Holy Days & Holidays

 *Local or regional customs may use a variation of this date. 
Bold titles are the faith tradition.

August, 2018 - July, 2019 - Holy Days and Holidays
 
AUGUST 2018

• 1
       - Lughnasadh Pagan Celebration of midpoint between solstice and equinox marking first harvest
• 13-15
       - Obon * Buddhist and Shinto Japanese Buddhist festival to honor ancestors
• 15
       - Assumption of Mary Christian celebration of assumption of Mary into heaven, Holy day of obligation for Catholics
• 15-24
       - Onam Hindu (Kerala)- The festival commemorates the Vamana avatar of Vishnu
• 19-20
       - Day of Arafah Hajj Islam (begins sundown on August 19) Day of assembly on the plain of Arafah in Hajj.  Optional day of fasting for non-pilgrims
• 21-24
       - Eid al Adha Sacrifice Day Islam Muslim celebration honoring the spiritual sacrifice of his son by prophet Abraham
• 26
       - Raksha Bandhan Hindu Festival honoring family ties between brothers and sisters

SEPTEMBER 2018

• 2
       - Lord Krishna Janmashtami * Hindu Festival celebrating the birth of Krishna
• 6-13
       - Paryushana Parva * Jain Eight Day Jain festival of devotion
• 9
       - Erev Rosh Hashanah Jewish Eve of the Jewish New Year and beginning of High Holy Days (begins at sundown)*
• 10-11
       - Rosh Hashanah Jewish New Year
• 11
        - Hijra New Year Islam Muslim new year, marking the emigration of the Prophet Muhammad from Makkah to Madinah 622 C
• 13
       - Lord Ganesh Chaturthi Hindu Festival honoring Ganesh
• 18
       - Erev Yom Kippur Jewish Eve of the Day of Atonement, observed with fasting (begins at sundown)
• 19
       - Yom Kippur Jewish Day of Atonement, observed with fasting
• 20
       - Ashura Islam Muslim commemoration of Prophet Moses delivering his people from Pharaoh (a day of optional fasting accompanied with a day of fasting before [19] and/or after [September 21] and of trials endured by leaders among Prophet Muhammad’s family
• 22-23
       - Mabon Pagan (begins sundown on September 22) Observance of autumn equinox and harvest festival
• 23  
       - Erev Sukkot
• 24-30
       - Sukkot Jewish Eight-day remembrance of God’s protection during time in the wilderness.  Observed by eating in a temporary hut called a “sukkah.” (Begins at sundown on September 23, concludes on October 1)
• 28
       - Birth of Confucius. Observed in all religious traditions emanating from China
• 30
       - Erev Shemini Atzeret

OCTOBER 2018

• 1
       - Shemini Atzeret Jewish Eighth day festival connected to Sukkot (begins at sundown on September 30)
       - Erev Simchat Torah
• 2
       - Simchat Torah Jewish day of rejoicing to celebrate the yearly completion of reading the whole Torah (begins at sundown on October 1)
• 8
       - Indigenous People’s Day Interfaith celebration of cultural heritage of indigenous peoples of Western hemisphere
• 10-19
       - Navaratri * Hindu Nine-night festival worshiping different forms of the Goddess Sakti
• 15
        - Bodhidharma Day Zen Buddhist Honors Zen ancestor Bodhidharma who brought Zen from India to China
• 19
       - Dussehra * Hindu Celebration of the victory of good over evil
• 20
       - Installation of Scriptures as Guru Granth Sahib Sikh Installation of the Guru Granth Sahib. Recognition of Sikh sacred writings as the final, eternal guru
• 31
       - All Hallows Eve Christian Celebration derived from Celtic Samhain, beginning two-day remembrance of the dead
       - Samhain Pagan Observance of midpoint between equinox and solstice, descent into depths of winter
              
  

