Major Religious Holy Days for 2011-2012 Academic Year
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Date(s)
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Holy Day
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Faith Tradition/Religion
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Aug. 1
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Ramadan begins (30 days of Fasting)*
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Islam
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Aug. 22
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Shri Krishna Janamashtami
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Hindu/Vedic |
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Aug. 30
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Eid al Fitr (End of Ramadan)*
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Islam |
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Sept. 29 - 30
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Rosh Hashanah**
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Jewish
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Oct. 6
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Dusserah (Dushahara) |
Hindu/Vedic
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Oct. 7-8
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Yom Kippur**
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Jewish
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| Oct. 12-19 |
Sukkot (first two days of 7 day observance)**
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Jewish
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Oct. 20
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Sh'mini Atzeret**
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Jewish
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Oct. 20
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Birth of the Bab*** |
Baha'i
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Oct. 21
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Simchat Torah**
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Jewish
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Oct. 26
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Diwali (Deepawali)*
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Hindu/Vedic
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Nov. 1
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Feast of All Saints (All Saints Day)+
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Roman Catholic & Protestant
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Nov. 2
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Feast of All Souls++
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Roman Catholic
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Nov. 6
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Eid Al-Adha*
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Islam
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Nov. 12
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Birth of Baha'u'llah***
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Baha'i
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Nov. 26
|
Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year) |
Islam
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Dec. 5
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Ashurah |
Islam
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| Dec. 8 |
Feast of the Immaculate Conception+ | Roman Catholic |
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Dec. 20-28
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Hanukkah
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Jewish
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| Dec. 25 |
Feast of the Nativity (Christmas) + | Roman Catholic, Protestant & Orthodox^ |
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| Jan. 7 |
Christmas |
Orthodox^^ |
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Feb. 4
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Mawlid Al Nabi (Prophet's Birthday)
|
Islam
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Feb. 8
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Tu Bishvat | Jewish |
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| Feb. 22 |
Ash Wednesday++
|
Roman Catholic & Protestant
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| March 7-8 |
Purim | Jewish |
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March 21
|
Naw Ruz, Baha'i New Year*** |
Baha'i
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| April 1 |
Palm Sunday
|
Roman Catholic & Protestant |
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| April 5 | Holy Thursday++ | Roman Catholic & Protestant |
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| April 6 | Good Friday | Roman Catholic & Protestant |
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| April 6-14 |
Pesach (First two days of 8 day observance) | Jewish |
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| April 7 | Holy Saturday Vigil (begins at sundown)++ | Roman Catholic & Protestant |
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April 8
|
Easter+
|
Roman Catholic & Protestant |
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| April 12 |
Holy Thursday | Orthodox |
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| April 13 |
Good Friday |
Orthodox |
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| April 14 |
Holy Saturday Vigil (begins at sundown) |
Orthodox |
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| April 15 |
Easter | Orthodox |
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| April 19 | Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Hashoah) |
Jewish |
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| April 21 |
First Day of Ridvan*** |
Baha'i |
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| April 29 | Ninth Day of Ridvan | Baha'i |
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May 2
|
Twelfth Day of Ridvan
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Baha'i
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May 27-29
|
Shavuot
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Jewish
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Holy Days in bold type face are considered very important holy days when students/employees may be absent from school or work.
* Observance of Buddhist, Hindu/Vedic, and Islamic holy days is dependent on the sighting of the moon. Please note that the dates listed above may not be the exact dates but the closest approximates. Buddhists observe the new moon and full moon as holy days.
** Observance of Jewish holy days begins at sundown of preceding day and ends at one hour after sunset of the last day.
*** Observance of Baha'i holy days begins at sundown of preceding day and ends at sunset of the holy days.
+ Roman Catholic obligatory feasts require attendance at service and avoidance of servile work.
++ Roman Catholic traditional feasts are those days on which it is assumed that the faithful will attend services and may exclude service work and include various requirements of prayer and fasting.
^ Orthodox churches that follow the Gregorian Calendar.
^^ Orthodox churches that follow the Julian Calendar.
