Harvard Divinity School

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Religious and Spiritual Life

 

 

Multifaith Calendar

2008-09 Holy Days and Seasons: A Religious Holidays Calendar

Students entering Memorial Church for the Commencement worship serviceThis calendar is offered by the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life as a resource to the Harvard Divinity School community. As we seek to increase our awareness of and respect for the growing religious diversity among us, we hope it will facilitate thoughtful planning of our schedules and activities by drawing attention to some of the holy days and seasons that members of our campus may be observing. Administrators and faculty members may find the calendar helpful as a reminder of the occasional religious observances that may result in student absences.

This calendar is not an exhaustive list either of religious traditions or of the holidays observed in those traditions. If we have not included a religious tradition or major religious holiday of significance to you, please notify the Religious and Spiritual Life staff so that it might be included in future editions of this calendar.

While we have made extensive efforts to verify the accuracy of the information included here, some inaccuracies may remain. Please bring to our attention any you notice. The dates of some holidays, particularly those that are calculated according to a lunar calendar and rely on sightings of the New Moon (e.g., Islamic holidays), vary according to region; other observances and dates (e.g., Buddhist holidays) vary greatly across cultures and strands of a tradition.

See below for acknowledgments.

Religious Traditions Key

  • AI American Indian/Indigenous North American
  • Bi Baha'i
  • Bd Buddhism
  • C Christianity
    • O Orthodox
    • P Protestant
    • RC Roman Catholic
  • Hd Hinduism
  • Is Islam
  • Ja Jain
  • J Judaism
  • LDS Latter Day Saints
  • Sk Sikhism
  • W/P Wicca/Pagan
  • Z Zoroastrianism

Holy Days and Seasons: 2008-09

August | September | October | November | December | January (2009) | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December

August 2008

Glossary

August Sun Dance (AI)

Green Corn Ceremony (or Stomp Dance) (AI

Hopi Snake Dance (AI)

Iroquois Green Corn Ceremony (AI)

2 Sat. Lammas/Lughnasa (W/P)

15 Fri. Assumption of Mary (C) (RC)

15 Fri. Falling Asleep of the Holy Mother of God (C) (O)

18 Mon. Laylat al-Bara'ah (Is)

20 Wed. Das Laxana Festival (begins) (Ja)

27 Wed. Das Laxana Festival (ends) (Ja)

28 Thu. Krishna Janmashtami (Hd)

28 Thu. Paryusana Festival (begins) (Ja)

31 Sun. Laylat al-Isra'wa al-Mi'raj (Is)

September 2008

Glossary

September Iroquois Green Corn Ceremony (AI)

Jicarilla Apache Ghost Dance (AI)

2 Tue. Ramadan (begins) (Is)

3 Wed. Ganesh Chaturthi (Hd)

5 Fri. Paryusana Festival (ends) (Ja

5 Fri. Samvatsari (Ja)

12 Fri. Ghambar Paitishem (begins) (Z)

16 Tue. Ghambar Paitishem (ends) (Z)

23 Tue. Mabon (W/P)

28 Sun. Laylat al-Qadr (Is)

29 Mon. Rosh Hashanah (begins at Sundown) (J)

30 Tue. Rosh Hashanah (first day) (J)

30 Tue. Navaratri (Hd)

October 2008

Glossary

October Cherokee Green Corn Ceremony (AI)

1 Wed. Rosh Hashanah (second day) (J)

2 Thu. Eid al-Fitr (Is)

8 Wed. Yom Kippur (begins at Sundown) (J)

9 Thu. Yom Kippur (J)

9 Thu. Dusserah (Vijaya Dashami) (Hd)

12 Sun. Ghambar Ayathrem (begins) (Z)

13 Mon. Sukkot (begins at sundown) (J)

14 Tue. Sukkot (first day) (J

15 Wed. Sukkot (second day) (J)

16 Thu. Ghambar Ayathrem (ends) (Z)

19 Sun. Birth of the Bab (begins at Sundown) (Bi)

20 Mon. Birth of the Bab (Bi)

20 Mon. Installation of Gnanth Sahib Ji as Guru (Sk)

21 Tue. Simchat Torah (begins at sundown) (J)

22 Wed. Simchat Torah (J)

28 Tue. Diwali/Mahavir Nirvana (Ja)

28 Tue. Diwali (Dipavali) (Hd)

31 Fri. Samhain (W/P)

31 Fri. Reformation Day (C, P)

November 2008

Glossary

1 Sat. All Saints Day (C)

2 Sun. All Souls (C) (RC)

11 Tue. Birth of Baha'u'llah (begins at sundown) (Bi)

12 Wed. Birth of Baha'u'llah (Bi)

13 Thu. Guru Nanak's Birthday (Sk)

24 Mon. Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji (Sk)

25 Tue. Day of Covenant (begins at s undown) (Bi)

26 Wed. Day of Covenant (Bi)

27 Thu. Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha (begins at sundown) (Bi)

28 Fri. Ascension of' Abdu'l-Baha (Bi)

30 Sun. Advent (first Sunday) (C)

December 2008

Glossary

Shalako Kachina Ceremony (AI)