NOVEMBER 2018

• 1
       - All Saints Day Christian Celebration of lives of the saints. Holy day of obligation for Catholics
• 2
       - All Souls Day/Dia de los Muertos Christian Day of interceding for those who have died
• 7
        - Diwali (Deepavali) * Hindu A five day festival with Diwali night centering on the new moon; marked with lighting lamps and celebrating with sweets and fireworks  
        - Bandi‐Chhor Diwas * Sikh A commemorative celebrates the release of the Sixth Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji from imprisonment
• 8
       - New Year Jain Celebration of the new year
• 9
       - Birth of The Báb Bahá’í Commemoration of the birth of the Báb (The "Gate"), the Prophet-Herald of the Bahá’í faith
• 10
       - Birth of Bahá'u'lláh Bahá’í Commemoration of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh (translated ‘Glory of God’), the Prophet-Founder of the Bahá’í faith
• 21
       - Mawlid al-Nabi Islam (begins sundown on November 20) The day that commemorates the birth of the last Prophet of Islam, Muhammad c.570 CE
• 22
       - Thanksgiving Interfaith USA
• 23
       - Guru Nanak Dev Gurpurab (Guru Nanak’s Birthday) Sikh Birth of the founder and first guru of the Sikh faith
• 26
       - Day of The Covenant Bahá’í The day when Bahá'í celebrate the appointment of `Abdu'l-Bahá as the Centre of Bahá'u'lláh’s Covenant
• 28
       - Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá’ Bahá’í Commemoration the ascension of `Abdu'l-Bahá who passed away on November 28, 1921, in Haifa, Palestine (now Israel)

DECEMBER 2018

• 6
       - Saint Nicholas Day Christian Feast of saint popularly known as Santa Claus for his generosity
• 2-10
       - Hanukkah Jewish Eight-night Jewish festival of lights remembering Maccabean victory and rededication of Temple in 165 BCE. (First candle is lit at sundown on December 2.  Holiday concludes at nightfall on December 10)
• 8
       - Immaculate Conception Christian Catholic day of celebrating the belief that Mary, mother of Jesus, was preserved from original sin all of her life. Holy day of obligation
       - Bodhi Day * Buddhist Celebration of beginning of path to enlightenment of the Buddha
• 12
        - Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe Christian Catholic celebration of Mary as patron saint of Mexico
• 16-25
       - Posadas Navidenas Christian Mexican Catholic reenactment of journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem
• 18
       - Fast of Tevet 10 Jewish Day of mourning and repentance marking the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem. In recent years, it also is a day of remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust
• 21 
       - Yule Pagan Observance of rebirth of the sun after longest night of winter
       - Remembrance Vigil for Pan Am 103 Interfaith Syracuse University service of remembrance for the victims of Pan Am 103
• 23
       - Human Light Secular celebration of humanist vision of peace and goodwill among all 
• 24
       - Christmas Eve Christian Eve of traditional Western date observing birth of Christ in twelve-day festival lasting to Epiphany  
• 25
       - Christmas Christian Traditional Western date observing birth of Christ in twelve-day festival lasting to Epiphany
• 26
       - First Day of Kwanzaa Weeklong celebration of African American life and cultural heritage 
       - Zarathosht Diso * Zoroastrian Death of founding prophet Zarathushtra 
• 31
       - Watch Night Christian Ritual service of preparation for the year to come
       - Holy Family Christian Catholic celebration of the love between the family of Jesus

JANUARY 2019

• 1
       - Mary, Mother of God Christian Catholic day of prayer and thanksgiving to Mary, mother of Jesus
       - Gantan-sai Shinto new year festival
• 2
       - Basil the Great Orthodox Christian Celebration of defender of orthodoxy Basil of Caesarea
• 6
       - Epiphany Christian Festival celebrating the revelation of God in Jesus and the visit of the sages to the Christ child
       - Feast of the Nativity Orthodox Christian Traditional celebration of Christmas for Eastern Orthodox Christians
• 13
        - Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christian Commemoration of the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus
       - Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti Sikh Celebration of the birth of the final human guru of the Sikh faith
• 15
        - Maghi Sikh Commemoration of the 40 martyrs (Chalis Mukte) who died fighting the Mughal army with Guru Gobind Singh in 1705 CE
• 18-25
       - Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Christian Seven days of ecumenical prayer
• 20
       - Erev Tu Bishvat
• 21
       - Tu BiShvat Jewish Celebration of the New Year of the Trees (Begins at sundown on January 20)
       - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Interfaith United States celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
       - Thaipusam Hindu Tamil festival that honors the deity Murugan
        

