January 2 – *Birthday of \u2018Al\u012b ibn Ab\u012b \u1e6c\u0101lib: <\/strong>The son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad and is an important historical figure in Islam. His birthday is January 6- Epiphany (also known as \u201cThree Kings Day\u201d):<\/strong> Christian holiday that celebrates the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus.<\/p>\n January 7 – Orthodox Christmas: <\/strong>Christian holiday that marks the birth of Jesus Christ according to the Julian calendar.<\/p>\n January 14 – Makar Sankranti:<\/strong> A Hindu celebration marking the turning of the Sun toward the north in reverence to deity Surya, god of the Sun.<\/p>\n January 18 – Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00ed Faith Day:<\/strong> Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00ed Faith will observe the Feast of Sovereignty as part of a 19-day feast cycle, which begins at sunset on January 17th and ends at sunset on January 18. Dedicated to the unity and oneness of the world religions.<\/p>\n January 20 – Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti:<\/strong> Sikh Observance commemorating the birthday of the tenth Sikh Guru.<\/p>\n January 23 – Vasant Panchami:<\/strong> Hindi Festival of spring honoring the goddess of learning.<\/p>\n February 1 \u2013 Imbolc:<\/strong> Wicca\/Pagan Observance celebrating the passage from winter to spring.<\/p>\n February 2- *Tu BiShvat:<\/strong> a Jewish holiday that is celebrated as an ecological awareness day, and trees are planted in celebration.<\/p>\n February 3 – *Laylat al Bara\u2019ah (Night of Forgiveness):<\/strong> Muslim observance in which forgiveness of sins is sought.<\/p>\n February 3 – Setsubun-sai:<\/strong> A Shinto Faith Celebration of the traditional beginning of spring and the end of winter.<\/p>\n February 15 – Nirvana Day (Parinirvana Day):<\/strong> Buddhist observance to remember the death of Buddha.<\/p>\n February 17 – Lunar New Year:<\/strong> celebrated by many Asian cultures as the beginning of a new year based on lunar calendars. The event is celebrated by numerous cultures in various ways at diverse dates.<\/p>\n February 17 \u2013 *Ramadan:<\/strong> A\u00a0holy month of fasting, prayer, and reflection for Muslims.<\/p>\n February 18 – Ash Wednesday:<\/strong> Christian observance to begin the 40-day season of Lent, a season of fasting and prayer.<\/p>\n February 25 – Ayy\u00e1m-i-H\u00e1:<\/strong> Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00ed Faith observance that marks the start of a four day period of gift-giving, hospitality, charity, and spiritual preparation.<\/p>\n March 3 – *Purim:<\/strong> Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from annihilation.<\/p>\n March 4 \u2013 Holi:<\/strong> Hindu observance known as the \u201cfestival of colors\u201d, celebrating the arrival of spring.<\/p>\n March 3 – Spring Lantern Festival:<\/strong> Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhist observance that marks the final day of the Lunar New Year celebrations.<\/p>\n March 16 – *Laylat Qadr:<\/strong> a day that observes the night when the Prophet Mohammad received the first versus of the Qur\u2019an.<\/p>\n March 20 – *Eid al Fitr:<\/strong> Muslim observance that marks the end of Ramadan, celebrated with a feast and prayers.<\/p>\n March 20 – Nowruz:<\/strong> Translating to “new day” in Persian, is the 3,000-year-old ancient Iranian New Year festival marking the arrival of spring and the vernal equinox.<\/p>\n March 21 – Ostara (March Equinox):<\/strong> A Wicca\/ Pagan celebration of the Spring Equinox, the season\u2019s change from dark winter to brightening spring.<\/p>\n April 1 – *Passover\/Pesach:<\/strong> Jewish observance that celebrates the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery.<\/p>\n April 3 – Good Friday\/Holy Friday:<\/strong> Christian, Orthodox Christian Holy day commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n April 5 \u2013 Easter: <\/strong>Christian observance that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n April 12 – Orthodox Easter: <\/strong>Christian observance that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n April 14 – Vaisakhi:<\/strong> A major Punjabi harvest festival and a profound Sikh holy day marking the solar new year.<\/p>\n April 14 – Theravada New Year: <\/strong>The Buddhist New Year representing\u00a0a time of reflection, meditation, and renewal of spiritual commitments.<\/p>\n April 21 –<\/strong> *First Day of Ridv\u00e1n:<\/strong> \u2018Ridv\u00e0n\u2019 is a word that means \u2018paradise\u2019 in Arabic and the 12 days of the festival commemorate the 12 days Bah\u00e1\u02bcu\u2019ll\u00e1h spent in the garden of Ridv\u00e0n in Baghdad.<\/p>\n May 1 \u2013 Beltane:<\/strong> A Wicca\/ Pagan celebration of the conjoining of the goddess with the energy of the god in sacred marriage, the basis of all creation.