8 Mon. Bodhi Day (Bd)

8 Mon. Immaculate Conception (C,RC)

9 Tue. Eid al-Adha (Is)

21 Sun. Yule (W/P)

21 Sun. Hanukkah (begins at sundown) (J)

22 Mon. Hanukkah (first day) (J)

25 Thu. Christmas (C) (O,P,RC)

26 Fri. Death of Prophet Zarathustra (Z)

29 Mon. Hanukkah (last day) (J)

29 Mon. First of Muharram (Is)

January 2009

Glossary

Iroquois Midwinter Ceremony (AI)

Hopi Holy Cycle (AI)

3 Sat. Vasant Panchami (Hd)

4 Sun. Ghambar Maidyarem (ends) (Z)

5 Mon. Guru Gobind Sing Ji's Birthday (Sk)

6 Tue. Epiphany (C)

6 Tue. Theophany (C) (O)

February 2009

Glossary

February Iroquois Midwinter Ceremony (AI)

Hopi Holy Circle (AI)

2 Mon. Imbolc (W/P)

15 Sun. Nirvana Day (Bd)

23 Mon. Mahashivaratri (Hd)

25 Wed. Ash Wednesday (C) (P,RC)

27 Fri. Sri Rama Krishna (Hd)

March 2009

Glossary

March Eagle Dances (AI)

2 Mon. Lent (begins) (O)

9 Mon. Mawlid al-Nabi (Is)

9 Mon. Purim (begins at sundown) (J)

10 Tue. Purim (J)

11 Wed. Holi (Hd)

16 Mon. Ghambar Hamaspathmaedem (begins) (Z)

20 Fri. Ghambar Hamaspathmaedem (ends) (Z

20 Fri. Naw-Ruz (begins at sundown) (Bi)

21 Sat. Naw-Ruz (Bi)

21 Sat. Naw-Ruz (Z)

21 Sat. Ostara (W/P)

26 Thu. Birthday of Prophet Zarathustra (Z)

April 2009

Glossary

Eagle Dances (AI)

3 Fri. Ramanavami (Hd)

6 Mon. Anniversary of the Founding of the Church (LDS)

7 Tue. Mahavin Jayanti (Ja)

8 Wed. Passover (Pesach) (begins at sundown) (J)

9 Thu. Passover (first day) (J)

9 Thu. Holy Thursday (C) (P,RC)

10 Fri. Passover (second day) (J)

10 Fri. Good Friday (C) (P,RC)

12 Sun. Easter Sunday (C) (P,RC)

14 Tue. Vaisakhi (Sk)

16 Thu. Passover (last day) (J)

17 Fri. Holy Friday (C) (O)

19 Sun. Pascha (C) (O)

20 Mon. Ridvan (begins at sundown) (Bi)

21 Tue. Ridvan (first day) (Bi)

21 Tue. Yom Hashoah (J)

27 Mon. Vaisakhi (Hd)

30 Thu. Ghambar Maidyozarem (begins) (Z)

May 2009

Glossary

Hopi Kachina Dances (AI)

1 Fri. Beltane (W/P)

2 Sat. Ridvan (last day) (Bi)

4 Mon. Ghamban Maidyozanem (ends) (Z)

9 Sat. Wesak (Bd)

21 Thu. Ascension (C) (RC, P)

22 Fri. Declaration of the Bab (begins at sundown) (Bi)

23 Sat. Declaration of the Bab (Bi)

28 Thu. Ascension of Baha'u'llah (begins at sundown) (Bi)

28 Thu. Ascension (C) (O)

28 Thu. Shavuot (begins at sundown) (J)

29 Fri. Ascension of Baha'u'llah (Bi)

29 Fri. Shavuot (first day) (J

30 Sat. Shavuot (second day) (J)

31 Sun. Pentecost (C) (P, RC)

June 2009

Glossary

Hopi Kachina Dances (AI)

7 Sun. Pentecost (C) (O)

16 Tue. Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji (Sk)

21 Sun. Litha (W /P)

27 Sat.. Anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum (LDS)

29 Mon. Ghambar Maidyoshem (begins) (Z)

July 2009

Glossary

Mescalero Apache Mountain Spirit Dances (AI

Sun Dance (AI)

Green Corn Ceremony (or Stomp Dance) (AI

Hopi Snake Dance (AI)

3 Fri. Ghambar Maidyoshem (ends) (Z)

7 Tue. Dharma Day (Bd)

8 Wed. Martyrdom of the Bab (begins at sundown) (Bi)

9 Thu. Martyrdom of the Bab (Bi)

20 Mon. Laylat al-Isra'wa al-Mi'raj (Is)

24 Fri. Pioneer Day (LDS)

August 2009

Glossary

August Sun Dance (AI)

