RELIGIOUS & SPIRITUAL LIFE

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Policy on Academic Accommodations for Religious Observance

This religious observances calendar is not an exhaustive list of all religious traditions or of the holidays observed in those traditions. If we have not included a major religious holiday of significance to you, please notify Religious and Spiritual Life via email at spiritual.life@northwestern.edu. 

While we have made an effort to verify the accuracy of the information included here, some inaccuracies may remain. The dates of some holidays, particularly those that are calculated according to a lunar calendar (e.g., Islamic holidays), vary from region to region, and other observances and dates (e.g., Buddhist holidays) vary across cultures.

Calendar Key

	Begins at sundown of the first day listed.
	Ends at nightfall of the last day listed.
	Significant work restrictions.
	Involves fasting practices or food accommodations.

(language adapted from Harvard Divinity School's Multifaith Calendar webpage)

Religious Holiday Calendar 2024-25

Fall 2024

Holiday	Affiliation	Dates
Mabon	Pagan, Wiccan	Sep. 22
Rosh Hashanah	Judaism	Oct. 2-4
Navaratri	Hindu	Oct. 3-12
Yom Kippur	Judaism	Oct. 11-12
Dussehra	Hindu	Oct. 12
Mawlid al-Nabi	Islam	Sept. 15-16
Sukkot	Judaism	Oct. 16-23
Shemini Atzeret	Judaism	Oct. 23-25
Simchat Torah	Judaism	Oct. 24-25
Diwali	Hindu	Oct. 31-Nov 4
Twin Holy Birthdays: Birth of Bab/Báha'u'lláh	Bahá’í	Nov. 2-3
Samhain	Pagan, Wiccan	Oct. 31-Nov. 1
All Saints' Day	Christianity	Nov. 1
Día de los Muertos	Christianity	Nov. 1-2
Fatimiyyah	Shia Islam	Dec. 5
Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Birthday	Sikh	Nov. 15
Feast of the Immaculate Conception	Roman Catholicism	Dec. 8
Hanukkah	Judaism	Dec. 25-Jan. 2
Yule	Pagan, Wiccan	Dec. 21-Jan. 1
Christmas Eve	Christianity	Dec. 24
Christmas	Christianity	Dec. 25
Kwanzaa	Pan-African	Dec. 26-Jan. 1
Gantan-sai	Shinto	Jan. 1

Winter 2025

Holiday	Affiliation	Dates
Bodhi Day	Buddhism	Jan. 18
Epiphany / Twelfth Night / Three Kings Day	Christian	Jan. 6
Christmas	Orthodox Christian	Jan. 7
Imam Ali's Birthday	Shia Islam	Feb. 2
Lunar New Year	Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist	Jan. 29
Mab'ath/ Isra	Islam	Jan. 26
Vasanta Pachami	Hindu	Feb. 2
Imbolc / Candlemas	Pagan, Wiccan	Feb. 1-2
Setsubun-sai	Shinto	Feb. 2
Nirvana Day	Buddhist	Feb. 15
Maha Shivaratri	Hindu	Feb. 26
Ash Wednesday	Christian	March. 5
Magha Puja Day	Buddhist	Feb. 13
Mid-Sha'baan	Islam	Feb. 13-14
Purim	Jewish	Mar. 13-14
Holi	Hindu	Mar. 14-15
Ostara / Spring Equinox	Pagan, Wiccan	Mar. 20
Naw-Rúz (New Year’s Day)	Bahá’í	Mar. 20

Spring 2025

Holiday	Affiliation	Dates
Ramadan	Islam	Feb. 28 - Mar. 30
Palm Sunday	Christian	Apr. 13
Mahavira-Jayanti	Jain	Apr. 10
Pesach (Passover)	Jewish	Apr. 12-20
Maundy Thursday	Christian	Apr. 17
Good Friday	Christian	Apr. 18
Vesak / Buddha Day	Buddhist	May 12
Easter	Christian	Apr. 20
Imam Ali's Martyrdom	Shia Islam	April 1
Vaisakhi (New Year’s Day)	Sikh	Apr. 13-14
Pascha (Easter)	Orthodox Christian	Apr. 20
Eid al-Fitr	Islam	March 30-31
The Festival of Ridván	Bahá’í	Apr. 20-May 2
Imam Ja'far Sadiq's Martyrdom	Shia Islam	April 13
Yom HaShoah	Jewish	Apr. 24-25
Beltane	Pagan, Wiccan	Apr. 30 - May 1
Shavuot	Jewish	June 1-3
Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh	Bahá’í	May 28