Major Religious Holy Days for 2012-2013 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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July 20
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Ramadan begins (30 days of Fasting)*
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Islam
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Aug. 16
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Shri Krishna Janamashtami
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Hindu/Vedic |
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Aug. 19
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Eid al Fitr (End of Ramadan)*
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Islam |
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Sept. 17 - 18
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Rosh Hashanah**
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Jewish
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Sept. 25-26
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Yom Kippur**
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Jewish
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| Oct. 1-7 |
Sukkot (first two days of 7 day observance)**
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Jewish
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Oct. 8
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Sh'mini Atzeret**
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Jewish
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Oct. 9
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Simchat Torah**
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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. 24
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Dusserah (Dushahara) |
Hindu/Vedic
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Oct. 26
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Eid Al-Adha*
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Islam
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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. 12
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Birth of Baha'u'llah***
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Baha'i
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Nov. 13
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Diwali (Deepawali)*
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Hindu/Vedic
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Nov. 15
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Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year) |
Islam
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Nov. 24
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Ashurah |
Islam
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| Dec. 8 |
Feast of the Immaculate Conception+ | Roman Catholic |
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Dec. 8-16
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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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Jan. 24
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Mawlid Al Nabi (Prophet's Birthday)
|
Islam
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Jan. 26
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Tu Bishvat | Jewish |
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| Feb. 13 |
Ash Wednesday++
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Roman Catholic & Protestant
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| Feb. 23-24 |
Purim | Jewish |
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March 21
|
Naw Ruz, Baha'i New Year*** |
Baha'i
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| March 24 |
Palm Sunday
|
Roman Catholic & Protestant |
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| March 25 - April 2 |
Pesach (First two days of 8 day observance) | Jewish |
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| March 28 |
Holy Thursday++ | Roman Catholic & Protestant |
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| March 29 |
Good Friday | Roman Catholic & Protestant |
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| March 30 |
Holy Saturday Vigil (begins at sundown)++ | Roman Catholic & Protestant |
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March 31
|
Easter+
|
Roman Catholic & Protestant |
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| April 8 |
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 2 |
Holy Thursday | Orthodox |
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| May 3 |
Good Friday |
Orthodox |
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| May 4 |
Holy Saturday Vigil (begins at sundown) |
Orthodox |
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| May 5 |
Easter | Orthodox |
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May 14-16
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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.