Selected Religious Holidays and Celebrations 2012-2013
This calendar is offered by the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life as a resource to the entire Vassar community. As we seek to increase our understanding of the shifting religious landscape of our campus and wider culture, we hope this calendar will increase our familiarity with religious traditions and facilitate thoughtful planning of our schedules and activities.
The calendar below is not an exhaustive list either of religious traditions or of the holidays observed in those traditions. It attempts to list the holidays that may be observed by members of our community, based on our records of the religious traditions represented in our student body. You may also want to check the many websites on religious holidays, including the site maintained by PBS's "Religion & Ethics Newsweekly," available online at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/calendar.html
The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (RSL) welcomes questions about and suggestions for this listing—our inter-religious staff can give you additional information or resource people to learn more about these holidays. While every effort has been made to provide clear and accurate information, some inaccuracies may remain—with the rest of the Vassar community, the RSL staff continue to learn what it means to make religious identity and formation a part of a liberal arts education. Please contact Sam Speers, Director, RSL Office, through our contact form or 845-437-5550 with your comments or corrections.
2012
| Date | Holiday | Religion |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | ||
| Feast of Mary, Mother of God | Roman Catholic | |
| A holy day of obligation during which Mary the mother of Jesus is celebrated. | ||
| January 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". | ||
| January 23 | ||
| Chinese/Vietnamese/ Korean New Year | Chinese Religions | |
| The most important holiday of the year in China and many other countries. | ||
| February 15 | ||
| Nirvana Day | Buddhist | |
| In the Northern or Mahayana tradition, celebrates the death of the Gautama or Shakyamuni Buddha, when he reached total Nirvana. | ||
| February 20 | ||
| Clean Monday | Orthodox Christian | |
| Eastern Orthodox churches begin the season of Lent, marked by fasting, prayer, and charity. | ||
| February 22 | ||
| Ash Wednesday | Christian | |
| The beginning of Lent, the 40-day period (excluding Sundays) of prayer and repentance that precedes Easter. | ||
| March 8 (beginning at sundown) | ||
| 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 8 | ||
| 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. | ||
| 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. | ||
| April 1 | ||
| Ramnavami | Hindu | |
| Begins a nine-day festival in honor of Ram; the Ramayana, an Indian Epic, is performed. | ||
| April 1-8 | ||
| Holy Week/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 6-8 (sundown to sundown; dietary restrictions apply throughout the period) | ||
| Passover | Jewish | |
| Passover commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. "Seders" are conducted on the first and second nights, retelling the story of the Exodus. This begins an eight-day holiday in which dietary restrictions apply (April 6-14). |
||
| April 8-15 | ||
| Orthodox Holy Week/Easter | 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 13-15 (dates are available) | ||
| 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 19 | ||
| Yom Ha-Shoah | Jewish | |
| Holocaust Memorial Day | ||
| Date | Holiday | Religion |
|---|---|---|
| September 17-18 | ||
| Rosh Hashanah | Jewish | |
| This marks the beginning of the Jewish year and the beginning of the High Holy Days or the Days of Awe. | ||
| September 22 | ||
| Fall Equinox | Neo-Pagan/Wiccan | |
| This is a celebration of the transition from life to death, the harvest and bounty of the earth. | ||
| September 25-26 (sundown to sundown) | ||
| 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. | ||
| September 29 | ||
| 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. | ||
| October 1-7 (sundown to sundown) | ||
| 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. | ||
| October 8 (beginning at sundown) | ||
| Shemini Atzeret | Jewish | |
| The last day of Sukkot, the beginning of the prayers for rain. | ||
| October 9 (beginning at sundown) | ||
| 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 16 | ||
| Durga Puja/Navaratri | Hindu | |
| The festival of the Divine Mother celebrates the goddess Durga's victory over the demon Mahisasura. | ||
| October 24-27 | ||
| Hajj | Muslim | |
| Hajj, which is pilgrimage to Mecca, is obligatory once in a lifetime for all Muslims who have the financial means to go. | ||
| October 25 | ||
| Eid al-Adha | Muslim | |
| The Festival of the Sacrifice remembers Abraham's devotion in offering his son as a sacrifice. | ||
| October 25 | ||
