Religious Holidays and Holy Days

Major Religious Holidays and Celebrations 2019-2020

Below is a list of holidays, traditional days of observances and important days of religious significance. This is not a comprehensive list of dates and a more detailed list can be found at www.interfaith-calendar.org.

Please take note of the dates in UPPER CASE and RED. These require abstinence from all secular activity and fall under the attendance policy adopted by the University Senate and the Board of Trustees.

Dates with an asterisk (*) indicate holy days beginning at sundown the day before this date.

Dates with two asterisks (**) indicate that regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of this date.


FALL TERM 2019
DATE HOLIDAY
August 12-15, 2019 * ** Eid al Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice)
Islam
August 23, 2019 ** Krishna Janmashtami
Hindu
September 1, 2019 * ** Al Hijra (Islamic New Year)
Islam
September 2, 2019 ** Ganesh Chaturthi
Hindu
September 10, 2019 * ** Ashura (Tenth of Muharram)
Islam
September 29, 2019 Saint Michael and All Angels
Christian
September 29-October 8, 2019 ** Navaratri
Hindu
September 30-October 1, 2019 * ROSH HASHANAH
Jewish
October 8, 2019 ** VIJAYA DASAMI (LAST DAY OF NAVARATRI)
Hindu
October 9, 2019 * YOM KIPPUR
Jewish
October 14-20, 2019 * Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles)
Jewish
October 20, 2019 * BIRTH OF THE BÁB
Baha’i
October 21, 2019 * Shemini Atzeret (Eighth day of Sukkot)
Jewish
October 22, 2019 * Simchat Torah (Rejoicing of the Law)
Jewish
October 27, 2019 ** DEEPAVALI (DIWALI)
Hindu
November 1, 2019 All Saints Day
Christian
November 12, 2019 * BIRTH OF THE BAHA’U’LLAH
Baha’i
December 1, 2019 Advent (First Sunday)
Christian
December 8, 2019 ** Rohatsu (Bodhi Day)
Buddhism
December 23, 2019 * ** Mawlid-an-Nabi (Muhammad’s Birthday)
Islam
December 23-30, 2019

* Hanukkah
Jewish

December 25, 2019

Christmas
Christian

December 26, 2019 - January 1, 2020 Kwanzaa
African/Interfaith
WINTER & SPRING TERMS 2020
DATE HOLIDAY
January 6, 2020 Christmas Eve
Orthodox Christian (Old Calendar)
January 7, 2020 Christmas
Orthodox Christian (Old Calendar)
January 14, 2020 New Year
Orthodox Christian (Old Calendar)
February 5, 2020 Chinese New Year
Buddhism
February 26, 2020

Ash Wednesday (Lent Begins)
Christian

March 10, 2020 * Purim (Feast of Esther)
Jewish
April 3, 2020 * ** Lailat al Miraj (Muhammad’s Ascension)
Islam
April 5, 2020 Palm Sunday
Christian
April 9, 2020 Maundy Thursday
Christian
April 9-15, 2020 * Pesach (Passover)
Jewish
April 9-10, 2020 * PESACH (Passover first two days)
Jewish
April 10, 2020 Good Friday
Christian
April 12, 2020 Easter Sunday
Christian
April 12, 2020 Palm Sunday
Orthodox Christian
April 14-15, 2020 * PESACH (Passover last two days)
Jewish
April 19, 2020 Easter
Orthodox Christian
April 24, 2020 * ** First day of Ramadan (30 days)
Islam
SUMMER TERM 2020
DATE HOLIDAY
May 23-24, 2020 * ** Eid al Fitr (End of Ramadan)
Islam
June 7, 2020 Pentecost
Christian
June 14, 2020 All Saints Day
Orthodox Christian
July 9, 2020 * Martyrdom of the Bab
Baha’i

While other religious holidays listed or not listed may not necessarily require abstinence from all secular activity, one should be sensitive to certain other observations that may involve fasting, a dietary change, or special celebrations that may occur during the day or in the evening. Jewish and Islamic days begin at sundown of the day preceding the date shown and end at sundown of the (last) date shown. Orthodox and observant Conservative Jews stop all work-related activities from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday to observe Shabbat (Sabbath). Other religious traditions include similar practices. For example, Seventh-day Adventists observe the Sabbath from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. For more information on religious holidays, visit the Center for American and World Cultures. The Interfaith Calendar and other sources were used to develop this document. Revisions to the calendar should be directed to provost@MiamiOH.edu.