sunset before the date listed but are commemorated on this day. There may be some variance in date due to the actual sighting of the moon. *Jewish holy days begin at sundown on the previous day.
Holy Day Tradition Observance AUGUST July 31(sundown) - Lammas Pagan/Wicca Special festival Aug. 1 1 Tish’a B’ Av Judaism Fast day 7 Raksha Bandhan Hinduism Special festival 15 Assumption of the Roman Catholic Special Worship Blessed Virgin Mary 15 Krishna Hinduism Special festival Janmashtami 19-26 Paryushana Jainism Special festival 31* The Day of Arafat Islam Fast day
SEPTEMBER 1* Eid al-Adha Islam Special festival
5 Ullambana Buddhism Special festival 20* 1st day of Islam Islamic New Year Muharram 21*-22* Rosh Hashanah Judaism Jewish New Year (work restriction) 21(sundown)-22 Mabon (Northern Pagan/Wicca Special festival Hemisphere) Ostara (Southern Hemisphere) 30* Yom Kippur Judaism Fast day (work restriction) 21-29 Navaratri Hinduism Special festival 30 Dasara Hinduism Special festival 30-31 Ashura Islam Fast day
OCTOBER 5*-11* Sukkot Judaism Special festival/work restriction (5-6) 12* Shemini Atzeret Judaism Special festival/work restriction 13* Simchat Torah Judaism Special festival/work restriction 19 Diwali Hinduism/Sikhism/Jainism Special festival 20 Birth of the Báb Bahá'í Special worship (work restriction)
22 Birth of Bahá’u’lláh Bahá’í Special worship (work restriction) 31(sundown)-Nov. Samhain Pagan/Wicca Special festival 1
NOVEMBER 1 All Saints’ Day Christian Special worship 2 All Souls’ Day Christian Special Worship 4 Guru Nanak’s Sikhism Special worship birthday 24 Martyrdom of Guru Sikhism Special worship Tegh Bahdur 25(sundown)-26 Day of the Covenant Bahá'í Special worship 26(sundown)-27 Ascension of Bahá'í Special worship `Abdu'l-Bahá (work restriction)
Holy Day Tradition Observance DECEMBER 1* Mawlid an Nabi Islam Special festival 3-24 Advent Christian Special worship 8 Bodhi Day Buddhism Special celebration 8 Immaculate Roman Catholic Special worship Conception 13*-20* Hanukkah Judaism Special festival 21-Jan. 1 Yule Pagan/ Wicca Special festival 23 Human Light Atheism/Humanism Special celebration 24 Christmas Eve Christian Special worship 25 Christmas Christian Special worship 26-Jan. 1 Kwanzaa African Heritage Special festival 26 Zartosht No-Diso Zoroastrianism Special worship
JANUARY 1 Solemnity of Mary Roman Catholic Special worship 1 Gantan-sai Shinto New Year 2-4 Mahayana New Year Buddhism New Year 5 Guru Gobindh Sikhism Special festival Singh’s birthday 6 Epiphany Christian Special worship 7 Christmas Orthodox Christian Special worship 13 Maghi Sikhism Special festival 21 World Religion Day Bahá'í Special festival 22 Vasant Panchami Hinduism Special festival 31* Tu B’Shevat Judaism Special Celebration
FEBRUARY 1 Imbolc Pagan/Wicca Special festival
3 Setsubun sai Shinto Special festival 13 Maha Shivaratri Hinduism Special festival 13 Shrove Tuesday Christian Special worship 15 Nirvana Day Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism Special worship 16 Chinese New Year Confucianism/Daoism/Buddhism Lunar New Year 19 Clean Monday Orthodox Christian Special worship (Great Lent begins) 25 (sundown) - 1 Ayyám-i-Há Bahá'í Special festival Mar. MARCH 1* Purim Judaism Special worship 14 Ash Wednesday Christian Special worship (Lent begins) 2-20 Nineteen Day Fast Bahá'í Fast period 2 Holi Hinduism Special festival 4 Hola Mohalla Hinduism Special festival 20-21 Mabon ( Southern Pagan/ Wicca Special festival Hemisphere) Ostara (Northern Hemisphere) 20(sundown)-21 Naw Ruz/Norouz Bahá'í/Zoroastrianism Persian New Year 25 Ramnavami Hinduism Special festival 25 Palm Sunday Christian/Orthodox Christian Special worship 18-26 Ramayana Hinduism Special festival 28 Khordad Sal Zoroastrianism Special observance 29 Mahavir Jayanti Jainism Special worship 29 Maundy Thursday Christian Special worship 30 Good Friday Christian Special worship 31 Magha Puja Day Buddhism Special worship 31 Hanuman Jayanti Hinduism Special worship 31 Holy Christian Special worship Saturday/Easter Vigil
Holy Day Tradition Observance APRIL 31* Mar.- Apr. 7* Passover Judaism Special festival (work(31-1)/food (6- 7) restriction) 1 Easter Sunday Christian/Orthodox Christian Special worship 8 Buddha’s birthday Buddhism Special worship 20(sundown)-21 First day of Ridvan Bahá'í Special festival (work restriction) 12* Yom HaShoah Judaism Special observance (Holocaust Remembrance Day) 13* Lailat al Mi’raj Islam Special worship
(night worship on 12th) 19 Israeli Independence Judaism Special observance Day 29 Ninth Day of Ridvan Bahá'í Special festival (work restriction) 29 Visakha Puja - Buddhism Special festival Buddha Day
MAY 1 Beltane Pagan/ Wicca Special festival 2 Twelfth day of Bahá'í Special festival Ridvan (work restriction) 1* Lailat al Bara’ah Islam Special worship 3* Lag BaOmer Judaism Special festival (work restriction) 10 Feast of the Christian Special worship Ascension 16- June 14* Ramadan Islam Fast period 20*-21* Shavuot Judaism Special worship 20 Pentecost Christian Special worship 22(sundown)-23 Declaration of the Bahá'í Special worship Báb (work restriction) 28(sundown)-29 Ascension of Bahá'í Special worship Bahá'u'lláh (work restriction)
JUNE 16 Martyrdom of Guru Sikhism Special worship Arjan Dev 10 (sundown)* Laylat-al-Qadr Islam Special worship (night worship on 9th) 15* Eid-al-Fitr Islam Special festival 24 Litha Pagan/Wicca Special festival
JULY 8(sundown)-9 Martyrdom of the Bahá'í Special worship Báb (work restriction) 13-15 Obon Shinto/Buddhism Special festival 22* Tisha B’av Judaism Fast day 27 Asalha Puja Day Buddhism Special worship