| Dussehra | Hindu | |
| This festival celebrates Rama's victory over Ravana. | ||
| October 28 | ||
| Reformation Day | Protestant Christian | |
| Protestant Christian anniversary of their tradition and its emphasis on the place of the Bible and religious freedom. | ||
| November 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. | ||
| November 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. | ||
| November 1-2 | ||
| Día de los Muertos | Mesoamerican native and Christian | |
| A festive Mexican holiday when families remember their dead and the continuity of life. | ||
| November 2 | ||
| All Souls' Day | Christian | |
| This day commemorates the faithful departed. | ||
| November 13 | ||
| Diwali | Hindu/Sikh/Jain | |
| The festival of lights celebrates many different sacred stories, depending on the region of the country. | ||
| November 15 | ||
| Nativity Fast | Orthodox Christian | |
| The Nativity Fast or Advent begins forty days before the Nativity Feast (Jesus' birth) and is a time to prepare through fasting and prayer for the upcoming feast. | ||
| November 24 | ||
| Ashura | Shi'a Muslim | |
| The anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, Prophet Muhammad's grandson; it is a day of great mourning. | ||
| December 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. | ||
| December 8 | ||
| Immaculate Conception | Roman Catholic | |
| Feast in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary (holy day of obligation). | ||
| December 8 | ||
| Bodhi Day | Buddhist | |
| In the Northern tradition, this day celebrates the Buddha's attainment of Enlightenment. | ||
| December 9-16 (sundown to sundown) | ||
| 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 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. | ||
| December 25 | ||
| Christmas/Holy Nativity | Christian/Orthodox Christian | |
| The celebration of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. | ||
| December 26 – January 1 | ||
| Kwanzaa | African-American | |
| An African-American celebration honoring African community values and beliefs. | ||
2013
| Date | Holiday | Religion |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | ||
| Feast of Mary, Mother of God | Roman Catholic | |
| A holy day of obligation during which Mary the mother of Jesus is celebrated. | ||
| January 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”. | ||
| February 10 | ||
| Chinese/Vietnamese/ Korean New Year | Chinese Religions | |
| The most important holiday of the year in China and many other countries. | ||
| February 13 | ||
| Ash Wednesday | Christian | |
| The beginning of Lent, the 40-day period (excluding Sundays) of prayer and repentance that precedes Easter. | ||
| February 15 | ||
| Nirvana Day | Buddhist | |
| In the Northern or Mahayana tradition, celebrates the death of the Gautama or Shakyamuni Buddha, when he reached total Nirvana. | ||
| February 24 (beginning at sundown) | ||
| 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 18 | ||
| Clean Monday | Orthodox Christian | |
| Eastern Orthodox churches begin the season of Lent, marked by fasting, prayer, and charity. | ||
| 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 24-31 | ||
| Holy Week/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. | ||
| 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. | ||
| March 31-April 1 (sundown to sundown; dietary restrictions apply throughout the period) | ||
| 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. | ||
| April 7 | ||
| Yom Ha-Shoah | Jewish | |
| Holocaust Memorial Day | ||
| April 13-15 (dates are available) | ||
| 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 20 | ||
| Ramnavami | Hindu | |
| Begins a nine-day festival in honor of Ram; the Ramayana, an Indian Epic, is performed. | ||
| April 28-May 5 | ||
| Orthodox Holy Week/Easter | 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. | ||
| May 9 | ||
| Ascension of Jesus | Christian | |
| The celebration of Jesus' Ascension into heaven, forty days after his Resurrection. | ||
| May 14-16 (sundown to sundown) | ||
| Shavuot | Jewish | |
| The Feast of Weeks; celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai. | ||
| May 19 | ||
| Pentecost | Christian | |
| Pentecost celebrates the coming of the holy spirit to the disciples of Jesus and the founding events of the Christian church. | ||
* Based on a lunar calendar
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.
Acknowledgements: The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life gratefully acknowledges resources and help provided by numerous colleagues in the compiling of this list, including faculty colleagues at Vassar. Special thanks go to Kerry Maloney, Chaplain, Bates College; Ian Oliver, Chaplain, Bucknell University; and Richard Spalding, Chaplain, Williams College—for their generous sharing of resources and insights. The calendar listing above is adapted from the one compiled by the Chaplain’s Office at Bucknell University.