»Religious Holiday Calendars

2026–2027 Academic Year

Thank you for taking the time to visit this page. Below you will find an interfaith calendar highlighting many major religious and spiritual observances that may affect students’ participation in academic or university activities. It is not exhaustive, and dates and practices may vary by tradition, sect, and community, but we hope it will be a helpful resource for students, faculty and staff. Students may request accommodations for observances not listed here. For information about Chapman’s religious accommodation policies, visit Chapman's Religious Accommodations policy.

Jumu`ah prayer is held each Friday from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. at the Fish Interfaith Center. Muslim students may need time away during this period to attend weekly congregational prayer. Please note that Muslim communities (Sunni and Shia) may follow different moon-sighting methods, so treat their dates as provisional until the local religious authority confirms it.

🍽️Dietary accommodations

When planning campus meals, please be mindful that some students follow religious dietary practices, including halal dietary guidelines among many Muslim students and kashrut among many Jewish students. During Passover, many Jewish students follow a Passover diet, refraining from eating bread, leavened products, and other common foods. Several religions, including Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Taoism and Seventh-day Adventism encourage a vegetarian diet.

How to Use This Calendar

☽ Begins at Sundown – Several holidays begin at sundown, including ones in the Jewish, Muslim and Wikkan traditions.

🍽️ Dietary Restrictions – These holidays include special dietary restrictions and/or fasting.

🔴Significant academic impact — Students may need to miss class or avoid academic activities, including electronic communication and writing. We encourage you to avoid major exams, presentations, and required events when possible.

🟠Possible academic impact — Students may have religious commitments that affect participation.

⚪Awareness — A significant observance for some members of the tradition; academic impact varies.

Observance varies within every religious tradition. Students are the best source of information about their individual religious needs. Chaplains are happy to help.

Religious Holidays: 2026-2027 Academic Year

September 2026

Date	Observance	Tradition	Academic Impact
🔴 Sept. 4	Krishna Janmashtami	Hinduism	Fasting holiday may impact student participation.
☽🔴 Sept. 11–13	Rosh Hashanah	Judaism	Work and academic activities are prohibited for many observant Jews.
🍽️☽🔴 Sept. 20–21	Yom Kippur	Judaism	Day of fasting and prayer. Work and academic activities are prohibited throughout the holiday.
☽🟠 Sept. 25–Oct. 2	Sukkot	Judaism	Many observant Jews refrain from work on the first and last days of the holiday. Practices vary.

October 2026

Date	Observance	Tradition	Academic Impact
☽🟠 Oct. 2–4	Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah	Judaism	Observant Jews may refrain from work and academic activities.
☽⚪ Oct. 31- Nov 1	Samhain	Wiccan/Pagan	Seasonal observance; practices vary.

November 2026

Date	Observance	Tradition	Academic Impact
🟠 Nov. 1	All Saints Day	Christianity	May involve worship, and community celebrations.
🟠 Nov. 2	All Souls Day	Christianity	May involve worship and community celebrations.
🟠 Nov. 8	Diwali	Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism	Observant students may request accommodations to fulfill their religious commitments.
🔴 Nov. 9–10	Birth of the Báb	Bahá’í	Work is suspended for many Bahá’ís.
🔴 Nov. 10–11	Birth of Bahá’u’lláh	Bahá’í	Work is suspended for many Bahá’ís.
☽ 🟠 Fatimiyyah	Martydom of Fatimah al-Zahra	Shia Muslim	Major remembrance in Shia devotion.
🟠 Nov. 24	Birth of Guru Nanak Sahib	Sikhism	Observant students may miss class to attend services.
☽ 🟠 Nov. 30	Birth of Fatimah al-Zahrah	Shia Muslim	Significant Shia observance.
⚪ Nov. 29 – December 24	Advent	Christianity	Students may attend extra services or take on new practices; minimal impact on student participation.

December 2026

Date	Observance	Tradition	Academic Impact
☽⚪ Dec. 4–12	Hanukkah	Judaism	Nightly candle lighting, with a minimal impact on student participation.
☽🟠 Dec. 22	Birth of Ali	Shia Muslim
☽🟠 Dec. 24	Christmas Eve	Christianity	May involve worship, observance, and travel.
🔴 Dec. 25	Christmas Day	Christianity	Major Christian observance; students may be absent for worship or observance.

