Religious & Spiritual Life: Religious Holiday Calendar, 2013-2014
This calendar is provided as a resource to members of the Haverford community. It covers neither every religious tradition nor every holiday celebrated across traditions. If you notice any inaccuracies or have further questions, please contact Walter Hjelt Sullivan at wsulliva@haverford.edu.
Acknowledgements: Special thanks to the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life at Vassar College and the Chaplain's Office at Bucknell University for their work in adapting and compiling this religious life calendar.
* Holiday begins or ends at sundown
August 2013
| Date | Holiday | Religion | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 9* | Eid al-Fitr | Muslim | The Festival of the Breaking of the Fast, celebrates the end of Ramadan. The date of this festival is determined by the rising of the New Moon. |
September 2013
| Date | Holiday | Religion | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 5*-6* | Rosh Hashanah | Jewish | This marks the beginning of the Jewish year and the beginning of the High Holy Days or the Days of Awe. |
| Sept. 14* | Yom Kippur | Jewish | The Day of Atonement, the end of the 10 Days of Awe, is devoted to prayer, repentance and fasting. The Sabbath of Sabbaths in the Jewish calendar, it is the most widely observed Jewish holiday of the year. |
| Sept. 19* | Sukkot | Jewish | The Feast of the Tabernacles commemorates the dwelling of the Israelites in the wilderness. Jews will build sukkot (booths) and spend time in them over the week. |
| Sept. 19-21 | Moon Festival | Chinese Religions | An important holiday in China and other South/East Asian countries; families reunite for this celebration of the mid-autumn moon and abundance. |
| Sept. 22 | Fall Equinox | Neo-Pagan/ Wiccan | This is a celebration of the transition from life to death, the harvest and bounty of the earth. |
| Sept. 26 | Shemini Atzeret | Jewish | The last day of Sukkot, the beginning of the prayers for rain. |
| Sept. 27 | Simchat Torah | Jewish | Simchat Torah, the Rejoicing of the Torah (Law), is the ending of the Torah reading cycle and the beginning of a new one. |
October 2013
| Date | Holiday | Religion | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 5-13 | Durga Puja/Navaratri | Hindu | The festival of the Divine Mother celebrates the goddess Durga's victory over the demon Mahisasura. |
| Oct. 13-15 | Hajj | Muslim | Hajj, which is pilgrimage to Mecca, is obligatory once in a lifetime for all Muslims who have the financial means to go. |
| Oct. 14 | Dussehra | Hindu | This festival celebrates Rama's victory over Ravana. |
| Oct. 15 | Eid al-Adha | Muslim | The Festival of the Sacrifice remembers Abraham's devotion in offering his son as a sacrifice. |
| Oct. 31- Nov. 1 | Samhain | Neo-Pagan/ Wiccan | Pagans believe that on this night, the boundary between the physical and the spiritual world is thinnest, and access to the knowledge of the dead is possible. |
| Oct. 31 | Reformation Day | Protestant Christian | Protestant Christian anniversary of their tradition and its emphasis on the place of the Bible and religious freedom. |
November 2013
| Date | Holiday | Religion | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 1 | All Saints' Day | Roman Catholic | A holy day of obligation (which means Catholics are obliged to go to church) that celebrates the Christian saints. |
| Nov. 1-2 | Día de los Muertos | Mesoamerican native and Christian | A festive Mexican holiday when families remember their dead and the continuity of life. |
| Nov. 2 | All Souls' Day | Christian | This day commemorates the faithful departed. |
| Nov. 3 - Dec. 3 | Muharram (Al Hijrah) | Muslim | New year and first month on the Islamic calendar. |
| Nov. 3-7 | Diwali | Hindu/Sikh/Jain | The festival of lights celebrates many different sacred stories, depending on the region of the country. |
| Nov. 14* | Ashura | Shi'a Muslim | The anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, Prophet Muhammad's grandson; it is a day of great mourning. |
| Nov. 27-Dec. 5 | Hanukkah | Jewish | The Festival of Lights marks the victory of the Maccabees and rededication of the Temple. It is a celebration of religious freedom and an affirmation of God's saving power. |
December 2013
| Date | Holiday | Religion | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 2 | Advent | Christian | The season in which Christians prepare and expectantly wait for the birth of Jesus; Advent in the Western Church begins four Sundays before Christmas Day. |
| Dec. 8 | Immaculate Conception | Roman Catholic | Feast in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary (holy day of obligation). |
