» Religious Holiday Schedule

Below is a list of religious holidays that might pose conflicts with the 2017 and 2018 academic calendars. This list is not exhaustive of religious holidays but includes major holidays as suggested to us by religious organizations. 

Click here to see a link to the Provost's Religious Accommodation Statement

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

  • 2018
  • 2019
  • 2020
  • Holiday Religion Date Description

    Ramadan**

    Islam

    May 15-June 14

    Fast from sunrise to sunset held during the month of Ramadan

    Eid al-Fitr

    Islam

    June 14 - 15

    Feast to celebrate the end of Ramadan

    Eid Al-Adha

    Islam

    Aug. 21

    Commemoration of a Muslim's pilgrimage to Mecca

    Rosh Hashanah*

    Judaism

    Sep 9 - 11

    Jewish New Year

    Paryushana**

    		 Jain

    Sep 7

    8-10 day celebration which involves fasting and studying scriptures

    Yom Kippur*

    Judaism

    Sep 18 -19

    Day of Atonement - Fast

    Eid al-Adha

    Islam

    Aug 20-21

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

    Birth of the Bab

    Baha'i

    Nov 8-9

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

    Diwali**

    Hindu, Sikh, Jain

    Nov 7

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

    Birth of Baha'u'llah

    Baha'i

    Nov 9-10

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

    Bodhi Day

    Buddhist

    Dec 8

    Commemorates Gautama Buddha's enlightenment

    Hanukkah

    Judaism

    Dec 2 - 10

    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

    Makar Sankranti

    Hindu

    Jan 14

    Harvest festival that celebrates the beginning of spring in India

    Chinese New Year

    Confucian, Taoist, Buddhist

    Feb 16

    Lunar New Year for Chinese people

    Purim*

    Judaism

    Feb 28 - Mar 1

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

    Month of Fasting

    Baha'i

    Mar 2 - 20

    19-day fast observed from sunrise to sunset

    Naw Ruz

    Baha'i

    Mar 21

    Traditional Iranian new year holiday

    Passover*

    Judaism

    March 30 - Apr 7

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

    Holi

    Hindu

    Mar 2

    Festival of color that celebrates the arrival of spring

    Good Friday

    Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

    Mar 30

    Commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ

    Easter

    Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

    Apr 1

    Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ

    Vaisakhi

    Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist

    Apr 13

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

    Shavuot*

    Judaism

    		 May 19-21

    Begins evening of May 19

    Visakha Puja

    Buddhist

    		 Apr 29

    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
    * 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.
  • Holiday Religion Date Description

    Ramadan**

    Islam

    May 5 - Jun 4

    Fast from sunrise to sunset held during the month of Ramadan

    Eid al-Fitr

    Islam

    Jun 5

    Feast to celebrate the end of Ramadan

    Rosh Hashanah*

    Judaism

    Sep 29-Oct 1

    Jewish New Year

    Paryushana**

    		 Jain

    Aug 27

    8-10 day celebration which involves fasting and studying scriptures

    Yom Kippur*

    Judaism

    Oct 8-Oct 9

    Day of Atonement - Fast

    Eid al-Adha

    Islam

    Aug 10-11

    Feast to celebrate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael,

    at the command of God

    Birth of the Bab

    Baha'i

    Oct 28-29

    Celebrates the birth of the Bab, who was said to prepare the way for

    the founder of Baha'i, Baha'u'llah

    Diwali**

    Hindu
    Sikh
    Jain

    Oct 27-31

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

    and the goddess Lakshmi

    Birth of Baha'u'llah

    Baha'i

    Nov 12

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

    Bodhi Day

    Buddhist

    Dec 8

    Commemorates Gautama Buddha's enlightenment

    Hanukkah

    Judaism

    Dec 22-30

    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

    Makar Sankranti

    Hindu

    Jan 15

    Harvest festival that celebrates the beginning of spring in India

    Chinese New Year

    Confucian
    Taoist
    Buddhist

    Feb 5

    Lunar New Year for Chinese people

    Purim*

    Judaism

    Mar 20-21

    Commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people from a plot to

    destroy them while they were exiled in Persia

    Month of Fasting

    Baha'i

    Mar 2-20

    19-day fast observed from sunrise to sunset

    Naw Ruz

    Baha'i

    Mar 21

    Traditional Iranian new year holiday

    Passover*

    Judaism

    Apr 19-27

    Commemorates God delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt

    Holi

    Hindu

    Mar 21

    Festival of color that celebrates the arrival of spring

    Good Friday

    Christian
    (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

    Apr 19

    Commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ

    Easter

    Christian
    (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

    Apr 21

    Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ

    Vaisakhi

    Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist

    Apr 14

    Commemorates the foundation of Sikhism and serves as a festival of

    thanksgiving. Also begins the Hindu New Year.

    Visakha Puja

    Buddhist

    		 April 8

    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

    * 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. 

  • Holiday Religion Date Description

    Ramadan**

    Islam

    Apr 23 - May 24

    Fast from sunrise to sunset held during the month of Ramadan

    Eid al-Fitr

    Islam

    May 23-24

    Feast to celebrate the end of Ramadan

    Paryushana**

    Jain

    Aug 16-23

    8-10 day celebration which involves fasting and studying scriptures

    Eid al-Adha

    Islam

    July 30-31

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

    Rosh Hashanah*

    Judaism

    Sep 18-20

    Jewish New Year

    Yom Kippur*

    Judaism

    Sep 28-29

    Day of Atonement - Fast

    Sukkot*

    Judaism

    Oct 2 - 9

    Begins evening of Oct 2

    Shemini Atzeret*

    Judaism

    Oct 9 - 11

    Begins evening of Oct 9

    Birth of the Bab

    Baha'i

    		 Oct 17-18

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

    Diwali**

    Hindu, Sikh, Jain

    Nov 14

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

    Birth of Baha'u'llah

    Baha'i

    Oct 22

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

    Bodhi Day

    Buddhist

    Dec 8

    Commemorates Gautama Buddha's enlightenment

    Hanukkah

    Judaism

    Dec 10 - 18

    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

    Makar Sankranti

    Hindu

    Jan 15

    Harvest festival that celebrates the beginning of spring in India

    Chinese New Year

    Confucian, Taoist, Buddhist

    Jan 25

    Lunar New Year for Chinese people

    Purim*

    Judaism

    Mar 10 - 11

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

    Month of Fasting

    Baha'i

    Mar 2

    19-day fast observed from sunrise to sunset

    Naw Ruz

    Baha'i

    Mar 21

    Traditional Iranian new year holiday

    Passover*

    Judaism

    Apr 8 - 16

    Commemorates God delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt

    Holi

    Hindu

    Mar 10

    Festival of color that celebrates the arrival of spring

    Good Friday

    Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

    Apr 10

    Commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ

    Easter

    Christian (Roman Catholic & Protestant)

    Apr 12

    Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ

    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

    		 April 8

    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
    * 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.
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