Major Religious Holy Days 2007-08

Information for Students Regarding Religious Holidays and Academic Conflicts

The Holy Days listed represent major religious observations in several traditions. There are additional minor holidays in these traditions which are not listed:

September 2007
4 – Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
12-14 - *Rosh Hashanah (Jewish)
13 – First Day of Ramadan Fast (30 days) (Islamic)
15 – Ganesh-Chaturthi (Hindu)
21-22 - *Yom Kippur (Jewish)
23 – Fall Equinox (Pagan/Wicca)
26-28 – Sukkot begins (Jewish)

October 2007
4 - Shemini Atzeret/Sukkot ends (Jewish)
4 - Simchat Torah (Jewish)
11 – Navaratri begins (Hindu)
13 - Eid al-Fitr – End of the Ramadan, special feast day (Islamic)
20 - Birth of the Ba’b (Baha’i)
21 – Vijaya Dasami (Last Day of Navarati) (Hindu)
31 – Samhain (Pagan/Wicca)

November 2007
1 – All Saint’s Day (Christian)
9 - Diwali ( Hindu)
12 - Birth of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)

December 2007
4-12 - Chanukah (Jewish)
8 – Bodhi Day (Buddhism)
20 – Eid al Adha (Islamic)
21 – Yule (Pagan/Wicca)
25 – Christmas (Western Christian)
26-Jan. 1st – Kwanzaa (African American/Interfaith)

January 2008
6 – Epiphany (Christian)
7 – Orthodox Christmas (Christian)
10 - Al-Hijra – New Year’s (Islamic)
19 - Ashura (Tenth of Muharram) (Islamic)

February 2008
2 – Imbolic (Pagan/Wicca)
6 – Ash Wednesday – Lent begins (Christian)
7 – Chinese New Year (Confucian/Daoist/Buddhist)

March 2008
2-20 - Baha’i Fast
20 Purim (Jewish)
20 - Milad an-Nabi (Islamic)
20 – Maundy Thursday (Christian)
21 – Good Friday, Lent ends (Christian)
21 - Naw-Ruz, New Year (Baha’i)
22 – Vernal Equinox (Pagan/Wicca)
23 – Easter (Western Christian)

April 2008
19-21 -* Passover (Jewish)
21 – First Day of Ridvan (Baha’i)
25 – Holy Friday (Orthodox Christian)
25-27 – Last two days of Passover (Jewish)
27 - Orthodox Easter (Christian)
29 – Ninth Day of Ridvan (Baha’i)

May 2008
1 – Beltane (Pagan/Wicca)
2 – Twelfth Day of Ridvan (Baha’i)
2 – Buddha Day (Buddhist)
11 – Pentecost (Christian)
23 - Declaration of the Bab (Baha’i)
29 - Ascension of the Bahá-u’lláh (Baha’i)

June 2008
4 – Pentecost (Orthodox Christian)
8-10 – Shavuot  (Jewish)
21 – Summer Solstice (Pagan/Wicca)

*Most Jews observe this holiday
Jewish Holy Days begin at sundown.

Islamic Holy Days  are not always fixed to a calendar but based on the actual sighting of the moon causing some variance in the date.