Holy days

Place of worship wood relief

鶹 recognizes and respects the diversity of its community, including diversity of religious faiths and observances. The University is committed to providing an environment in which its students can fulfill both their university and their religious commitments.


Faiths

The multifaith calendar is published as a service to the University community, according to Senate policy (see Chapter Seven in the Handbook of Student Rights and Responsibilities). The below is not a conclusive list, and additional documentation may be requested from the student to demonstrate a religious commitment.

List of faiths included in the calendar

  • Baha'i
  • Buddhism

    In the Western world, festivals are generally celebrated on the Sunday nearest the actual date.

  • Christianity

    The Gregorian calendar has been adopted by all Christian churches of the West. Most Eastern churches, however, continue to use the Julian calendar for religious purposes, though only a few use it exclusively. Nearly all Eastern churches still determine Easter according to the "Old Style" or Julian system, but most have adopted the "New Style" or Gregorian calendar for Christmas or Pentecost. At the present time, the Julian and Gregorian calendars are approximately 15 days out of phase.

  • Hinduism

    Specific dates may vary year to year based on the solar or lunar calendars. Dates can also vary depending on the time differential between Canada and India.

  • Indigenous Spirituality

    Each band may have unique spiritual observances which, while not listed here as a holy day, may require accommodation.

  • Islam

    Muslim holidays are based on a lunar calendar and observances may vary from the dates listed here, depending on the community. Congregation prayers are held every Friday 12:15 - 2:00 pm.

  • Judaism

    Sabbath starts Friday sundown. All holy days start sundown the night preceding the holiday.

  • Paganism

    Evening observances commence at sundown. Solstice observances commence at sunrise.

  • Shinto
  • Sikhism
  • Zoroastrianism

Holy days for current & future academic years

This information was compiled with the assistance of the 鶹 Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (MORSL). Questions about any date provided in this multifaith calendar should be sent to degeval.es [at] mcgill.ca (Enrolment Services).

* festival begins at sundown the day before this date
** date of celebration may vary based on local customs or according to moon sightings

Holy Days 2024–2025

September 2024
Date Faith Festival
September 7, 2024 Hinduism Ganesh Chaturthi
September 16 *, 2024 Islam Mawlid al-Nabi *
September 17, 2024 - October 2, 2024 Hinduism Pitru Paksha
September 22 **, 2024 Paganism Mabon **
October 2024
Date Faith Festival
October 3 *, 2024 - October 4, 2024 Judaism Rosh Hashanah *
October 9, 2024 – October 12, 2024 Hinduism Durga Puja
October 12, 2024 Judaism Yom Kippur *
October 12, 2024 Hinduism Dussehra
October 16, 2024 Hinduism Sharad Purnima

October 17 *, 2024 - October 23, 2024

October 17 and 18 are the religious days where students would not attend class, work etc.

