Religious Holidays and Observances
The following is a multi-faith listing of religious holidays and observances that occur during the 2023-2024 academic year. This guiding document is produced so that scheduling of activities and exams can accommodate the religious needs of our students, alumnae, faculty and staff. The holidays listed here do not represent an exhaustive list. Because the list is not exhaustive, faculty and staff should continue to consult with their students to be assured any holidays and observances are recognized and accommodated in accord with NYS law (New York State Education Law 224-A). The list includes holidays for many - but by no means all - faiths in our campus community. Every effort has been made to ensure that this information is accurate and inclusive. If you have any additions or corrections, please feel free to contact us.
- Dates are assembled from various calendar sources and is not an exhaustive list.
- The dates for Islamic holidays may vary by region or practice. Holidays begin at sundown on the first day and end at nightfall on the last day listed.
- Jewish holidays begin at sundown on the first day and end at nightfall on the last day listed.
Calendar of Holidays and Observances
| Observance | Faith or Religion | Dates |
|---|---|---|
2023 |
||
|
Autumnal Equinox |
Pagan | Saturday, September 23 |
| Rosh Hashanah | Judaism | Friday, September 15 to Sunday, September 17 |
|
Fast of Gedaliah |
Judaism | Monday, September 18 |
|
Yom Kippur |
Judaism | Sunday, September 24 to Monday, September 25 |
|
Navratri |
Hinduism | Sunday, October 15 to Tuesday, October 24 |
|
Mawlid al-Nabi |
Islam | Tuesday, September 26 to Wednesday, September 27 |
|
Sukkot |
Judaism | Friday, September 29 to Friday, October 6 |
|
Shemini Atzeret |
Judaism | Friday, October 6 to Tuesday, October 8 |
|
Simchat Torah |
Judaism | Saturday October 7 to Sunday October 8 |
|
Birth of Bahá'u'lláh |
Baha’i | Monday, October 16 to Tuesday, October 17 |
|
Dussehra |
Hinduism | Tuesday, October 24 |
|
Samhain |
Pagan | Monday, October 31 to Tuesday, November 1 |
|
All Saints Day |
Roman Catholic, Unitarian Universalist | Wednesday, November 1 |
|
All Souls Day |
Christian, Unitarian Universalist | Thursday, November 2 |
|
Diwali |
Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikh, Jain | Sunday, November 12 |
|
First Sunday of Advent |
Christian | Sunday, December 3 |
|
Bodhi Day |
Buddhism | Friday, December 8 |
|
Feast of the Immaculate Conception |
Roman Catholic | Friday, December 8 |
|
Hanukkah/Chanukah |
Judaism | Thursday, December 7 to Friday, December 15 |
|
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe |
Roman Catholic |
Tuesday, December 12
|
|
Yule |
Pagan | Thursday, December 21 to Monday, January 1 |
|
Joseph Smith's Birthday |
Mormon (CJCLDS) | Saturday, December 23 |
|
Christmas |
Christian, Unitarian Universalist | Monday, December 25 |
|
Kwanzaa |
African American Heritage | Tuesday, December 26 to Monday, January 1 |
2024 |
||
|
Gantan-sai |
Shinto | Monday, January 1 |
|
The Solemnity of Mary |
Roman Catholic | Monday, January 1 |
|
Fast of the 10th of Tevet |
Judaism | Doesn't occur in 2024 |
|
Epiphany |
Christian | Saturday, January 6 |
|
Christmas |
Orthodox Christian | Sunday, January 7 |
|
Pongal |
Hinduism | Monday, January 15 to Thursday January 18 |
|
Chinese New Year |
Multifaith, Confucian, Taoist, Buddhist | Saturday, February 10 |
|
Imbolc |
Pagan | Thursday, February 1 |
|
Setsubun-sai |
Shinto | Saturday, February 3 |
|
Tu BiShvat |
Judaism | Wednesday, January 24 to Thursday, January 25 |
|
Start of Lent and Ash Wednesday |
Christian | Wednesday, February 14 |
|
Women's Day of Prayer |
Multifaith | Friday, March 1 |
|
Maha Shivaratri |
Hinduism | Friday, March 8 |
|
Clean Monday (Monday of Lent) |
Orthodox Christian | Monday, March 18 |
|
Ramadan |
Islam | Sunday, March 10 to Tuesday, April 9 |
|
Spring Equinox |
Pagan | Tuesday, March 19 |
|
Fast of Esther |
Judaism |
Thursday, March 21
|
|
Purim |
Judaism | Saturday, March 23 to Sunday, March 24 |
|
Holi |
Hinduism |
Monday, March 25
|
|
Palm Sunday |
Christian, Unitarian Universalist | Sunday, March 24 |
|
Holy (Maundy) Thursday |
Christian, Unitarian Universalist |
Thursday, March 28
|
|
Good Friday |
Christian, Unitarian Universalist | Friday, March 29 |
|
Easter |
Christian, Unitarian Universalist |
Sunday, March 31
|
|
Laylat al-Qadr |
Islam |
Saturday, April 6
|
| Eid al-Fitr | Islam |
Tuesday, April 9 to Wednesday, April 10 |
|
First Day of Riḍván |
Bahá’í | Saturday April 20 |
|
Fast of the First Born |
Judaism |
Monday, April 22
|
|
Passover (Pesach) |
Judaism | Monday, April 22 to Tuesday, April 30 |
| Ninth Day of Riḍván | Bahá’í |
Sunday, April 28 to Monday April 29 |
|
Twelfth Day of Riḍván |
Bahá’í |
Wednesday, May 1 to Thursday May 2 |
|
Great Friday |
Orthodox Christian | Friday, May 3 |
|
Orthodox Easter |
Orthodox Christian |
Sunday, May 5
|
|
Yom HaShoah |
Judaism |
Sunday, May 5 to Monday, May 6
|
|
Pentecost |
Christian, Unitarian Universalist |
Sunday, May 19 |
|
Vesak |
Buddhism |
Thursday, May 23
|
|
Pentecost |
Christian, Unitarian Universalist |
Sunday, May 19 |
|
Ascension Day |
Christian |
Thursday May 9 |
Summer 2024 |
||
|
Orthodox Ascension Day |
Orthodox Christian |
Thursday June 13 |
|
Eid al-Adha |
Islam |
Sunday June 16 to Wednesday June 19 |
|
Muharram |
Islam |
Sunday July 29 to Sunday August 4 |
|
Ashura |
Islam |
Tuesday July 16 to Wednesday July 17 |
|
Asalha Puja Day |
Buddhism |
Sunday July 21 |