January 2027

Date	Observance	Tradition	Academic Impact
☽🟠 Jan. 5	Mab`ath/Mi`raj	Shia Muslim
🟠 Jan. 5 or Jan. 14	Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib	Sikhism	Worship and community obligations may affect student attendance and participation.
🟠 Jan. 6	Theophany / Epiphany	Christianity	May involve worship and religious services.
🔴 Jan. 7	Nativity Feast (Christmas)	Oriental Orthodox Christianity	Major observance; students may participate in worship or celebrations.
🟠 Jan. 15	Bodhi Day	Buddhism	Practices vary; may include meditation, prayer, or temple attendance.
🟠 Jan. 14-17	Makar Sankranti / Pongal	Hinduism	Religious and cultural observances may affect participation. Some will fast or avoid eating meat.
🟠 Jan. 19	Holy Epiphany	Oriental Orthodox Christianity	May involve worship and religious services.
☽ 🟠 Jan. 23	Birth of Imam al-Mahdi	Shia Muslim	Significant Shia observance.

February 2027

Date	Observance	Tradition	Academic Impact
☽⚪ Feb. 1-2	Imbolc / Candlemas	Wiccan/Pagan	Seasonal observance; practices vary.
🟠 Feb. 2	Meeting of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple	Eastern Orthodox Christianity	May involve worship and religious services.
☽ 🟠 Feb. 5- 6	Lunar New Year	Buddhism, Taoism	May involve religious or cultural observances affecting class attendance.
☽🔴 Feb. 7-March 9	Ramadan	Islam (Sunni+Shia)	Many Muslims fast from dawn to sunset throughout Ramadan; additional prayer and community commitments may affect student participation.
🟠🍽️ Feb. 10	Ash Wednesday	Christianity	May involve religious, or cultural observances.
⚪🍽️ Feb. 10 – March 28	Lent	Christianity	Practices vary, many fast or practice abstinence from certain items (i.e caffeine or meat) which may affect students. Meat (non-fish) is avoided on Fridays.
🟠 Feb. 15	Nirvana Day / Parinirvana	Buddhism	Students may request accommodations to observe this solemn holiday. Practices vary.
🟠 Feb. 17	Waldensian Day	Waldensian	Observant students may request accommodations to attend worship and community gatherings, sometimes beginning in the night before.
☽ 🟠 Feb. 28	Imam Ali Martrydom	Shia Muslim	Significant Shia observance.

March 2027

Date	Observance	Tradition	Academic Impact
☽🔴 Mar. 8	Final Day of Ramadan	Islam (Sunni+Shia)	Religious observances associated with the end of Ramadan.
☽🔴 Mar. 9	Eid al-Fitr	Islam (Sunni+Shia)	Communal prayer and celebration; students may need to miss class.
🟠 Mar. 14	Sikh New Year	Sikhism	May involve worship and community celebrations.
⚪ Mar. 19–22	Ostara / Spring Equinox	Wiccan/Pagan	Seasonal observance; practices vary.
🟠 Mar. (20)–21	Naw-Rúz	Bahá’í, Zoroastrianism	New Year observance; dates and practices vary by community.
🟠 Mar. 21	Entrance of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem/Palm Sunday	Christianity	May involve worship and religious services.
🟠 Mar. 21 - 28	Holy Week	Christianity	May involve worship and religious services every day of the week depending on tradition.
☽🟠 Mar. 22–23	Purim	Judaism	Religious and community observance; academic impact varies.
🟠 Mar. 22	Holi	Hinduism	May involve religious, cultural, and community celebrations.
🟠 Mar. 25	Annunciation	Eastern Orthodox Christianity	May involve worship and religious services.
🟠Mar. 25	Maundy Thursday	Christianity	May involve worship and religious services.
🔴 Mar. 26	Good Friday	Christianity	Major Christian observance; students may participate in extended worship services.
🔴 Mar. 28	Easter Sunday	Christianity	Major Christian holiday; students may participate in worship and observance.

April 2027

Date	Observance	Tradition	Academic Impact
🟠 Apr. 7	Annunciation Feast	Oriental Orthodox Christianity	May involve worship and religious services.
🟠 Apr. 14	Baisakhi / Vaisakhi	Hinduism, Sikhism	May involve religious, cultural, and community celebrations.
🔴 Apr. 20–21	First Day of Ridván	Bahá’í	Significant Bahá’í holy day.
☽🔴 Apr. 21–29	Passover	Judaism	Students may need to miss class, especially during the day leading up to and the first two days of the holiday. Work and academic activities are prohibited during the first and last days.
🟠 Apr. 25	Palm Sunday	Oriental Orthodox Christianity	May involve worship and religious services.
🟠 🍽️ Apr. 25 -	Orthodox Holy Week	Eastern Orthodox Christianity	May involve extended worship services. Some observe fasts of abstaining from certain foods.
🟠 Apr. 28–29	Ninth Day of Ridván	Bahá’í	Significant Bahá’í holy day.
🟠🍽️ Apr. 29 – May 2	Orthodox Holy Thursday	Eastern Orthodox Christianity	May involve extended worship services.
🔴 🍽️ Apr. 30	Orthodox Good Friday	Eastern Orthodox Christianity	Major observance; students may participate in extended worship services.