FEBRUARY 2019

• 2
       - Imbolc Pagan Feast of waxing light, midpoint between solstice and equinox 
       - Candlemas Christian Celebration of the presentation of Jesus in the temple.  New beginnings are recognized
• 3
       - Setsebun sai * Shinto Celebration of approach of spring as invitation to good fortune
       - Four Chaplains Sunday Interfaith Commemoration of the event in World War II when four Chaplains of Jewish and Christian traditions (Catholic and Protestant) gave their life jackets to others as a troop ship sank in the Atlantic Ocean
• 5
       - Chinese New Year Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist Beginning of Chinese celebration of a new year for people of all religions
• 10
       - Vasant Panchami * Hindu Festival honoring Saraswati, goddess of learning, wisdom, music, and art
• 14
       - St. Valentine's Day Christian Festival of love loosely connected to Christian saint
• 15
       - Nirvana Day * Buddhist, Jain Commemoration of passing into Nirvana of the Buddha
• 26 - March 1
       - Ayyám-i-Há Bahá’í Intercalary days in the Bahá'í calendar, when Bahá'í celebrate the Festival of Ayyám-i-Há (also known as ‘Days of Gift-Giving’)
   

MARCH 2019

• 2-20
       - The Bahá’í Fast Bahá’í Abstain from food and drinks between sunrise and sunset
• 4
       - Maha Shivaratri * Hindu Festival in honor of Lord Shiva
• 5
        - Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras Christian Day of preparation for Lent, observed by feasting and carnival activities
• 6
       - Ash Wednesday Christian First of forty days of Western Christian penitential observance of Lent
• 7
       - Lailat al Raghaib Islam The Night of Raghaib is accepted by some scholars to be the night when Muhammad’s mother Amina realized that she was pregnant with him
• 10
        - Orthodox Sunday Orthodox Christian First Sunday of Lent.  Restoration of icons to the church is celebrated
• 11
       - Clean Monday Orthodox Christian First day of Lent
• 17
       - Saint Patrick’s Day Christian Celebration of Patrick, who brought Christianity to Ireland
• 19
       - St. Joseph's Day Christian Celebration of St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus
• 20
       - Fast of Esther Jewish Day preceding Purim that commemorates the fast Esther requested the Jewish people observe in preparation of her going to see the King uninvited
       - Ostara Pagan Spring equinox festival celebrating reawakening
       - Erev Purim

• 21
       - Purim Jewish Holiday marking deliverance from Haman's genocidal plot against Jewish people in ancient Persia as related in Book of Esther (Begins on March 20 at sundown)
       - Holi * Hindu Festival of spring
       - Naw-Rúz Bahá’í New Year (176 Baha'i Era)

• 23
       - Magha Puja Day * Buddhist Commemoration of presentation of Buddha to the world
• 25
       - Ramanavami * Hindu Celebration of the birth of Lord Rama, hero of the religious epic poem The Ramayana

 

APRIL 2019

• 2
       - Lailat al Miraj Islam The day that commemorates the Prophet Muhammad's nighttime journey, in 622 CE, to Heaven to meet with God and to meet with his fellow Prophets like Abraham and Moses