<\/p>\n May 1 – Visakha Puja (Buddha Day):<\/strong> Buddhist observance commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha in the Theravada tradition.<\/p>\n May 14 – Ascension Day:<\/strong> Eastern Orthodox Christian observance also that commemorates the ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven.<\/p>\n May 21- 23 *Shavuot The \u201cFeast of Weeks\u201d:<\/strong> Jewish observance that celebrates the covenant established at Sinai between God and Israel, and the revelation of the Ten Commandments.<\/p>\n May 24 – Pentecost:<\/strong> Western Christian observance known as Whitsunday, the seventh Sunday after Easter commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and women followers of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n May 25 – Day of Arafat:<\/strong> Muslim observance of the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.<\/p>\n May 27- Eid al-Adha:<\/strong> Marks the start of the Islamic Commemoration of Ibrahim\u2019s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience of a command from God.<\/p>\n May 27 \u2013 *Baha\u2019i: Ascension of Baha\u2019u\u2019llah:<\/strong> Baha\u2019i observance that commemorates the passing of Baha\u2019u\u2019llah, the founder of the Baha\u2019i Faith.<\/p>\n June 7 –\u00a0 All Saints Day:<\/strong> Eastern Orthodox Christian observance on the first Sunday after Pentecost, it commemorates all known and unknown Christian saints.<\/p>\n June 16 – *Islamic New Year (Awal Muharram):<\/strong> Awal Muharram or Hijri New Year is celebrated by Muslims as the day symbolizes two important events in the Islamic year.<\/p>\n June 19 – Tuen Ng (Dragon Boat) Festival:<\/strong> Chinese holiday that commemorates Qu Yuan and is celebrated by holding dragon boat races and eating sticky rice dumplings called zongzi.<\/p>\n June 21 – Litha or Midsummer:<\/strong> A Pagan holiday to celebrate the sun’s peak power, fertility, and abundance, often marked by rituals, bonfires, and connection with nature.<\/p>\n June 25 – Ashura:<\/strong> Islamic day of fasting observed on the 10th day of the month of Muharram to celebrate Moses\u2019 exodus from Egypt.<\/p>\n July 9 – Martyrdom of the B\u00c1B Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00ed:<\/strong> Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00ed Faith observance of the anniversary of the execution by a firing squad in Tabr\u00edz, Persia, of the 30-year-old Siyyid \u2018Al\u00ed- Muhammad, the B\u00e1b, the prophet-herald of the Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00ed Faith.<\/p>\n July 22-23 – Tish’a B’av:<\/strong> Jewish mourning of the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem in 586 BCE and 70 CE.<\/p>\n July 29 – Dharma Day<\/strong>: Buddhist observance also known as Asalha Puja, it commemorates the historical Buddha’s first discourse following his spiritual awakening.<\/p>\n August 4 – *Arba’in:<\/strong> In Shia Islam, Arba’in marks forty days after Ashura, which is the martyrdom anniversary of Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the third Shia imam.<\/p>\n August 25 \u2013 Mawlid Al-Nabi:<\/strong> (Also known as MILAD AL-NABI) Islamic (Sunni) observance of the birthday of Islam founder Prophet Muhammad.<\/p>\n August 27 \u2013 Ullambana:<\/strong> (also known as Obon) is a Buddhist observance that honors the spirits of past ancestors and strives to relieve aching souls from suffering.<\/p>\n September 4 – Krishna Janmashtami:<\/strong> (Also known as JAYANTI) Hindu Celebrates Krishna\u2019s birthday, Vishnu\u2019s eighth incarnation on earth. Southern Asia<\/p>\n September 11-13 \u2013 *Rosh Hashanah:<\/strong> Marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year and first of the High Holy Days, which marks the beginning of a ten-day period of penitence and spiritual renewal.<\/p>\n September 11-14 – Boun Hor Khao Padap Din:<\/strong> Buddhist observance intended to honor the dead and the spirits.<\/p>\n September 14\u2013 Ganesh Chaturthi:<\/strong> A Hindu celebration of the birthday of Ganesha, the elephant-deity.<\/p>\n September 21 \u2013 *Yom Kippur:<\/strong> Jewish \u201cDay of Atonement\u201d marks the end of the Ten Days of Penitence that begin with Rosh Hashanah.<\/p>\n September 25 \u2013 Chuseok<\/strong>: South Korean observance also known as Hangawi, it is a major mid-autumn harvest festival and a three-day holiday.<\/p>\n September 25\u2013 *Sukkot:<\/strong> The Jewish week-long \u201cFeast of Booths\u201d commemorates the 40-year wandering of the Israelites in the desert on the way to the Promised Land.<\/p>\n October 2 \u2013 *Shemini Atzeret<\/strong>: \u201cThe Eighth [Day] of Assembly\u201d is a Jewish observance on the day immediately following Sukkot.