Major Religious Holy Days for 2009-2010 Academic Year
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Date(s)
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Holy Day
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Faith Tradition/Religion
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Aug. 14
|
Shri Krishna Janamashtami
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Hindu/Vedic
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Aug. 22
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Ramadan begins (30 days of Fasting)*
|
Islam
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Sept. 19 - 20
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Rosh Hashanah**
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Jewish
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Sept. 20
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Eid al Fitr (End of Ramadan)*
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Islam
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Sept. 28
|
Dusserah (Dushahara)
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Hindu/Vedic
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Sept. 28
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Yom Kippur**
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Jewish
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Oct. 3-4
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Sukkot (First 2 days of 7 days observance)**
|
Jewish
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Oct. 10
|
Sh'mini Atzeret**
|
Jewish
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Oct. 11
|
Simchat Torah** |
Jewish
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Oct. 17
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Diwali (Deepawali)*
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Hindu/Vedic
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Oct. 20
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Birth of the Bab***
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Baha'i
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Nov. 1
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Feast of All Saints+
|
Roman Catholic & Protestant
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Nov. 2
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Feast of All Souls++
|
Roman Catholic
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Nov. 12
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Birth of Baha'u'llah***
|
Baha'i
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Nov. 27
|
Eid Al-Adha*
|
Islam
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Dec. 8
|
Feast of the Immaculate Conception+ |
Roman Catholic
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Dec. 12
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Hanukkah
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Jewish
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| Dec. 18 |
Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year) |
Islam |
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Dec. 25
|
Christmas (Feast of the Nativity+)
|
Roman Catholic, Protestant & Orthodox^
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| Dec. 27 |
Aashurah | Islam |
| Jan. 7 |
Christmas |
Orthodox^^ |
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Feb. 17
|
Ash Wednesday++
|
Roman Catholic & Protestant
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Feb. 28
|
Purim
|
Jewish
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Feb. 25
|
Ash Wednesday++
|
Roman Catholic & Protestant
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| March 21 |
Naw Ruz, Baha'i New Year*** | Baha'i |
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March 30-31
|
Pesach (First 2 days of 8 days observance)**
|
Jewish
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| April 1 |
Holy Thursday++
|
Roman Catholic & Protestant |
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| April 2 |
Good Friday++ | Roman Catholic & Protestant |
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| April 3 |
Holy Saturday Vigil (begins at sundown)++ | Roman Catholic & Protestant |
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| April 4 |
Easter+ (Pasha) |
Roman Catholic, Protestant & Orthodox^,^^ |
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| April 5-6 |
Concluding Days of Pesach** | Jewish |
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April 21
|
First Day of Rividan***
|
Baha'i |
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| April 29 |
Ninth Day of Rividan |
Baha'i |
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| May 2 |
Twelfth Day of Rividan |
Baha'i |
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| May 19-20 |
Shavuot | Jewish |
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Holy Days in bold type face are considered very important holy days when students/employees may be absent from school or work.
* Observance of Buddhist, Hindu/Vedic, and Islamic holy days is dependent on the sighting of the moon. Please note that the dates listed above may not be the exact dates but the closest approximates. Buddhists observe the new moon and full moon as holy days.
** Observance of Jewish holy days begins at sundown of preceding day and ends at one hour after sunset of the last day.
*** Observance of Baha'i holy days begins at sundown of preceding day and ends at sunset of the holy days.
+ Roman Catholic obligatory feasts require attendance at service and avoidance of servile work.
++ Roman Catholic traditional feasts are those days on which it is assumed that the faithful will attend services and may exclude service work and include various requirements of prayer and fasting.
^ Orthodox churches that follow the Gregorian Calendar.
^^ Orthodox churches that follow the Julian Calendar.
