Wesleyan Multifaith Calendar
From the Wesleyan Office of Religious and Spiritual LifeReligious/Spiritual Observance Resources:
If you anticipate that your religious/spiritual observance may conflict with academic obligations such as attending class, taking examinations, or submitting assignments, you can work directly with your professor to make reasonable arrangements. Should you require additional support or guidance, please feel free to reach out to Rabbi David Teva, Director of the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life at dleipziger@wesleyan.edu or any of the chaplains in the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life
The list that follows is not exhaustive. It includes the more notable festivals and holy days that may require appropriate accommodations for students although not all religious traditions below are represented in the Wesleyan community. (If this calendar does not include a significant date of your religious tradition, please let the chaplains at ORSL know.) Every effort has been made to ensure that this information is accurate. Note that some holidays in some traditions are tied to the lunar calendar or to particular cultural patterns that vary by region which make their location in the calendar somewhat more fluid. Dates marked with a double asterisk (**) denote occasions on which the precept of a particular tradition and the practice of nearly all its adherents, includes significant restrictions on academic activity.
We have also included information regarding food and religious observance so that faculty can better understand the diverse needs of the Wesleyan student community.
Islamic Holidays: Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of the date for Islamic holidays, which begin at sundown the day before the date specified for the holiday. The Islamic calendar is lunar and the days begin at sunset, so there may be one-day error depending on when the New Moon is first seen.
Jewish Holidays: Begin at sundown on date listed below, and end aprox. 50 minutes after sunset on the last day of the holiday listed below.
For holidays associated with Christianity, the following notations are used to denote observance by particular strands of the Christian tradition: RC-Roman Catholic P-Protestant O-Orthodox.
2023 |
Days |
Holiday |
Religion |
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June 28 - June 29 | Sundown Wednesday - Sundown Thursday | Eid al-Adha Recommended Accommodations: Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events, or activities on this date. This is the most important holiday of the Islamic calendar. |
Islam | ||
September 6 - September 7 | Wednesday - Thursday | Krishna Janmashtami Recommended Accommodations: Avoid scheduling major academic deadlines on this day, since it is likely that Hindu students will be operating on very little sleep. |
Hinduism | ||
September 15 - September 17 | Sundown Friday -Evening Sunday | Rosh Hashanah Recommended Accommodations: Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events, or activities on this date. Students may be observing at home with their families, or on campus. Many students do not write or use technology on these days. |
Judaism | ||
September 24 - September 25 | Sundown Sunday - Evening Monday | Yom Kippur Recommended Accommodations: Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events, or activities on this date. Jewish students may be fasting all day. Students may be observing at home with their families, or on campus. Many students do not write or use technology on these days. |
Judaism | ||
September 26 - September 27 | Sundown Tuesday - Sundown Wednesday | Mawlid al-Nabi (dates can vary by a day) Muslim students may be fasting |
Islam | ||
September 29 - October 6 | Sundown Friday - Evening Friday | Sukkot Recommended Accommodations: Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events, or activities on this date. Students may be observing at home with their families, or on campus. Many students do not write or use technology on these days. |
Judaism | ||
October 6 - October 8 | Sundown Friday - Evening Sunday | Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah Recommended Accommodations: Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events, or activities on this date. |
Judaism | ||
November 12 | Sunday | Diwali (Deppavali) Recommended Accommodations: Religious accommodations may be requested. |
Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism | ||
December 7 - December 15 | Sundown Thursday-Evening Friday | Hanukkah Recommended Accommodations: Academics and work permitted. |
Judaism | ||
25 December | Monday | Christmas Recommended Accommodations: Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events, or activities on this date. |
Christianity (RC,P)
|
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26 December - 1 January | Tuesday - Monday | Kwanzaa |
African American
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2024 |
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7 January | Sunday | Feast of the Nativity (Christmas) |
Orthodox Christian
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February 14 | Wednesday | Ash Wednesday, Beginning of Lent Recommended Accommodations: For some traditions, meat (fish is not considered meat) is prohibited on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent. If planning an event please provide food accommodations if requested by the student(s). |
Christianity (RC, P)
|
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March 11 (until April 10) | Dawn Monday | Ramadan Begins Recommended Accommodations: Be aware of students fasting from dawn to sundown. Iftar (breaking of the fast) occurs at sundown. If planning an event please provide halal or vegetarian food accommodations if requested by the student(s). |
Islam
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March 18 | Monday | Great Lent begins-Clean Monday |
Orthodox Christian
|
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March 23 - March 24 | Sundown Saturday - Sundown Sunday | Purim Recommended Accommodations: Purim is not subject to the restrictions on work that affect some other holidays |
Judaism | ||
March 24 | Sunday | Palm Sunday Recommended Accommodations: Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events and activities. |
Christianity
(RC, P) |
||
March 29 | Friday | Good Friday Recommended Accommodations: Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events, and activities. Provide food accommodation if requested by student(s). Meat (fish is not considered meat) is prohibited on Good Friday. |
Christianity (RC, P)
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March 29 | Friday | Holy Friday Recommended Accommodations: Great Friday is a strict day of fasting for many Greek Orthodox Christians in the United States. |
Orthodox Christian
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March 31 | Sunday |
Easter Sunday (Holy Day of Obligation) Palm Sunday |
Christianity (RC, P)
Orthodox Christian
|
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April 9- April 10 | Sundown Tuesday - Wednesday |
Eid al-Fitr |
Islam
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April 21 | Sunday | Mahavira-Jayanti Religious accommodation may be requested. | Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism | ||
April 22 - April 30 | Sundown Monday - Sundown Tuesday | Passover **Pesach is 8 days with the first two days 4/23, and 4/24 (starting at Monday evening, 4/22) and last two days on 4/29 and 4/30 being the ones that require accommodations Recommended Accommodations: Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events, and activities on the first two and last two days of the holiday. Some students will only be eating food that is specifically kosher for Passover. If planning an event please provide food accommodations if requested by the student(s). |
Judaism | ||
May 5 | Sunday | Easter/Pascha Recommended Accommodations: Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events and activities. |
Orthodox Christian
|
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June 11 - June 13 | Sundown Tuesday - Evening Thursday | Shavuot Recommended Accommodations: Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events, and activities on these two days. |
Judaism | ||
June 16 - June 17 | Sundown Sunday - Sundown Monday | Eid al-Adha Recommended Accommodations: Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events, or activities on this date. This is the most important holiday of the Islamic calendar. |
Islam |