Calendar of Holidays and Religious Observances

Embodying the culturally and spiritually diverse communities of West Chester University, this calendar of “Holidays and Religious Observances” serves as a resource to the campus community and provides information related to holidays, traditional observances, and major days of religious significance.

Faculty and staff may use this information to aid with the development of a class syllabus, planning for examinations, special programs, events and activities, or however it may be helpful. The information is not intended to be an all exhaustive list and may not cover all religious traditions represented in the West Chester community. As we update the calendar annually, every effort is made to ensure the information is as accurate as possible. If the calendar does not include a significant date of your religious or cultural tradition, please contact Chancey Page.

OEOC staff utilizes the Interfaith Calendar compiled by the Pew Research Center, Forum for Religions and Public Life, to compile the information on this page.

Major Religious Holidays with Work Restrictions

Several religions prohibit working on certain holidays. To aid staff, faculty and supervisors with scheduling events and activities, a short list of some holidays on which students, staff, or faculty may not be able to work or attend class is provided below. Again, please note the list below is not all exhaustive.

Please try to avoid conflicts in scheduling major meetings, exams and other major events and work with students, faculty and staff to accommodate these observances.

  • *Rosh Hashanah – Jewish
  • *Yom Kippur – Jewish
  • *Eid al Fitr – Muslim
  • *Eid al Adha – Muslim
  • *The Birth of the Bab – Baha'i
  • *The Birth of Baha'u'llah – Baha'i
  • *Mawlid – Muslim
  • *Naw Ruz – Baha'i
  • *NowRuz – Persian, Muslims in Iran, Zoroastrian
  • Christmas – Christian
  • Nativity of Christ – Eastern Orthodox
  • *Passover – Jewish
  • *First Day, 9th Day and 12th Day of Ridvan – Baha'i
  • Good Friday – Christian
  • Easter – Christian
  • Easter – Eastern Orthodox
  • *Shavuot – Jewish
  • *Declaration of the Bab – Baha'i
  • *Ascension of the Baha'u'llah – Baha'i
  • *Martyrdom of the Bab – Baha'i
  • *Ashura – Muslim
  • Vijaya Dashami, also called Dasara – Hindu

Additional Major Holidays

Major holidays that are important cultural or religious celebrations and observances but do not require students or employees to abstain from work are listed below.

  • *Ramadan – Muslim
  • Divali (Deepavali) – Hindu
  • Chinese New Year
  • Holi – Hindu

PLEASE NOTE:

  1. Many holidays are based on the lunar calendar and so their dates change from year to year on the Gregorian calendar. Therefore, some of the holidays are celebrated approximately around the dates listed (e.g., Islamic holidays).
  2. Dates above listed with an asterisk (*) denote holy days that usually start at sundown the night before the date.

Summer 2024

Date Holiday or Observance Religious Group Day of the Week
June 11-13, 2024 Shavuot Judaism Tuesday - Thursday
June 17, 2024 Eid-al-Adha Islam Monday
July 9, 2024 Martyrdom of the Báb * Baha'i Tuesday

 

Fall 2024

Date Holiday or Observance Religious Group Day of the Week
August 25-26, 2024 Arba'een Islam Sunday-Monday
August 26-27, 2024 Krishna Janmashtami Hindu Monday - Tuesday
September 15-16, 2024 Mawlid Islam Sunday - Monday
September 22, 2024 Mabon Pagan and Wiccan Saturday
October 2-4, 2024 Rosh Hashanah Judaism Wednesday - Friday
October 5, 2024 Tzom Gedaliah Judaism Saturday
October 11-12, 2024 Yom Kippur Judaism Friday - Saturday
October 12, 2024 Vijaya Dashami (Dasara) Hindu Saturday
October 16-23, 2024 Sukkot Judaism Wednesday - next Wednesday
October 23, 2024 Shemini Atzeret Judaism Wednesday - Friday
October 28 - November 2, 2024 Diwali Hindu Monday - Saturday
November 1, 2024 All Saint's Day Christian Friday
November 2, 2024 All Soul's Day Christian Saturday
November 2, 2024 Birthday of Báb Baha'i Saturday
November 3, 2024 Birthday of Baha'u'llah Baha'i Sunday
November 15 - December 24, 2024 Christmas Fast  Christian Friday - Tuesday
November 24, 2024 Martyrdom of Guru Bahadur Sikh Sunday
December 1 - December 24, 2024 Advent Christian Sun - Tues
December 8, 2024 Feast of Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Sunday
December 8, 2024 Bodhi Day Buddhist Sunday
December 12, 2024 Our Lady of Guadalupe (Feast Day) Christian Thursday
December 16 - 25, 2024 Las Posadas Christian Mon - Tues
December 21 - January 1, 2025 Yule Pagan and Wiccan Thurs - Mon 
December 25, 2024 Christmas Christian Wednesday
December 25 - January 2, 2025 Hanukkah (Chanukah) Judaism Wednesday - next Thursday

 

