2008-2009
The calendar is a month-by-month listing of religious observances from July 2008-June 2009. This list includes the dates for most of the important celebrations of the major religions. This list is by no means meant to be comprehensive. If you discover significant omissions or errors, please contact our office.
2008-2009 Major Religious Holidays
(July 2008 - June 2009)
1st Semester
| Janmashtami | Hindu | Aug. 26 | Tuesday |
| Beginning of Ramadan | Islamic | Sept. 2–3*# | Tue.-Wed. |
|
Autumn Equinox (EST) |
Sept. 22 |
Monday |
|
|
Rosh Hashanah |
Jewish |
Sept. 29– |
Mon.–Wed. |
|
Eid al-Fitr (Eid-ul-Fitr), (first day of Shawwal) |
Islamic |
Oct. 1–2*# |
Wed.–Thurs. |
| Navaratin/Dassera | Hindu | Oct 3-12 | Fri.-Sun. |
|
Yom Kippur |
Jewish |
Oct. 8–9* |
Wed.–Thurs. |
|
Sukkot [Feast of Tabernacles] |
Jewish |
Oct. 13–15* |
Mon.–Wed. |
|
Bahá'i |
Oct. 19–20* |
Sun.–Mon. |
|
|
Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah |
Jewish |
Oct. 20-22* |
Mon.–Wed. |
| Diwali | Hindu | Nov 1 | Sunday |
|
Bahá'i |
Nov. 11–12* |
Tue.–Wed. |
|
|
Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) |
Buddhist |
Dec. 8 |
Monday |
|
Eid al-Adha |
Islamic |
Dec. 8-9*# |
Mon.–Tue. |
|
Winter Solstice (EST) |
Dec. 21 |
Sunday |
|
|
Hanukkah (Chanukah) |
Jewish |
Dec. 22–29* |
Mon.–Mon. |
|
Christmas |
Western Christian |
Dec. 25 |
Thursday |
|
Kwanzaa |
Interfaith / African-American |
Dec. 26–Jan. 1 |
Fri.–Thurs. |
|
Al-Hijra (Muharram) [New Year] |
Islamic |
Dec. 29–30*# |
Mon.–Tue. |
*holy days start at sundown of beginning date and end at sundown or nightfall of concluding date
#some of these dates are not fixed to a calendar but based on the actual sighting of the moon and therefore there may be some variance by a day.
2nd Semester
|
Gantan-sai |
Shinto |
Jan. 1 |
Thursday |
|
Ashura (10th day of Muharram) |
Islamic |
Jan. 7-8*# |
Wed.–Thurs. |
|
Asian Lunar New Year [Year of the Ox] |
Chinese |
Jan. 26 |
Monday |
| Maha Shivaratri | Hindu | Feb 26 | Thursday |
|
Purim |
Jewish |
Mar. 9–10* |
Mon.–Tue. |
|
Mawlid-al-Nabi [Muhammed's birthday] |
Islamic |
Mar. 9-10*# |
Mon.-Tue. |
| Holi | Hindu | Mar 13-14 | Fri. & Sat. |
|
Vernal Equinox (EST) |
Mar. 20 |
Friday |
|
|
Naw-Ruz / Iranian New Year |
Bahá'i |
Mar. 20-21* |
Fri.-Sat. |
|
Palm Sunday |
Western Christian & Eastern Orthodox |
Apr. 5 |
Sunday |
| Ramanavami | Hindu | Apr. 6 | Monday |
|
Passover (Pesach), |
Jewish |
Apr. 8–10* |
Wed.-Fri. |
|
Good Friday / |
Western Christian & Eastern Orthodox |
Apr. 10 |
Friday |
|
Easter / Paschal |
Western Christian & Eastern Orthodox |
Apr. 12 |
Sunday |
| Varsakhi | Hindu | Apr. 14 | Tuesday |
|
Passover (Pesach), concluding days |
Jewish |
Apr. 14–16* |
Tue.-Thurs. |
|
Ridvan Festival, |
Baha'i |
Apr. 20–21* |
Mon.–Tue. |
|
9th Day of Ridvan |
Bahá'i |
Apr. 28–29* |
Tue.-Wed. |
|
12th Day of Ridvan |
Bahá'i |
May 1–2* |
Fri.-Sat. |
*holy days start at sundown of beginning date and end at sundown or nightfall of concluding date
#some of these dates are not fixed to a calendar but based on the actual sighting of the moon and therefore there may be some variance by a day.
Summer Sessions
|
Declaration of the Báb |
Bahá'i |
May 22–23* |
Fri.-Sat. |
|
Ascension of Baha'u'llah |
Bahá'i |
May 28–29* |
Thurs.-Fri. |
|
Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) |
Jewish |
May 28-30* |
Thurs.-Sat. |
|
Summer Solstice (EST) |
June 21 |
Sunday |
|
|
Martyrdom of the Báb |
Bahá'i |
July 8–9* |
Wed.-Thurs. |
*holy days start at sundown of beginning date and end at sundown or nightfall of concluding date
#some of these dates are not fixed to a calendar but based on the actual sighting of the moon and therefore there may be some variance by a day.