University Life provides this information to support your scheduling so that you are aware of the major upcoming religious holidays that Mason students may recognize.
Spring 2021
Gantan-sai (New Year) | Shinto | Jan 1 | Friday |
Feast of the Nativity | Eastern Orthodox | Jan 7 | Thursday |
Asian Lunar New Year [Year of the Rat] | Chinese | Feb 12 | Friday |
Purim | Jewish | Feb 26* | Friday |
Vernal Equinox (EDT) | Equinox/Solstice | March 20 | Saturday |
Naw-Rúz(Bahá'í New Year) | Bahá'í | March 21* | Sunday |
Passover (Pesach), 1st two days | Jewish | March 28-29* | Sunday-Monday |
Palm Sunday | Western Christian | March 29 | Sunday |
Good Friday | Western Christian | April 2 | Friday |
Passover (Pesach), concluding Days | Jewish | April 3-4* | Saturday-Sunday |
Easter | Western Christian | April 4 | Sunday |
Beginning of Ramadan | Islamic | April 13*# | Tuesday |
Ridvan Festival, 1st of 12 days | Bahá'í | April 21* | Wednesday |
Palm Sunday | Eastern Orthodox | April 25 | SundaySunday |
9th Day of Ridvan | Bahá'í | April 29* | Thursday |
Holy Friday | Eastern Orthodox | April 30 | Friday |
Pascha | Eastern Orthodox | May 2 | Sunday |
12th Day of Ridvan | Bahá'í | May 2* | Sunday |
*Holy days start at sundown on evening preceding first day and end at sundown or nightfall of concluding date.
#All dates are from Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) and European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) adopted Islamic Calendar. For events based on sightability of the moon in North America, those denoted with “#” will be the next day from these dates.
Summer 2021
Eid-al-Fitr (Eid-ul-Fitr) (first day of Shawwal) | Islamic | May 13* | Thursday |
Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) | Jewish | May 17-18* | Monday-Tuesday |
Declaration of the Báb | Bahá'í | May 23* | Sunday |
Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh | Bahá'í | May 29* | Saturday |
Summer Solstice (EDT) | June 21 | Monday | |
Martyrdom of the Báb | Bahá'í | July 9* | Friday |
*Holy days start at sundown on evening preceding first day and end at sundown or nightfall of concluding date.
#All dates are from Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) and European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) adopted Islamic Calendar. For events based on sightability of the moon in North America, those denoted with “#” will be the next day from these dates.
Fall 2021
Al-Hijra (Muharram) (New Year) | Islamic | Aug 9* | Monday |
Aashura (10th day of Muharram) | Islamic | Aug 18* | Wednesday |
Rosh Hashanah [New Year] | Jewish | Sept 7-8* | Tuesday-Wednesday |
Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement] | Jewish | Sept 16* | Thursday |
Sukkot [Feast of Tabernacles] | Jewish | Sept 28-29* | Tuesday-Wednesday |
Autumn Equinox (EDT) | Sept 22 | Wednesday | |
Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah | Jewish | Sept 28-29* | Tuesday-Wednesday |
Mawlid-al-Nabi (Muhammed's birthday) | Islamic | Oct 18* | Monday |
Birth of the Báb | Bahá'í | Oct 20 | Wednesday |
Birth of Bahá'u'lláh | Bahá'í | Nov 12* | Friday |
Day of the Covenant | Bahá'í | Nov 26* | Friday |
Ascension of ’Abdu’l-Bahá | Bahá'í | Nov 28* | Sunday |
Hanukkah (Chanukah) [8-day Feast] | Jewish | Nov 29-Dec 6* | Monday-Monday |
Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) | Buddhist | Dec 8 | Wednesday |
Winter Solstice (EST) | Dec 21 | Tuesday | |
Christmas | Western Christian | Dec 25 | Saturday |
Kwanzaa | Interfaith/African-American | Dec 26-Jan 1 | Sunday-Saturday |
*Holy days start at sundown on evening preceding first day and end at sundown or nightfall of concluding date.