<\/p>\n October 3 *Simchat Torah:<\/strong> \u201cRejoicing in the Torah\u201d a Jewish celebration marking the conclusion of the public reading of the Pentateuch (first five books of the Hebrew Bible) and its beginning anew.<\/p>\n October 11-20 *Navaratri:<\/strong> A Hindu nine-day festival celebrating the triumph of good over evil.<\/p>\n October 18 \u2013 Chung Yeung Festival:<\/strong> A Hong Kong observance where people climb up high mountains, clean their ancestors\u2019 graves, and eat cleansing foods to flush away stagnant energy.<\/p>\n October 20th \u2013 Dussehra\/Das Sera:<\/strong> Hindu anniversary of the day when Rama killed the evil demon Ravana.<\/p>\n November 1 \u2013 All Saints Day:<\/strong> Christian observance commemorating all known and unknown Christian saints.<\/p>\n November 2 \u2013 All Soul\u2019s Day:<\/strong> Christian observance commemorating all the faithful Christians who are now dead. In Mexican tradition it is celebrated as Dia de los Muertos between October 31 and November 2, and is an occasion to remember dead ancestors and celebrate the continuity of life.<\/p>\n November 8 \u2013 *Diwali:<\/strong> The Hindi \u201cFestival of Lights,\u201d it celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance.<\/p>\n November 8 \u2013 Bandi-Chhor Diwas:<\/strong> A Sikh commemorative occasion having no fixed date which occurs in October or November and celebrates the release of the Sixth Guru Har Gobind Sahib from imprisonment and coincides with Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.<\/p>\n November 10 – *Birth of the B\u00e1b:<\/strong> This Bah\u00e1’\u00ed holy day commemorates the birth of the B\u00e1b in 1819 in Shiraz, Persia, and is one of the Twin Holy Birthdays, celebrated alongside the Birth of Bah\u00e1’u’ll\u00e1h.<\/p>\n November 11 – Birth of Bah\u00e1\u02bcu\u02bcll\u00e1h:<\/strong> This important Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00ed holy day commemorates the founder of the Faith, with celebrations typically including prayer, community gatherings and reflecting on unity.<\/p>\n November 24 \u2013 Guru Nanak Dev Ji\u2019s Birthday:<\/strong> (Guru Nanak Jayanti) A very important Sikh holiday as Guru Nanak Dev\u2019s was the First Guru of the Sikhs and the Founder of Sikhism.<\/p>\n November 26 \u2013 Day of the Covenant:<\/strong> A Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00ed faith festival observed to commemorate Bah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h\u2019s appointment of His son, Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1, as His successor.<\/p>\n December 5\u2013 *Hanukkah:<\/strong> Jewish Eight-day \u201cFestival of Lights\u201d, also known as Chanukah, celebrating the rededication of the Temple to the service of God in 164 BCE.<\/p>\n December 8 \u2013 Bodhi Day:<\/strong> Buddhist observance, also known as Rohatsu, commemorating the day that the Buddha, Siddharta Gautama, experienced enlightenment or spiritual awakening (bodhi).<\/p>\n December 12 \u2013 Our Lady of Guadalupe:<\/strong> Christian celebration of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary (by her title, Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of Mexico and the Americas) before Juan Diego, an indigenous convert to Roman Catholicism, on the Mexican hill of Tepeyac in 1531.<\/p>\n December 21 \u2013 Yule:<\/strong> A Pagan time for reflection, celebration, and to honor the return of light, often marked by rituals, feasts, and the lighting of candles or bonfires. Marks the first day of the season of winter.<\/p>\n December 24 \u2013 Christmas Eve:<\/strong> Christian Celebration of the arrival of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus.<\/p>\n December 25 \u2013 Christmas Day:<\/strong> Western Christian observance commemorating the birth of Jesus.<\/p>\n December 26 \u2013 Kwanzaa:<\/strong> A seven-day celebration honoring African American heritage and its continued vitality. \u201cKwanzaa\u201d means \u201cfirst fruits (of the harvest)\u201d in Swahili.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Religious Observances Academic Year 2026 Please note that individual practices may vary. \u201c*\u201d denotes holidays that start sundown the day before ** These holidays are calculated on a lunar calendar and are approximate. Spring 2026 Semester January 1 – Shogatsu\/Gantan-Sai: In the Shinto Faith this is Japanese New Year. January 2 – *Birthday of \u2018Al\u012b […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":700,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-965","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n
\ncelebrated by Shias, who regard him as their first Imam and refer to him as
\nImam Ali or Hazrat Ali.<\/p>\n![\"Ramapo\"](\"\/wp-content\/themes\/rcnjrd\/images\/icons\/ramapo-arch-icom_rule.png\")
<\/div>\nSummer 2026 Semester<\/h4>\n
<\/div>\nFall 2026 Semester<\/h4>\n
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