» Religious Holiday Schedule

Below is a list of religious holidays that might pose conflicts with the 2022 and 2023 academic calendars. This list is not exhaustive of religious holidays but includes major holidays as suggested to us by religious organizations. 

To inquire about holidays not listed here or to suggest important additions please contact us at interfaith@chapman.edu 

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  • Table lists dates of religious holidays
    Religious holidays calendar

    Holiday

    Religion

    Date

    Description

    Orthodox Christmas

    Eastern Christian

    Jan 7

    Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.

    Bodhi Day

    Buddhist

    Jan 10

    Commemorates Gautama Buddha's enlightenment

    Makar Sankranti

    Hindu

    Jan 14

    Harvest festival that celebrates the beginning of spring in India

    Chinese New Year

    Confucian, Taoist, Buddhist

    Feb 1

    Lunar New Year for Chinese people

    Month of Fasting

    Baha'i

    Mar 2

    19-day fast observed from sunrise to sunset

    Purim*

    Judaism

    Mar 16 - 17

    Commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people from a plot to destroy them while they were exiled in Persia

    Holi

    Hindu

    Mar 19

    Festival of color that celebrates the arrival of spring

    Naw Ruz

    Baha'i

    Mar 21 - 22

    Traditional Iranian new year holiday

    Ramadan**

    Islam

    Apr 2 - May 2

    Fast from sunrise to sunset held during the month of Ramadan

    Vaisakhi

    Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist

    Apr 14

    Commemorates the foundation of Sikhism and serves as a festival of thanksgiving. Also begins the Hindu New Year.

    Passover*

    Judaism

    Apr 15 - 23

    Commemorates God delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt

    Good Friday

    Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

    Apr 15

    Commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ

    Easter

    Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

    Apr 17

    Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ

    Easter Monday

    Catholic

    Apr 18

    Easter Monday or " Monday of the Angels," celebrates the angel's announcement about Christ's Resurrection to the women who came to the tomb. It is traditional to enjoy leisure and free time and to switch from saying the Regina Caeli at noon hour instead of the Angelus.

    Eid al-Fitr

    Islam

    May 2-3

    Feast to celebrate the end of Ramadan

    Visakha Puja

    Buddhist

    May 6

    Celebrates the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha

    Ascension of Baha’u'llah

    Baha'i

    May 28 - 29

    Commemorates the death of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i faith

    Eid al-Adha

    Islam

    July 9-13

    Feast to celebrate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, at the command of God

    Paryushana**

    Jain

    Sept 1

    8-10 day celebration which involves fasting and studying scriptures

    Rosh Hashanah*

    Judaism

    Sep 25-27

    Jewish New Year

    Yom Kippur*

    Judaism

    Oct 4-5

    Day of Atonement - Fast

    Sukkot*

    Judaism

    Oct 9 - 16

    Begins evening of Oct 2

    Shemini Atzeret*

    Judaism

    Oct 16 - 18

    Begins evening of Oct 9

    Diwali**

    Hindu, Sikh, Jain

    Oct 24

    5-day festival of lights that celebrates the triumph of good over evil and the goddess Lakshmi

    Birth of the Bab

    Baha'i

    Oct 25-26

    Celebrates the birth of the Bab, who was said to prepare the way for the founder of Baha'i, Baha'u'llah

    Birth of Baha'u'llah

    Baha'i

    Oct 27

    Celebrates the birth of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i faith

    Hanukkah

    Judaism

    Dec 18 - 26

    Celebrates the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabees rebelled against the Seleucid empire in the 2nd century BCE

    Christmas

    Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

    Dec 24 - 25

    Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ

    * Jewish holy days begin and end at sundown on the first and last days listed. 
    ** These holidays are calculated on a lunar calendar and are approximate.

  • Table lists dates of religious holidays
    Religious holidays calendar

    Holiday

    Religion

    Date

    Description

    Orthodox Christmas

    Eastern Christian

    Jan 7

    Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.

    Makar Sankranti

    Hindu

    Jan 15

    Harvest festival that celebrates the beginning of spring in India

    Chinese New Year

    Confucian, Taoist, Buddhist

    Feb 16

    Lunar New Year for Chinese people

    Month of Fasting

    Baha'i

    Mar 2 - 20

    19-day fast observed from sunrise to sunset

    Purim*

    Judaism

    Mar 6 - 7

    Commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people from a plot to destroy them while they were exiled in Persia

    Holi

    Hindu

    Mar 8

    Festival of color that celebrates the arrival of spring

    Naw Ruz

    Baha'i

    Mar 21

    Traditional Iranian new year holiday

    Ramadan**

    Islam

    Mar 22-April 20

    Fast from sunrise to sunset held during the month of Ramadan

    Passover*

    Judaism

    April 5 - Apr 13

    Commemorates God delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt
    Seder begins in the evening of April 3

    Good Friday

    Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

    April 7

    Commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ

    Easter

    Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

    Apr 9

    Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ

    Easter Monday

    Catholic

    Apr 10

    Easter Monday or " Monday of the Angels," celebrates the angel's announcement about Christ's Resurrection to the women who came to the tomb. It is traditional to enjoy leisure and free time and to switch form saying the Regina Caeli at noon hour instead of the Angelus.

