Below is a list of cultural, religious, and spiritual celebrations/observances that are most prominent in the lives of students, faculty, and staff at the College of Wooster community. These three-year outlooks are not exhaustive, but meant to be a resource for those planning classes and programs, so that our values for diversity, equity, and inclusion can be reflected in our practices. By providing this resource, we hope to better highlight, uplift, and affirm the traditions and holy days that are most meaningful, and provide opportunities for education and community-building across lines of difference.
- The Conscientious Religious Observance Policy
- The Conscientious Religious Observance Notification Form for submitting requests for exemptions
* = Indicates observance usually begins at sundown on that day
** = Local/regional or lunar sightings may impact observance
| Holiday | Community | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary, Mother of God Holy Day | Christian (Gregorian) | Jan. 1 | Jan. 1 | Jan. 1 |
| Shogatsu / Gantan-sai | Shinto | Jan. 1 | Jan. 1 | Jan. 1 |
| Epiphany / Theophany / Día de los Reyes (Three Kings Day) | Christian (Gregorian) | Jan. 6 | Jan. 6 | Jan. 6 |
| Orthodox Christmas | Orthodox Christian | Jan. 7 | Jan. 7 | Jan. 7 |
| Maghi-Lohri | Sikh | Jan. 13 | Jan. 13 | Jan. 13 |
| Maker Sankranti | Hindu | Jan. 14-15 | Jan. 14-15 | Jan. 14-15 |
| Birth of Guru Gobind Singh Ji Gurpurab | Sikh | Jan. 17 | Jan. 6 | Jan. 5 |
| Timkat | Ethiopian Christian | Jan. 20 | Jan. 19 | Jan. 19 |
| Tu B’Shvat | Jewish | Jan. 24*-25 | Feb. 12*-13 | Feb. 1*-2 |
| Imbolc / St. Brigid’s Day** | Pagan | Feb. 1*-2 | Feb. 1*-2 | Feb. 1*-2 |
| Setsebun | Shinto | Feb. 3 | Feb. 3 | Feb. 3 |
| Lailat al-Mi’raj | Islamic | Feb. 8 | Jan. 27 | Jan. 16 |
| Lunar New Year | East Asian; Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist | Feb. 10 | Jan. 29 | Feb. 6 |
| Vasant Panchami (Saraswati Puja) | Hindu, Jain, Sikh | Feb. 13-14 | Feb. 2-3 | Jan. 23-24 |
| Ash Wednesday (Lent begins) | Christian (Gregorian) | Feb. 14 | Mar. 5 | Feb. 28 |
| Nirvana Day** | Buddhist | Feb. 15 | Feb. 15 | Feb. 15 |
| Magha Puja | Buddhist | Feb. 24 | Feb. 13 | Mar. 3 |
| Lailat al Bara’ah | Islamic | Feb. 24*-25 | Feb. 14*-15 | Feb. 3*-4 |
| Bahá’í Fast | Bahá’í | Mar. 1-19 | Mar. 1-19 | Mar. 2-20 |
| Maha Shivratri | Hindu | Mar. 8 | Feb. 26 | Feb. 15 |
| Ramadan (begins) | Islamic | Mar. 11-Apr. 9 | Feb. 28-Mar. 29 | Feb. 18-Mar. 19 |
| Clean Monday (Great Lent begins) | Orthodox Christian | Mar. 18 | Mar. 3 | Feb. 23 |
| Ostara (Spring Equinox) | Pagan | Mar. 19*-20 | Mar. 19*-20 | Mar. 19*-20 |
| Naw-Rúz / Nowruz (Persian New Year) | Bahá’í, Zoroastrian | Mar. 20*-21 | Mar. 20*-21 | Mar. 20*-21 |
| Purim | Jewish | Mar. 23*-24 | Mar. 14*-15 | Mar. 2*-3 |
| Palm Sunday (Holy Week begins) | Christian (Gregorian) | Mar. 24 | Apr. 13 | Mar. 29 |