Judaism Sukkot *
October 20, 2024 Sikhism Installation of the Guru Granth Sahib
October 24 *, 2024 Judaism Shemini Atzeret *
October 25 *, 2024 Judaism Simchat Torah * (Rejoicing of the Law) 
November 2024
Date Faith Festival
November 1 **, 2024 Paganism Samhain **
November 1, 2024 Hinduism/Sikhism Diwali
November 1, 2024 Christianity All Saints' Day
November 2 *, 2024 Baha'i The Birth of the Báb *
November 3 *, 2024 Baha'i The Birth of the Bahá'ulláh *
November 15, 2024 Sikhism Birth date of Guru Nanak Jayanti
November 24, 2024 Sikhism Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji
November 25 *, 2024 Baha'i Day of the Covenant *
November 27, 2024 Baha'i Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
December 2024
Date Faith Festival
December 1, 2024 Christianity First Day of Advent
December 21 **, 2024 Paganism Yule **
December 24 *, 2024 - January 2, 2025 Judaism Hanukkah *
December 25 *, 2024 Christianity Christmas *
January 2025
Date Faith Festival
January 1, 2025 Shinto Gantan-Sai
January 6, 2025 Christianity Epiphany
January 6, 2025 Christianity (Orthodox, New Calendar) Theophany
January 7 **, 2025 Christianity (Orthodox, Old Calendar) Feast of the Nativity **
January 13, 2025 Sikhism Maghi
January 14, 2025 Hinduism Makar Sankranti
January 18, 2025 - January 25, 2025 Christianity Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
January 27, 2025 Islam Laylat al-Mi'rāj *
January 29 **, 2025 Buddhism Chinese/Vietnamese/Korean New Year **
February 2025
Date Faith Festival
February 2 *, 2025 Paganism Imbolc *
February 2, 2025 Hinduism Vasanta Panchami
February 12, 2025 Buddhism Magha Puja (Sangha) Day
February 13 *, 2025 Judaism Tu B'Shvat *
February 14 *, 2025 Islam Laylat al Baraat *
February 26, 2025 Hinduism Mahashivaratri
February 28, 2025 Islam First of Ramadan
March 2025
Date Faith Festival
March 3, 2025 Christianity (Orthodox) Great Fast Begins
March 5, 2025 Christianity Ash Wednesday
March 14, 2025 Judaism Purim *
March 14 **, 2025 Hinduism/Sikhism Holi **
March 20 **, 2025 Paganism Ostara **
March 20 *, 2025 Baha'i Naw-Rúz *
March 20, 2025 Zoroastrianism Nowruz
March 26, 2025 Zoroastrianism Birth Anniversary of Prophet Zarathustra
March 27 *, 2025 Islam Laylat al-Qadr *
March 30 *, 2025 Islam ʻĪd al-Fiṭr *
April 2025
Date Faith Festival
April 6 **, 2025 Hinduism Rama Navami **
April 13, 2025 Christianity Palm Sunday
April 13, 2025 Christianity (Orthodox) Palm Sunday
April 13, 2025 - April 19, 2025 Christianity Holy Week

April 13 *, 2025 - April 20, 2025

April 13-14 and April 19-20 are the religious days where students would not attend class, work, use electronics, etc.

Judaism Pesach (Passover) *
April 14 **, 2025 Sikhism Vaisakhi **
April 18, 2025 Christianity Good Friday
April 18, 2025 Christianity (Orthodox) Good Friday
April 18, 2025 Sikhism Birthday of Guru Angad Dev
April 20 *, 2025 Baha'i First day of the Festival of Riḍván *
April 20, 2025 Christianity Easter
April 20, 2025 Christianity (Orthodox) Pascha (Easter)
April 24 *, 2025 Judaism Yom HaShoah *
April 29 *, 2025 Baha'i Ninth Day of Riḍván *
May 2025
Date Faith Festival
May 1 *, 2025 Baha'i Twelfth day of Riḍván *
May 1 *, 2025 Paganism Beltane *
May 23 *, 2025 Baha'i Declaration of the Báb *
May 28 *, 2025 Baha'i Ascension of the Bahá'u'lláh *
May 30, 2025 Sikhism Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji
June 2025
Date Faith Festival
June 3 *, 2025 Judaism Shavuot *
June 5 *, 2025 Islam Day of Hajj (Day at ‘Arafāt) *
June 6 *, 2025 Islam Eid al-Aḍḥá *
June 8, 2025 Christianity Pentecost
June 20 **, 2025 Paganism Litha **
June 21, 2025 Indigenous Spirituality National Indigenous People’s Day (Canada)
June 27 *, 2025 Islam First of Muharram *
July 2025
Date Faith Festival
July 6 *, 2025 Islam ʻĀshūrā’ *
July 9 *, 2025 Baha'i Martyrdom of the Báb *
August 2025
Date Faith Festival
August 1 **, 2025 Paganism Lammas **
August 3 *, 2025 Judaism Tish'a B'Av *
August 6, 2025 Christianity Feast of the Transfiguration Celebration
August 9 **, 2025 Hinduism Raksha Bandhan **
August 16 **, 2025 Hinduism Sri Krishna Jayanti **
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