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Home > Academics > Academic Calendar > Religious Calendar

Religious Calendar for 2010 - 2011

This calendar covers holidays of the following religious groups:  
     Bahá'i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh.

The list is designed primarily as an aid to academic planning. It is not all-encompassing. Religious groups whose significant holidays do not appear are encouraged to contact the office of the Executive Vice President.

Bahá'i holidays begin at sunset on the day preceding the given date. Bahá'i observes 19 days of fasting (Mar 2-21, from sunrise to sunset). Work is not forbidden, but due to the fasting, exams may be easier to take in the morning or evening. Work is suspended on the following holidays: Naw Ruz, the first, ninth, and twelfth days of Ridvan, Declaration of the Bab, Ascension of the Baha’u’llah, Martyrdom of the Bab, and the Birth of Baha’u’llah.

Christian holidays include those for Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox. Easter and Christmas are usually no work days for Christians. (Orthodox Easter differs from Easter as celebrated by Catholics and Protestants.) Sunday is the most widely observed day of worship.

Islamic dates are approximate. The official days can be plus/minus one day and depend upon the official physical sighting of the new moon. Fasting occurs during the month of Ramadan from sunrise to sunset. Work is not forbidden, but because of the fast, exams may be easier to take in the morning or evening. Ramadan begins in 2010 on August 11. The end of the fast, Eid al-Fitr, is a feast, beginning at sundown; this year it falls on September 10, 2010.

Friday is the day for services of prayer and instruction in Islam, usually at noon. Muslims are obligated to observe five daily times of prayer.

Jewish holidays begin at sunset on the day preceding the given date. Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath (also observed by 7th Day Adventists) begins at sundown on Friday and ends at dusk on Saturday. No work is done on Shabbat by observant Jews. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover and Shavu’ot are non-work days for Jews.

The religious holidays listed below HAVE BEEN designated as non-workdays by the religions that observe them. Bold titles are primarily holy days of a tradition. Those which are marked * begin at sundown before the given date.                            

DATE

HOLIDAY

July 9, 2010

Martyrdom of the Bab (Bahá'i)*

September 9-10, 2010

Rosh Hashanah (Jewish)*

September 18, 2010

Yom Kippur (Jewish)*

September 23-29, 2010

Sukkot (Jewish)*

September 30, 2010

Shemini Atzeret (Jewish)*

October 1, 2010

Simchat Torah (Jewish)

October 20, 2010

Birth of the Bab (Bahá'i)

November 12, 2010

Birth of Baha’u’llah (Bahá'i)

March 21, 2011

Naw-Ruz (Bahá'i)*

April 19-26, 2011

Passover (Jewish)*

April 21, 2011

First day of Ridvan (Bahá'i)

April 29, 2011

Ninth day of Ridvan (Bahá'i)

May 2, 2011

Twelfth day of Ridvan (Bahá'i)

May 19-20, 2011

Shavu’ot (Jewish)*

May 23, 2011

Declaration of the Bab (Bahá'i)

May 29, 2011

Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Bahá'i)

 

The religious holidays listed below have NOT been designated as non-workdays by the religions that observe them. However, those designated in bold are major holidays or fast days of the tradition.


DATE

HOLIDAY

August 11, 2010

Ramadan begins (Muslim)*

September 9, 2010

Ramadan ends (Muslim)*

September 10, 2010

Eid al-Fitr (Muslim)*

October 17, 2010

Dasera (Hindu)

November 5, 2010

Diwali (Hindu)

November 16, 2010

Eid al-Adha (Muslim)

November 21, 2010

Guru Nanak Birthday (Sikh)

December 2-9, 2010

Hanukah (Jewish)*

December 7, 2010

Al-Hijra New Year (Muslim)*

December 8, 2010

Bodhi Day (Buddhist)

December 16, 2010

Ashura (Muslim-Shia)*

December 25, 2010

Christmas (Christian)

December 26, 2010

Kwanzaa begins

January 1, 2011

Kwanzaa ends

January 7, 2011

Orthodox Christmas

February 3, 2011

Chinese New Year (Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist)

March 9, 2011

Ash Wednesday (Christian)

March 19, 2011

Magha Puja Day (Buddhist)

March 20, 2011

Purim (Jewish)*

March 20, 2011

Holi (Hindu)

April 14, 2011

Baisakhi (Sikh)

April 21, 2011

Holy Thursday (Christian)

April 22, 2011

Good Friday (Christian/Orthodox Christian)

April 23, 2011

Holy Saturday (Christian/Orthodox Christian)

April 24, 2011

Easter Sunday (Christian/Orthodox Christian)

May 17, 2011

Buddha Day (Buddhist)