Green Corn Ceremony (or Stomp Dance) (AI

Hopi Snake Dance (AI)

Iroquois Green Corn Ceremony (AI)

2 Sun. Lammas/Lughnasa (W/P)

7 Fri. Laylat al-Bara'ah (Is)

9 Sun. Das Laxana Festival (begins) (Ja)

14 Fri. Krishna Janmashtami (Hd)

15 Sat. Assumption of Mary (C) (RC)

15 Sat. Falling Asleep of the Holy Mother of God (C) (O)

16 Sun. Das Laxana Festival (ends) (Ja)

17 Mon. Paryusana Festival (begins) (Ja)

22 Sat. Ramadan (begins) (Is)

23 Sun. Ganesh Chaturthi (Hd)

24 Mon. Paryusana Festival (ends) (Ja

24 Mon. Samvatsari (Ja)

September 2009

Glossary

September Iroquois Green Corn Ceremony (AI)

Jicarilla Apache Ghost Dance (AI)

12 Sat. Ghambar Paitishem (begins) (Z)

16 Wed. Ghambar Paitishem (ends) (Z)

17 Thu. Laylat al-Qadr (Is)

18 Fri. Rosh Hashanah (begins at Sundown) (J)

19 Sat. Rosh Hashanah (first day) (J)

19 Sat. Navaratri (begins) (Hd)

20 Sun. Rosh Hashanah (second day) (J)

20 Sun. Eid al-Fitr (Is)

23 Wed. Mabon (W/P)

27 Sun. Navaratri (ends) (Hd)

27 Sun. Yom Kippur (begins at Sundown) (J)

28 Mon. Dusserah (Vijaya Dashami) (Hd)

28 Mon. Yom Kippur (J)

October 2009

Glossary

October Cherokee Green Corn Ceremony (AI)

2 Fri. Sukkot (begins at sundown) (J)

3 Sat. Sukkot (first day) (J

4 Sun. Sukkot (second day) (J)

10 Sat. Simchat Torah (begins at sundown) (J)

11 Sun. Simchat Torah (J)

12 Mon. Ghambar Ayathrem (begins) (Z)

16 Fri. Ghambar Ayathrem (ends) (Z)

17 Sat. Diwali (Dipavali) (Hd)

17 Sat. Diwali/Mahavir Nirvana (Ja)

19 Mon. Birth of the Bab (begins at Sundown) (Bi)

20 Tue. Birth of the Bab (Bi)

20 Tue. Installation of Gnanth Sahib Ji as Guru (Sk)

31 Sat. Samhain (W/P)

31 Sat. Reformation Day (C, P)

November 2009

Glossary

1 Sun. All Saints Day (C)

2 Mon. Guru Nanak's Birthday (Sk)

2 Mon. All Souls (C) (RC)

11 Wed. Birth of Baha'u'llah (begins at sundown) (Bi)

12 Thu. Birth of Baha'u'llah (Bi)

24 Tue. Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji (Sk)

25 Wed. Day of Covenant (begins at s undown) (Bi)

26 Thu. Day of Covenant (Bi)

27 Fri. Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha (begins at sundown) (Bi)

28 Sat. Ascension of' Abdu'l-Baha (Bi)

28 Sat. Eid al-Adha (Is)

29 Sun. Advent (first Sunday) (C) (P, RC, O)

December 2009

Glossary

Shalako Kachina Ceremony (AI)

8 Tue. Bodhi Day (Bd)

8 Tue. Conception of the Virgin Mary (C) (O)

8 Tue. Immaculate Conception (C, RC)

11 Fri. Hanukkah (begins at sundown) (J)

12 Sat. Hanukkah (first day) (J)

18 Fri. First of Muharram (Is)

19 Sat. Hanukkah (last day) (J)

21 Mon. Yule (W/P)

25 Fri. Christmas (C) (O, P, RC)

26 Sat. Death of Prophet Zarathustra (Z)

27 Sun. 'Ashurah (Is)

Acknowledgments

Some of the information herein is provided by The Multifaith Calendar (1986-2006), a publication of the Multifaith Action Society, 604.469.1164. Used with permission. Copies of The Multifaith Calendar can be purchased by calling Unity Arts, 800.465.3287, or by sending email to mfcalendar@pacificcoast.net. Additional thanks to the editors of the Interfaith Calendar; the Chicago and Illinois Regional Office of the National Conference for Community and Justice and their Interfaith Calendar; the Anti-Defamation League; Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary of Brookline, Massachusetts; Multifaith Resources, California; the New England Hindu Temple; the Baha'i Community of Greater Boston; the New York Office of the National Conference for Community and Justice; the National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, D.C.; James Yellowbank and the Anawim Center; and several scholars of religion, who provided information and advice.

 

 
 

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