    Vaisakhi

    Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist

    Apr 13

    Commemorates the foundation of Sikhism and serves as a festival of thanksgiving. Also begins the Hindu New Year.

    Visakha Puja

    Buddhist

    Apr 29

    Celebrates the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha

    Shavuot*

    Judaism

    May 25 - 27

    Begins evening of May 25

    Ascension of Baha’u'llah

    Baha'i

    May 29

    Commemorates the death of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i faith

    Eid al-Fitr

    Islam

    June 28 - July 2

    Feast to celebrate the end of Ramadan

    Eid Al-Adha

    Islam

    June 28 - 29

    Commemoration of a Muslim's pilgrimage to Mecca

    Eid al-Adha

    Islam

    June 28-29

    Feast to celebrate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, at the command of God

    Paryushana**

    Jain

    Sep 7

    8-10 day celebration which involves fasting and studying scriptures

    Rosh Hashanah*

    Judaism

    Sep 15 - 17

    Jewish New Year

    Yom Kippur*

    Judaism

    Sep 24 -25

    Day of Atonement - Fast

    Birth of the Bab

    Baha'i

    Oct 16

    Celebrates the birth of the Bab, who was said to prepare the way for the founder of Baha'i, Baha'u'llah

    Birth of Baha'u'llah

    Baha'i

    Oct 17

    Celebrates the birth of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i faith

    Diwali**

    Hindu, Sikh, Jain

    Nov 12

    5-day festival of lights that celebrates the triumph of good over evil and the goddess Lakshmi

    Hanukkah

    Judaism

    Dec 7 - 15

    Celebrates the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabees rebelled against the Seleucid empire in the 2nd century BCE

    Bodhi Day

    Buddhist

    Dec 8

    Commemorates Gautama Buddha's enlightenment

    Christmas

    Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

    Dec 24 - 25

    Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ

    * Jewish holy days begin and end at sundown on the first and last days listed. 
    ** These holidays are calculated on a lunar calendar and are approximate.

  • Table lists dates of religious holidays
    Religious holidays calendar

    Holiday

    Religion

    Date

    Description

    Orthodox Christmas

    Eastern Christian

    Jan 7

    Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.

    Makar Sankranti

    Hindu

    Jan 15

    Harvest festival that celebrates the beginning of spring in India

    Bodhi Day

    Buddhist

    Jan 18

    Commemorates Gautama Buddha's enlightenment

    Chinese New Year

    Confucian, Taoist, Buddhist

    Feb 10

    Lunar New Year for Chinese people

    Month of Fasting

    Baha'i

    Mar 1 - 19

    19-day fast observed from sunrise to sunset

    Ramadan**

    Islam

    Mar 10-April 9

    Fast from sunrise to sunset held during the month of Ramadan

    Naw Ruz

    Baha'i

    Mar 19

    Traditional Iranian new year holiday

    Purim*

    Judaism

    Mar 23 - 24

    Commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people from a plot to destroy them while they were exiled in Persia

    Holi

    Hindu

    Mar 25

    Festival of color that celebrates the arrival of spring

    Good Friday

    Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

    Mar 29

    Commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ

    Easter

    Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

    Mar 31

    Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ

    Easter Monday

    Catholic

    Apr 1

    Easter Monday or " Monday of the Angels," celebrates the angel's announcement about Christ's Resurrection to the women who came to the tomb. It is traditional to enjoy leisure and free time and to switch form saying the Regina Caeli at noon hour instead of the Angelus.

    Eid al-Fitr

    Islam

    Apr 9 - 10

    Feast to celebrate the end of Ramadan

    Vaisakhi

    Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist

    Apr 13

    Commemorates the foundation of Sikhism and serves as a festival of thanksgiving. Also begins the Hindu New Year.

    Passover*

    Judaism

    April 22 - Apr 30

    Commemorates God delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt
    Seder begins in the evening of April 3

    Visakha Puja

    Buddhist

    May 23

    Celebrates the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha

    Ascension of Baha’u'llah

    Baha'i

    May 29

    Commemorates the death of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i faith

    Shavuot*

    Judaism

    June 11 - 13

    Begins evening of May 25

    Eid Al-Adha

    Islam

    June 16 - 17

    Feast to celebrate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, at the command of God

    Paryushana**

    Jain

    Aug 30

    8-10 day celebration which involves fasting and studying scriptures

    Rosh Hashanah*

    Judaism

    Oct 2 - 4

    Jewish New Year

    Yom Kippur*

    Judaism

    Oct 11 - 12

    Day of Atonement - Fast

    Diwali**

    Hindu, Sikh, Jain

    Nov 1

    5-day festival of lights that celebrates the triumph of good over evil and the goddess Lakshmi

    Birth of the Bab

    Baha'i

     Nov 2

    Celebrates the birth of the Bab, who was said to prepare the way for the founder of Baha'i, Baha'u'llah

    Birth of Baha'u'llah

    Baha'i

     Nov 3

    Celebrates the birth of Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i faith

    Hanukkah

    Judaism

    Dec 25 - Jan 2

    Celebrates the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabees rebelled against the Seleucid empire in the 2nd century BCE

    Christmas

    Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

    Dec 24 - 25

    Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ

    * Jewish holy days begin and end at sundown on the first and last days listed. 
    ** These holidays are calculated on a lunar calendar and are approximate.