Religious Observances that Affect the Academic Calendar

To help instructors and staff in course and event planning, some of the religious observances that may affect the academic calendar between August 2022 to July 2023 are listed below. This table attempts to include dates for religions that are most widely observed by students and employees at the University of Illinois and is intended as an aid only. Members of the University of Illinois community practice a range of faith traditions, and it is the expectation of the university that religious accommodations be honored regardless of whether the date is included in this table.
Special thanks to the following individuals for their assistance in reviewing the religious observances listed on this page and in the full Religious Observances calendar: Rabbi Alan Cook from Sinai Temple of Champaign-Urbana, Amy Felty from the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Urbana, Father Robert Lampitt from St. John’s Catholic Newman Center, Dr. Adam Newman from the Department of Religion, and Imam Ousmane Sawadogo from the Central Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center.
Major Religious Observances
August 2022 – July 2023
Fall Semester 2022
Observance | Religion | Dates |
---|---|---|
Lammas/Lughnasadh | Wicca | August 1, 2022 |
Tisha B’Av | Judaism | Begins at sundown on August 6, 2022, and ends at sundown on August 7, 2022 |
10th of Muharram (Ashura) | Islam | Anticipated to begin at sundown on August 7, 2022 and end at sundown on August 8. This observance is calculated on a lunar calendar and is approximate. |
Krishna Janmashtami | Hinduism | Begins August 18, 2022, and ends August 19, 2022 |
Paryushan | Jainism | August 24, 2022, to September 1, 2022 |
Arbaʽeen (Shia) | Islam | Anticipated to begin at sundown on September 17, 2022. This observance is calculated on a lunar calendar and is approximate. |
Mabon | Wicca | Begins September 21, 2022, and ends September 22, 2022 |
Rosh Hashanah | Judaism | Begins at sundown on September 25 and ends at sundown on September 27, 2022 |
Navratri | Hinduism | Begins September 26 and ends October 4, 2022 |
Yom Kippur | Judaism | Begins at sundown on October 4 and ends at sundown on October 5, 2022. |
Birth of the Prophet Muhammad (Sunni) | Islam | Anticipated to begin at sundown on October 8, 2022. This observance is calculated on a lunar calendar and is approximate. |
Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah | Judaism | Begins at sundown on October 16 and ends at sundown on October 18 |
Birth of the Prophet Muhammad (Shia) | Islam | Anticipated to begin at sundown on October 24, 2022. This observance is calculated on a lunar calendar and is approximate. |
Birth of Guru Granth | Sikhism | Thursday, October 20, 2022 |
Diwali | Hinduism | Monday, October 24, 2022 |
Birth of the Báb | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on October 25 and ends at sunset on October 26, 2022 |
Birth of Baha’u’llah | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on October 26 and ends at sunset on October 27, 2022 |
Samhain | Wicca | Begins at sunset on October 31 and ends at sunset on November 1, 2022 |
Guru Nanak Birthday | Sikhism | Tuesday, November 8, 2022 |
Loy Krathong | Buddhism | Wednesday, November 9, 2022 |
Hanukkah | Judaism | Begins at sundown on December 18, 2022, and ends at sundown on December 26, 2022 |
Yule | Wicca | Begins December 21, 2022, and ends January 1, 2023 |
Christmas | Christianity | Sunday, December 25, 2022 |
Kwanzaa | Interfaith / African-American | December 26, 2022, to January 1, 2023 |
Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti | Sikhism | December 29, 2022 |
Spring Semester 2023
Observance | Religion | Dates |
---|---|---|
Feast of the Epiphany | Christianity | January 6, 2023 |
Eastern Orthodox Christmas | Orthodox Christianity | January 7, 2023 |
Lunar New Year | Interfaith / National | January 22, 2023 |
Imbolc/Candlemas | Wicca/Celtic | Begins the evening of February 1, 2023, and ends the evening of February 2, 2023 |
Ash Wednesday | Christianity | February 22, 2023 |
Nineteen Day Fast | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on March 1, 2023, and ends at sunset on March 20, 2023 |
Eastern Orthodox Beginning of Lent | Orthodox Christianity | February 23, 2023 |
Purim | Judaism | Begins the evening of March 6, 2023, and ends the evening of March 7, 2023 |
Holi | Hinduism, Sikhism | Begins the evening of March 7, 2023, and ends the evening of March 8, 2023 |
Naw‐Rúz | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on March 20, 2023, and ends at sunset on March 21, 2023 |
Eostara (Spring Equinox) | Wicca | March 20, 2023 |
Ramadan | Islam | Begins on the evening of March 22, 2023, and ends on the evening of April 21, 2023. This observance is calculated on a lunar calendar and is approximate. |
Good Friday | Christianity | April 7, 2023 |
Easter | Christianity | April 9, 2023 |
Vaisakhi | Sikhism | April 14, 2023 |
Passover (Pesach) | Judaism | Begins at sundown on April 5, 2023 and ends at sundown on April 13, 2023 |
23rd Night of Ramadan | Islam | Anticipated to begin at sundown on April 13, 2023. This observance is calculated on a lunar calendar and is approximate. |
Eastern Orthodox Holy Friday | Orthodox Christianity | April 14, 2023 |
Eastern Orthodox Easter (Pascha) | Orthodox Christianity | April 16, 2023 |
27th Night of Ramadan | Islam | Anticipated to begin at sundown on April 17, 2023. This observance is calculated on a lunar calendar and is approximate. |
First Day of Ridván | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on April 20, 2023, and ends at sunset on April 21, 2023 |
Eid al-Fitr | Islam | Begins on the evening of April 21, and ends on the evening of April 22. This observance is calculated on a lunar calendar and is approximate. |
Ninth Day of Ridván | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on April 28, 2023, and ends at sunset on April 29, 2023 |
Twelfth Day of Ridván | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on May 1, 2023, and ends at sunset on May 2, 2023 |
Beltane | Wicca | May 1, 2023 |
Vesak | Buddhism | May 5, 2023 |
Summer 2023
Observance | Religion | Dates |
---|---|---|
Ascension Day | Christianity | May 18, 2023 |
Declaration of the Báb | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on May 23, 2023, and ends at sunset on May 24, 2023 |
Eastern Orthodox Ascension Day Orthodox | Christianity | May 25, 2023 |
Shavuot | Judaism | Begins at sundown on May 25, 2023, and ends at sundown on May 27, 2023 |
Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on May 28, 2023, and ends at sunset on May 29, 2023 |
Litha/Midsummer (Summer Solstice) | Wicca | June 21, 2023 |
Eid al-Adha | Judaism | Anticipated to begin at sundown on June 28, 2023, and end at sundown on June 29, 2023. This observance is calculated on a lunar calendar and is approximate. |
Martyrdom of the Báb | Baháʼí Faith | Begins at sunset on July 9, 2023, and ends at sunset on July 10, 2023 |
A more complete calendar of religious observances is maintained by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion as part of the university’s general calendar: Religious Observances. For questions, please contact diversity@illinois.edu.