| Dec. 8 | Bodhi Day | Buddhist | In the Northern tradition, this day celebrates the Buddha's attainment of Enlightenment. |
| Dec. 21 | Winter Solstice | Neo-Pagan/ Wiccan | The shortest day of the year symbolizes the natural cycle of life and death, and the coming of light into the world again. |
| Dec. 25 | Christmas/ Holy Nativity | Christian/ Orthodox Christian | The celebration of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. |
| Dec. 26-Jan. 1 | Kwanzaa | African-American | An African-American celebration honoring African community values and beliefs. |
January 2014
| Date | Holiday | Religion | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 1 | Feast of Mary, Mother of God | Roman Catholic | A holy day of obligation during which Mary the mother of Jesus is celebrated. |
| Jan. 6 | Holy Epiphany/ Día de los Reyes/Feast of the Theophany | Christian/ Orthodox Christian | A celebration of the epiphany (or manifestation) of Jesus' divine nature. Eastern or Orthodox Christian churches commemorate the baptism of Jesus; Western churches commemorate the coming of the Magi or Wise Men. |
| Jan. 13* | Maulid al-Nabi | Muslim | Celebrates the birth of Muhammad, founder of Islam, and is celebrated with recollections of Muhammad’s life and significance. |
| Jan. 31 | Chinese/Vietnamese/Korean New Year | Chinese religions | The most important holiday of the year in China and many other countries. |
February 2014
| Date | Holiday | Religion | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 14 | Nirvana Day | Buddhist | In the Northern or Mahayana tradition, celebrates the death of the Gautama or Shakyamuni Buddha, when he reached total Nirvana. |
March 2014
| Date | Holiday | Religion | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 3 | Clean Monday | Orthodox Christian | Eastern Orthodox churches begin the season of Lent, marked by fasting, prayer, and charity. |
| March 5 | Ash Wednesday | Christian | The beginning of Lent, the 40-day period (excluding Sundays) of prayer and repentance that precedes Easter. |
| March 16* | Purim | Jewish | This joyous celebration commemorates the victory of the Jews over their tyrannical enemy. The Jews changed the day marked for their destruction into a day of victory. |
| March 20 | Spring Equinox | Neo-Pagan/ Wiccan | This day represents the rebirth of the year and celebrates the change of the seasons and the rebirth of the spirit after death. |
| March 27 | Holi | Hindu/Indian | A very popular festival where people throw colored water or powder at one another to celebrate episodes of the life of Krishna. |
April 2014
| Date | Holiday | Religion | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 8 | Ram Navami | Hindu | Begins a nine-day festival in honor of Ram; the Ramayana, an Indian Epic, is performed. |
| April 13 | Palm Sunday | Christian | The holiday celebrates the triumphant entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem, an event documented in all four gospels of the Bible. The name "Palm Sunday" comes from the palm branches that the crowd used to cover Jesus' path when he entered Jerusalem. |
| April 13-15 | Songkran/ Thingyan/ Pi Mai Lao | Buddhist | These days mark the New Year for many countries in Southeast Asia. Cleansing rituals, which represent a cleansing of the soul and a washing away of the old year, are performed. |
| April 15*-April 22* | Passover | Jewish | Passover commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. On the first and second nights Seders (a ritual meal) are conducted, retelling the Exodus story, so that Jews never forget they were once slaves and it was God who helped set them free. Dietary restrictions apply throughout the period. |
| April 20 | Easter | Christian | The most important Christian holidays, marking the Last Supper, Passion, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, with a day of holy observance on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. |
| April 13-20 | Orthodox Holy Week | Orthodox Christian | Eastern Orthodox churches observe Holy Week, including Holy and Great Friday and Easter or Pascha. On Holy Friday adults abstain from food and drink as their health allows. |
| April 27 | Yom Ha-Shoah | Jewish | Holocaust Memorial Day |
May 2014
| Date | Holiday | Religion | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1 | Beltane | Neo-Pagan/Wiccan | Marks the beginning of the third quarter or the second half of the ancient Celtic year and celebrates fertility, fire, and abundance. |
| May 17 | Ascension of Jesus | Christian | The celebration of Jesus' Ascension into heaven, forty days after his Resurrection. |
Religious & Spiritual Life
610-896-1020
wsulliva@haverford.edu