Spring 2025

Date Holiday or Observance Religious Group Day of the Week
January 6, 2025 Feast of Epiphany Christian Monday
January 7, 2025 Orthodox Christmas Day Orthodox Christian Tuesday
January 10, 2025 Asara B'Tevet Judaism Friday
January 14, 2025 Makar Sunkranti Hindu Tuesday
January 29, 2025 Lunar New Year Interfaith/National Wednesday
February 15, 2025 Nirvana Day Buddhist Saturday
February 28 - March 29, 2025 Ramadan Islam *daily
March 5, 2025 Ash Wednesday Christian Wednesday
March 19 - 20, 2025 Naw Ruz Baha'i Wed - Thurs
March 13 - March 14, 2025 Purim Judaism Thurs - Friday
March 14, 2025 Holi Hindu Friday
March 31, 2025 Eid Al-Fitr Islam Monday
April 12 - 20, 2025 Pesach (Passover, Feast of Fredom and Unleavened Bread) Judaism Monday Night - Next Tuesday
April 14, 2025 Vaisakhi Sikh Monday
April 18, 2025 Good Friday Christian Friday
April 20, 2025 Easter Christian Sunday
April 20 - 21, 2025 First Day of Ridvan Baha'i Sat - Sunday
April 23 - April 24, 2025 Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) Judaism Wed - Thursday
April 29, 2025 Ninth Day of Ridvan Baha'i Monday
May 1, 2025 Twelfth Day of Ridvan Baha'i Thursday
May 12, 2025 Vesk (Theravada) Bud Monday
May 22 - May 23, 2025 Declaration of the Báb Baha'i Thurs - Friday 
May 28, 2025 Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh Baháʼí  Wednesday

 

Summer 2025

Date Holiday or Observance Religious Group Day of the Week
June 1 - June 3, 2025 Shavuot Judaism  Sunday - Tuesday
June 6, 2025 Eid-al-Adha Islam Friday
June 16, 2025

Guru Arjan Martyrdom

Sikh Monday
June 29, 2025

Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul

Christian Sunday
July 9, 2025

Martyrdom of the Báb *

Baha'i Tuesday
July 11, 2025 St. Benedict Day Catholic Christian Friday
July 13, 2025  Obon (Ulambana) Buddhist Sunday

 

Fall 2025

Date Holiday or Observance Religious Group Day of the Week
August 14-15, 2025 Arba'een Islam Thursday - Friday
August 15, 2025 Krishna Janmashtami Hindu Friday
September 4-5, 2025 Mawlid Islam Thursday - Friday
September 22, 2025 Mabon Pagan and Wiccan Monday
September 23-24, 2025 Rosh Hashanah Judaism Tuesday - Wednesday
September 25, 2025 Tzom Gedaliah Judaism Thursday
October 1-2, 2025 Yom Kippur Judaism Wednesday - Thursday
October 2, 2025 Vijaya Dashami (Dasara) Hindu Thursday
October 6-13, 2025 Sukkot Judaism Monday - next Monday
October 13-15, 2025 Shemini Atzeret Judaism Monday - Wednesday
October 20, 2025 Diwali Hindu Monday
October 22, 2025 Birthday of Báb Baha'i Wednesday
October 23, 2025 Birthday of Baha'u'llah Baha'i Thursday
November 1, 2025 All Saint's Day Christian Saturday
November 2, 2025 All Soul's Day Christian Sunday
November 15 - December 24, 2025 Christmas Fast  Christian Saturday - Wednesday
November 24, 2025 Martyrdom of Guru Bahadur Sikh Monday
December 1 - December 24, 2025 Advent Christian Monday - Wednesday
December 8, 2025 Feast of Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Monday
December 8, 2025 Bodhi Day Buddhist Monday
December 12, 2025 Our Lady of Guadalupe (Feast Day) Christian Friday
December 16 - 24, 2025 Las Posadas Christian Tuesday - next Wednesday
December 21 - January 1, 2025 Yule Pagan and Wiccan Sunday - Thursday 
December 25, 2025 Christmas Christian Thursday
December 14 - December 22, 2025 Hanukkah (Chanukah) Judaism Sunday- next Monday

 

Spring 2026

Date Holiday or Observance Religious Group Day of the Week
January 6, 2026 Feast of Epiphany Christian Tuesday
January 7, 2026 Orthodox Christmas Day Orthodox Christian Wednesday
January 14, 2026 Makar Sunkranti Hindu Wednesday
February 15, 2026 Nirvana Day Buddhist Sunday
February 17, 2026 Lunar New Year Interfaith/National Tuesday
February 17 - March 19, 2026 Ramadan Islam *daily
February 18, 2026 Ash Wednesday Christian Wednesday
March 20 - March 21, 2026 Naw Ruz Baha'i Wed - Thurs
March 2 - March 3, 2026 Purim Judaism Monday - Tuesday
March 4, 2026 Holi Hindu Wednesday
March 20, 2026 Eid Al-Fitr Islam Friday
April 1 - 9, 2026 Pesach (Passover, Feast of Fredom and Unleavened Bread) Judaism Wednesday-next Thursday
April 3, 2026 Good Friday Christian Friday
April 5, 2026 Easter Christian Sunday
April 13 - April 14, 2026 Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) Judaism Monday - Tuesday
April 14, 2026 Vaisakhi Sikh Tuesday
April 20 - 21, 2026 First Day of Ridvan Baha'i Tuesday- Wednesday
April 29, 2026 Ninth Day of Ridvan Baha'i Wednesday
May 1, 2026 Vesak (Theravada) Buddhist Friday
May 2, 2026 Twelfth Day of Ridvan Baha'i Saturday
May 22 - May 23, 2026 Declaration of the Báb Baha'i Saturday - Sunday
May 28, 2026 Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh Baháʼí  Friday

 

Summer 2026

Date Holiday or Observance Religious Group Day of the Week
May 21 - May 23, 2026 Shavuot Judaism  Thursday - Saturday
May 27, 2026 Eid-al-Adha Islam Wednesday
June 16, 2026

Guru Arjan Martyrdom

Sikh Tuesday
June 29, 2026

Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul

Christian Monday
July 10, 2026

Martyrdom of the Báb *

Baha'i Friday
July 11, 2026 St. Benedict Day Catholic Christian Saturday
August 27, 2026 Obon (Ulambana) Buddhist Thursday