May 2027

Date	Observance	Tradition	Academic Impact
⚪ May 1	Beltane / May Eve	Wiccan/Pagan	Seasonal observance; practices vary.
🟠 May 1–2	Twelfth Day of Ridván	Bahá’í	Significant Bahá’í holy day.
🔴 May 2	Orthodox Easter (Pascha)	Eastern & Oriental Orthodox Christianity	Major Christian holiday; students may participate in worship and observance.
🟠 May 6	Ascension Day	Christianity	May involve worship and religious services.
🟠 May 13	Buddha Day / Vesak	Buddhism	May involve meditation, prayer, temple attendance, or community gatherings.
☽🟠 May 15–16	Day of Arafah	Islam (Sunni+Shia)	Some Muslims fast and participate in prayer.
☽🔴 May 16–20	Eid al-Adha	Islam (Sunni+Shia)	Major Islamic festival; students may need to miss class for prayer and celebration.
🟠 May 16	Pentecost	Christianity	May involve worship and religious services.
🟠 May 23–24	Declaration of the Báb	Bahá’í	Significant Bahá’í holy day.
☽🟠 May 24–25	Eid al-Ghadir	Shia Muslim	Significant Shia observance.
🔴 May 29	Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh	Bahá’í	Work is suspended for many Bahá’ís.
May 30	Eid al-Mubahala	Shia Muslim	Major Shia commemorative day

June–August 2027

Date	Observance	Tradition	Academic Impact
☽🟠 June 5–6	Islamic New Year	Islam (Sunni+Shia)	Observance varies among individuals and communities.
☽🔴 June 10–12	Shavuot	Judaism	Some observant Jews refrain from work and academic activities.
🟠 June 10	Ascension Day	Oriental Orthodox Christianity	May involve worship and religious services.
☽🟠 June 14–15	Ashura	Islam (Sunni+Shia)	Significant day for both Sunni and Shia Muslims. Practices vary between Sunni and Shia communities; includes fasting and prayer.
⚪ June 19–23	Litha / Summer Solstice	Wiccan/Pagan	Seasonal observance; practices vary.
🔴 June 20	Feast of Pentecost	Orthodox Christianity	Major observance; students may participate in extended worship services.
🟠 June 27	All Saints Day	Orthodox Christianity	May involve worship and religious services.
🔴 July 9–10	Martyrdom of the Báb	Bahá’í	Work is suspended for many Bahá’ís.
☽🟠 July 24–25	Arba’een	Shia Muslim	Significant Shia observance
🟠 July 24	Pioneer Day	Latter-day Saints	Significant cultural and historical observance for many members.
⚪ Aug. 1	Lughnasadh	Wiccan/Pagan	Seasonal observance; practices vary.
Aug. 1-3	End of Safar/Martyrdom of Imam Hasan / Death of the Prophet / Martyrdom of Imam Ali al-Rida	Shia Muslim
🟠 Aug. 6	Transfiguration	Eastern Orthodox Christianity	May involve worship and religious services.
Aug. 11	Eid-e-Zahra	Shia Muslim
☽🟠 Aug. 11-12	Tisha B’Av	Judaism	A solemn fasting day which may affect student participation.
🟠 Aug. 15	Dormition / Falling-asleep of the Theotokos	Eastern Orthodox Christianity	Major observance; may involve worship and religious services.
🟠 Aug. 17	Raksha Bandhan	Hinduism	Religious, cultural and observances may affect participation.
Aug. 19	Mawlid / Birth of the Prophet Muhammad and Imam Ja`far al-Sādiq	Sunni + Shia Muslim	Significant Shia observance

This calendar is a planning resource, not a complete list of religious observances. Students may request accommodations for any religious observance, including those not listed here. When a religious observance conflicts with a course requirement, faculty are encouraged to work with the student to identify a reasonable alternative in accordance with Chapman's Religious Accommodations policy.

For questions or assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to the chaplains at the Fish Interfaith Center.

»Religious Holiday Calendars

2026–2027 Academic Year

Religious Holidays: 2026-2027 Academic Year

Contact the Fish Interfaith Center