| Holi – Gaura Purnima | Hindu, pan-South Asian | Mar. 25-26 | Mar. 14-15 | Mar. 3-4 |
| Hola Mohalla | Sikh | Mar. 25-27 | Mar. 14-16 | Mar. 25-27 |
| Khordad Sal (Birth of Prophet Zaranthushtra) | Zoroastrian | Mar. 28 | Mar. 28 | Mar. 28 |
| Holy / Maundy Thursday | Christian (Gregorian) | Mar. 28 | Apr. 17 | Apr. 2 |
| Good Friday | Christian (Gregorian) | Mar. 29 | Apr. 18 | Apr. 3 |
| Holy Saturday / Easter Vigil | Christian (Gregorian) | Mar. 30 | Apr. 19 | Apr. 4 |
| Easter** | Christian (Gregorian) | Mar. 31 | Apr. 20 | Apr. 5 |
| Laila al-Qadr | Islamic | Apr. 6 | Mar. 27 | Mar. 15 |
| Buddha Day** | East Asian/Buddhist | |||
| Eid al Fitar (Ramadan ends) | Islamic | April 9-10 | Mar. 30-31 | Mar. 19-20 |
| Chaitra Navratri | Hindu | Apr. 9-17 | Mar 30-Apr. 9 | Mar. 19-27 |
| Vaisakhi (Birth of the Khalsa Panth) | Sikh | Apr. 13 | Apr. 13 | Apr. 14 |
| Rama Navami | Hindu | Apr. 16 | Apr. 6 | Mar. 27 |
| Guru Angad Dev Ji Gurpurab (Birthday) | Sikh | Apr. 18 | Apr. 18 | Apr. 18 |
| Festival of Ridván (1st, 9th, 12th days are holiest) | Bahá’í | Apr. 20-May 2 | Apr. 20-May 2 | Apr. 21-May 3 |
| Mahavir Jayanti Kalyak | Jain | Apr. 21 | Apr. 10 | Mar. 30 |
| Passover / Pesach (begins) | Jewish | Apr. 22*-30 | Apr. 12*-20 | Apr. 1*-9 |
| Beltane** | Pagan | Apr. 30*-May 1 | Apr. 30*-May 1 | Apr. 30*-May 1 |
| Holy Thursday | Orthodox Christian | May 2 | Apr. 17 | Apr. 9 |
| Holy Friday | Orthodox Christian | May 3 | Apr. 18 | Apr. 10 |
| Holy Saturday | Orthodox Christian | May 4 | Apr. 19 | Apr. 11 |
| Pascha / Orthodox Easter | Orthodox Christian | May 5 | Apr. 20 | Apr. 12 |
| Yom ha-Shoah | Jewish | May 5*-6 | Apr. 23*-24 | Apr. 13*-14 |
| Feast of the Ascension | Christian (Gregorian) | May 9 | May 29 | May 14 |
| Akshaya Tritiya | Hindu | May 14 | May 3 | Apr. 23 |
| Pentecost | Christian (Gregorian) | May 19 | June 8 | May 24 |
| Narasinha Jayanti | Hindu | May 21-22 | May 11-12 | Apr. 30-May 1 |
| Declaration of Báb | Bahá’í | May 23 | May 23 | May 23 |
| Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh | Bahá’í | May 28 | May 28 | May 28 |
| Shavout | Jewish | June 12-13 | June 2-3 | May 22-23 |
| Ascension of Jesus | Orthodox Christian | June 13 | May 29 | May 21 |
| Martyrdom of Guru ArJan Dev Sahib | Sikh | June 16 | June 16 | June 16 |
| Eid al-Adha | Islamic | June 16*-17 | June 6*-7 | May 26*-27 |
| World Humanist Day | Humanist, Secularist | June 21 | June 21 | June 21 |
| Litha (Summer Solstice)** | Pagan | June 21*-22 | June 21*-22 | June 21*-22 |
| Al-Hijra | Islamic | July 7 | June 26 | June 17 |
| Martyrdom of Báb | Bahá’í | July 9 | July 9 | July 9 |
| Ashura | Islamic | July 15*-16 | July 5*-6 | June 25*-26 |
| Asalha Puja Day | Buddhist | July 21 | July 21 | June 26 |
| Pioneer Day | Latter-day Saints/Mormon | July 24 | July 24 | July 24 |
| Lughnassad** | Pagan | July 31*-Aug. 1 | July 31*-Aug. 1 | July 31*-Aug. 1 |
| Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Catholic/Orthodox Christian | Aug. 15 | Aug. 15 | Aug. 15 |
| Krishna Janmashtami | Hindu | Aug. 26 | Aug. 15 | Sept. 3 |
| Paryushana Parva | Jain | Aug. 31-Sept. 7 | Aug. 19-28 | Sept. 8-16 |
| Ganesh Chaturhi | Hindu | Sept. 6 | Sept. 26 | Sept. 14 |
| Ethiopian New Year | Ethiopian Christian, African Ancestral, Rastafarian | Sept. 11 | Sept. 11 | Sept. 11 |
| Mabon (Fall Equinox)** | Pagan | Sept. 21*-23 | Sept. 21*-23 | Sept. 21*-23 |
| Rosh Hashanah | Jewish | Oct. 2*-4 | Sept. 22*-24 | Sept. 11*-13 |
| Navaratri | Hindu | Oct. 3-12 | Sept. 22-Oct. 1 | Oct. 11-20 |
| Yom Kippur | Jewish | Oct. 11*-12 | Oct. 1*-2 | Sept. 20*-21 |
| Dasara / Dussehra | Hindu | Oct. 12 | Oct. 1 | Oct. 20 |
| Sukkot | Jewish | Oct. 16*-23 | Oct. 6*-13 | Sept. 25*-Oct. 2 |
| Sarah Purnima | Hindu | Oct. 16 | Oct. 6 | Oct. 25 |
| Karwa Chauth | Hindu | Oct. 19 | Oct. 9 | Oct. 28 |
| Gurupurab Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Birthday) | Sikh | Oct. 20 | Oct. 20 | Oct. 20 |
| Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah | Jewish | Oct. 23*-25 | Oct. 13*-15 | Oct. 2*-4 |
| Samhaim** | Pagan | Oct. 30*-Nov. 1 | Oct. 30*-Nov. 1 | Oct. 30*-Nov. 1 |
| Diwali | Hindu, pan-South Asian | Oct. 31-Nov. 1 | Oct. 19-20 | Nov. 7-8 |
| All Saints / Souls Day | Christian | Nov. 1-2 | Nov. 1-2 | Nov. 1-2 |
| Día de los Muertos | Latin American Indigenous | Nov. 1-2 | Nov. 1-2 | Nov. 1-2 |
| Birth of Báb | Bahá’í | Nov. 2 | Oct. 22 | Nov. 10 |
| Birth of Bahá’u’lláh | Bahá’í | Nov. 3 | Oct. 23 | Nov. 11 |
| Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib | Sikh | Nov. 24 | Nov. 24 | Nov. 24 |
| Day of the Covenant | Bahá’í | Nov. 25 | Nov. 25 | Nov. 26 |
| Ascension of ‘Abud’l-Bahá | Bahá’í | Nov. 27 | Nov. 27 | Nov. 28 |
| Advent (begins) | Christian | Dec. 1 | Nov. 30 | Nov. 29 |
| Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) | Buddhist | Dec. 8 | Dec. 8 | Dec. 8 |
| Feast of the Immaculate Conception | Catholic Christian | Dec. 8 | Dec. 8 | Dec. 8 |
| Gita Jayanti | Hindu | Dec. 11 | Nov. 30 | Dec. 19 |
| Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe | Latin American Indigenous, Hispanic Christian | Dec. 12 | Dec. 12 | Dec. 12 |
| Posadas Navidenas | Latin American Indigenous, Hispanic Christian | Dec. 16-25 | Dec. 16-25 | Dec. 16-25 |
| Yule (Winter Solstice) | Pagan | Dec. 20*-Jan. 1 | Dec. 20*-Jan. 1 | Dec. 20*-Jan. 1 |
| Christmas | Christian | Dec. 24*-25 | Dec. 24*-25 | Dec. 24*-25 |
| Hanukkah | Jewish | Dec. 25*-Jan. 2 | Dec. 14*-22 | Dec. 4*-12 |
| Zarathosht Diso (Death of Prophet Zarathustra) | Zoroastrian | Dec. 26 | Dec. 26 | Dec. 26 |
| Kwanzaa | African Ancestral | Dec. 26-Jan. 1 | Dec. 26-Jan. 1 | Dec. 26-Jan. 1 |
If there are holidays, celebrations, or observances not listed here that should be added, please contact rsl@wooster.edu.