• 8         
       - Vesak Buddhist Celebrates the Birth of Shakyamuni Buddha
• 14
       - Palm Sunday Christian Beginning of Western Christian Holy Week, also known as Passion Sunday
       - Baisakhi (Vaisakhi) Sikh commemorates the day in 1699 that Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th Guru, removed the clerical system from Sikhism and affirmed the direct connection between Sikhs and the Divine
• 17
       - Mahavir Jayanti * Jain Birth of founder of Jain tradition Mahavira 540 BCE
• 18
       - Maundy Thursday Christian Remembrance of Christ’s last supper.  First day of the Sacred Triduum
• 18-26
       - Chaitra Navratri Hindu a nine day festival dedicated to the nine forms of the Goddess Shakti
• 19
       - Erev Pesach (Passover)
       - First Seder
       - Good Friday Christian Remembrance of the crucifixion and death of Christ. Second day of the Sacred Triduum
• 20
       - Lailat al Bara'ah/Nisf Sha’ban Islam (night of April 19) Optional Night of prayer
       - Holy Saturday Christian Day of vigil culminating in observance of resurrection of Christ. Third day of the Sacred Triduum
       - Lazarus Saturday Orthodox Christian
• 20-27
       - Pesach (Passover) Jewish Eight-day commemoration of freedom of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. (Begins with First Seder at sundown on April 19.  Second Seder begins at nightfall on April 20.  Holiday concludes at nightfall on April 27) 
• 21
       - Easter Christian Feast of resurrection of Christ
       - 1^st Day of Ridván Bahá’í celebrate the day Baha’u’llah arrived at the Garden of Ridván
       - Palm Sunday Orthodox Christian
• 26
       - Holy Friday Orthodox Christian Anniversary of the death of Christ, as commemorated by Orthodox Christians
• 28         
       - Pascha (Easter) Orthodox Christian Celebration of the resurrection of Christ, beginning at midnight
• 29
       - Ninth Day of Ridván Bahá’í celebrate the day Baha’u’llah declared the Mission and Purpose of the Baha’i Faith

MAY 2019

• 1
       - Beltane Pagan Celebration of midpoint between equinox and solstice, celebrating Earth’s fertility
       - Erev Yom Ha’Shoah
• 2
       - Yom Ha’Shoah Jewish Holocaust Remembrance Day (begins at sundown on May 1)
       - 12^th Day of Ridván Bahá’í commemorate the day Baha’u’llah departed from the Garden of Ridván and continued His exile
• 5
       - Ramadan Islam (begins at sundown on May 5) Muslim Holy month of daily fasting (from dawn to sunset) and nightly prayers begins
• 8
       - Erev Yom Ha’Atzmaut
• 9
       - Yom Ha'Atzmaut - Jewish Celebration of Independence Day in Israel. (Begins at sundown on May 8)
• 22
       - Erev Lag Ba’Omer
• 23
        - Lag Ba'Omer Jewish Celebration of the 33 day of counting the Omer - a 49-day period between Pesach and Shavout. (Begins at sundown on May 22)
• 24
       - Declaration of The Báb Bahá’í Celebration of the day when The Báb announced He was "the bearer of a Divine Revelation which would prepare humanity for the advent of the Promised One of all religions"
• 25 May – 3 June
        - Laylatul Qadr The Night of Destiny Islam (begins sundown on 25).  Muslim commemoration of the Holy Night, in Ramadan, when the Qur`an was revealed.  It can fall on any of the 10 nights and these nights are spent in worship, prayers, and supplications. This night is also when the destiny of all things is determined for the coming year
• 29
       - Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh Baha'i Commemoration of the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, the Prophet-Founder of the Bahá’í faith
• 30
       - Ascension of the Lord Christian Festival marking the bodily ascension of Jesus into Heaven
• 31
       - 27^th night of Ramadan

JUNE 2019

• 3-6
       - Eid al Fitr Festival of the Completion of the Fast/End of Ramadan Islam (begins sundown on June 3). Muslim celebration showing gratitude for a      successful completion of fasting in the Holy month of Ramadan. The day begins with a distribution of charity to the needy the night before (3), followed by morning prayer services the next day (4) and gatherings with family, friends, and relatives
• 8
        - Erev Shavuot
• 9-10
       - Shavuot Jewish Festival of receiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai. (Begins at sundown on June 8 and concludes at nightfall on June 10)
• 9
       - Pentecost Christian Celebration of the descent of Holy Spirit upon followers of Christ
• 16
       - Pentecost Orthodox Christian
       - Trinity Sunday Christian Honors the belief in one God with a threefold nature

JULY 2019

• 10
        - Martyrdom of the Báb Baha’i The Báb, forerunner of Baha'u'llah, was publicly executed for announcing the nearing arrival of the Promised One, and the prophesied dawn of a new day