Each year, members of the Northeastern community observe a wide range of sacred seasons and holy days. Below please find a list of dates observed on campus or at places of worship in the Greater Boston area. For information on University Policies on Accommodations for Religious Observance for Students, Faculty and Staff, please visit https://www.northeastern.edu/spirituallife/students/group-guidelines-policies/. For information on on-campus observances, contact the CSDS office at 203 Ell Hall, csds@northeastern.edu, or 617-373-2728; or contact the Spiritual Advisor or student organization from your spiritual, religious, or humanist tradition, found on our website.
August
Aug 15 |
Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary |
Catholic Christian |
Aug 15 |
Dormition of the Theotokos |
Orthodox Christian |
Aug 20 |
Waqf al Arafa – Hajj |
Islam |
Aug 21–24 |
Eid al Adha – Sacrifice Day |
Islam |
Aug 26 |
Raksha Bandhan |
Hindu |
Aug 29 |
Passion of St. John the Baptist |
Catholic Christian |
September
Sept 1 |
Ecclesiastical year begins |
Orthodox Christian |
Sept 3 |
Krishna Janmashtami |
Hindu |
Sept 3 |
Labor Day |
Interfaith USA |
Sept 6 |
Paryushana Parva |
Jain |
Sept 8 |
Nativity of Mary |
Christian |
Sept 9 – 11 |
Rosh Hashanah |
Jewish |
Sept 11 |
Hijra – New Year |
Islam |
Sept 14 |
Holy Cross Day |
Christian |
Sept 18 |
Yom Kippur |
Jewish |
Sept 20 |
Fast of Gedaliah |
Judaism |
Sept 23 |
Mabon |
Wicca/Pagan |
Sept 23 – 30 |
Sukkot |
Jewish |
Sept 27 |
Meskel |
Ethiopian Orthodox Christian |
Sept 30 |
Shemini Atzeret |
Jewish |
October
Oct 1 |
Simchat Torah |
Jewish |
Oct 4 |
Saint Francis Day |
Christian |
Oct 9 – 17 |
Navaratri |
Hindu |
Oct 19 |
Dasara (Dussehra) |
Hindu |
Oct 20 |
Birth of the Bab |
Baha’i |
Oct 20 |
Installation of Scriptures as Guru Granth |
Sikh |
Oct 23 |
Saint George Day |
Christian |
Oct 25 |
Reformation Day |
Protestant Christian |
Oct 28 |
Milvain Bridge Day |
Christian |
Oct 31 |
All Hallow’s Eve |
Christian |
November
Nov 1 |
All Saints Day |
Christian |
Nov 1 |
Samhain – Beltane |
Pagan/Wicca |
Nov 2 |
All Souls Day |
Catholic Christian |
Nov 7 |
Diwali |
Hindu – Jain – Sikh |
Nov 8 |
New Year |
Jain |
Nov 11 |
Veterans Day |
Interfaith USA |
Nov 12 |
Birth of Baha’u’llah |
Baha’i |
Nov 15 |
Nativity Fast Begins |
Orthodox Christian |
Nov 21 |
Mawlid an Nabi |
Islam |
Nov 22 |
Christ the King |
Christian |
Nov 22 |
Thanksgiving |
Interfaith USA |
Nov 23 |
Guru Nanak Dev Sahib birthday |
Sikh |
Nov 24 |
Guru Tegh Bahadur Martyrdom |
Sikh |
Nov 26 |
Day of the Covenant |
Bahá’í |
Nov 28 |
Ascension of Abdu’l-Baha |
Bahá’í |
Nov 29 |
Advent |
Christian |
Nov 30 |
Saint Andrew’s Day |
Christian |
December
Dec 3 – 10 |
Hanukkah |
Judaism |
Dec 6 |
Saint Nicholas Day |
Christian |
Dec 8 |
Immaculate |
Catholic Christian |
Dec 8 |
Rohatsu (Bodhi Day) |
Buddhism |
Dec 12 |
Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe |
Catholic Christian |
Dec 16 – 25 |
Posadas Navidenas |
Christian |
Dec 21 |
Yule |
Christian |
Dec 21 |
Yule |
Wicca/Pagan |
Dec 24 |
Nativity Fast Ends |
Orthodox Christian |
Dec 24 |
Christmas Eve |
Christian |
Dec 25 |
Christmas |
Christian |
Dec 26 |
St. Stephen’s Day |
Christian |
Dec 26 |
Zarathosht Diso |
Zoroastrian |
Dec 26 – Jan 1 |
Kwanzaa |
Interfaith USA |
Dec 28 |
Holy Innocents |
Christian |
January
Jan 1 |
New Years Day |
Interfaith USA |
Jan 1 |
Feast of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God |
Catholic Christian |
Jan 5 |
Birth of Guru Gobind Singh |
Sikh |
Jan 6 |
Epiphany |
Christian |
Jan 13 |
Maghi |
Sikh |
Jan 20 |
World Religion Day |
Bahá’í |
Jan 21 |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday |
USA |
February
Feb 5 |
Chinese New Year |
Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist |
Feb 14 |
St. Valentine’s Day |
Christian Catholic – Interfaith USA |
Feb 15 |
Nirvana Day |
Buddhist |
Feb 15 |
Parinirvana |
Buddhist |
Feb 15 |
President’s Day |
Interfaith USA |
Feb 26 – Mar 1 |
Ayyam-i-Ha |
Bahá’í |
March
Mar 1 – 19 |
Nineteen Day Fast Period |
Bahá’í |
March 6 |
Ash Wednesday (Lent Begins) |
Christian |
Mar 17 |
St. Patrick’s Day |
Catholic Christian |
Mar 20 |
Naw-Ruz |
Baha’i |
Mar 20 |
Purim |
Jewish |
Mar 21 |
Holi |
Hindu |
Mar 21 |
Hola Mohalla |
Sikh |
April
April 14 |
Palm Sunday |
Christian |
April 14 |
Baisakhi |
Hindu New Year/Sikh |
April 18 |
Maundy Thursday |
Christian |
April 19 |
Good Friday |
Christian |
April 19 – 27 |
Pesach (Passover) |
Jewish |
April 21 |
Easter |
Christian |
April 21 – May 2 |
Ridvan |
Baha’i |
May
May 2 |
Yom Ha-Sho’ah |
Jewish |
May 6 |
Ramadan Begins (US Date) |
Islam |
May 12 |
Buddha Day (Visakaha Puja, Wesak) |
Buddhist |
May 27 |
Memorial Day |
Interfaith USA |
May 29 |
Ascension of Baha’u’llah |
Baha’i |
May 30 |
Ascension Day |
Christian |
May 31 |
Lailat al-Qadr |
Islam |
June
June 5 |
‘Id al-Fitr |
Islam |
June 10 |
Shavuot |
Jewish |
June 16 |
Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev |
Sikh |
June 19 |
Juneteenth |
Interfaith USA |
June 21 |
Summer Solstice |
Pagan/Wicca |
July
July 4 |
Independence Day |
Interfaith USA |
July 9 |
Martyrdom of the B’ab |
Baha’i |
July 24 |
Pioneer Day |
Mormon |