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Religious Observances that Affect the Academic Calendar

Candles line the paths of the main quad as part of a Diwali celebration. The dome of Foellinger Auditorium is lit. Several people are in silhouette.

To help instructors and staff in course and event planning, some of the religious observances that may affect the academic calendar between August 2023 to July 2024 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 diversity of religious, spiritual, and secular traditions, and individuals may celebrate observances not listed below. When planning around religious observances is not possible, employers and instructors must provide reasonable accommodations as per campus code, and state, and federal law.

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 2023 – July 2024

Fall Semester 2023

ObservanceReligionDates
Arba’eenIslam (Shia)Anticipated to begin at sundown on September 5, 2023, and end at sundown on September 6, 2023
Krishna JanmashtamiHinduismBegins on September 6, 2023, and ends on September 7, 2023
Leil SelichotJudaismBegins at sundown on September 9, 2023, and ends the same night
ParyushanJainismBegins on September 11, 2023, and ends on September 18, 2023
MabonWiccaBegins on September 21, 2023, and ends on September 29, 2023
Rosh HashanahJudaismBegins at sundown on September 15, 2023, and ends at sundown on September 17, 2023
Yom Kippur
JudaismBegins at sundown on September 24, 2023, and ends at sundown on September 25, 2023
Birth of the Prophet MuhammadIslam (Sunni)Anticipated to begin at sundown on September 26, 2023, and end at sundown on September 27, 2023
SukkotJudaismBegins at sundown on September 29, 2023, and ends at sundown on October 6, 2023
Birth of the Prophet MuhammadIslam (Shia)Anticipated to begin at sundown on October 1, 2023, and end at sundown on October 2, 2023
Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah
JudaismBegins at sundown on October 6, 2023, and ends on October 8, 2023
Birth of the BábBaháʼí FaithBegins at sunset on October 15, 2023, and ends at sunset on October 16, 2023
NavratriHinduismBegins on October 15, 2023, and ends on October 24, 2023.
Birth of Baha’u’llahBaháʼí FaithBegins at sunset on October 16, 2023, and ends at sunset on October 17, 2023
Birth of Guru GranthSikhismOctober 20, 2023
SamhainWiccaBegins at sunset on October 31, 2023, and ends at sunset on November 1, 2023
Diwali
HinduismNovember 11, 2023
Guru Nanak Birthday
SikhismNovember 27, 2023
Loy Krathong
BuddhismNovember 28, 2023
Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-BahaBaháʼí FaithBegins on sunset on November 27, 2023, and ends at sunset on November 28, 2023
HanukkahJudaismBegins at sundown on December 7, 2023, and ends at sundown on December 15, 2023
Bodhi DayBuddhismDecember 8, 2023
Yule (Winter Solstice)WiccaBegins on December 21, 2023, and ends on January 1, 2024
Christmas
ChristianityDecember 25, 2023
Kwanzaa Interfaith / African-AmericanBegins on December 26, 2023, and ends on January 1, 2024

Spring Semester 2024

ObservanceReligionDates
Feast of the Epiphany
ChristianityJanuary 6, 2024
Eastern Orthodox Christmas
Orthodox ChristianityJanuary 7, 2024
Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti BirthdaySikhismJanuary 17, 2024
Imbolc/Candlemas/BrigidWicca/CelticBegins on February 1, 2024, and ends on February 2, 2024
Lunar New YearInterfaith/National, Buddhism, Daoism, ConfucianismFebruary 10, 2024
Ash Wednesday
ChristianityFebruary 14, 2024
Nineteen Day Fast
Baháʼí FaithBegins at sunset on February 29, 2024, and ends at sunset on March 19, 2024
RamadanIslamAnticipated to begin at sundown on March 10, 2024, and end at sundown on April 9, 2024
Eastern Orthodox Beginning of LentOrthodox ChristianityBegins on March 18, 2024, and ends on May 4, 2024
Naw-Ruz/First of Baha – SplendourBaháʼí Faith, ZoroastrianBegins at sunset on March 19, 2024, and ends at sunset on March 20, 2024
Eostara (Spring Equinox)WiccaMarch 20, 2024
Purim
JudaismBegins at sundown on March 23, 2024, and ends at sundown on March 24, 2024
Holi Hinduism, SikhismMarch 25, 2024
Good FridayChristianityMarch 29, 2024
Easter SundayChristianityMarch 31, 2024
23rd Night of RamadanIslamAnticipated to begin at sundown on April 2, 2024
27th Night of RamadanIslam (Sunni)Anticipated to begin at sundown on April 6, 2024
Eid al-FitrIslamAnticipated to begin at sundown on April 9, 2024, and end at sundown on April 12, 2024
VaisakhiSikhism, HinduismApril 13, 2024
First Day of RidvánBaháʼí FaithBegins at sunset on April 19, 2024, and ends at sunset on April 20, 2024
Pesach (Passover)JudaismBegins at sundown on April 22, 2024, and ends at sundown on April 30, 2024
Ninth Day of RidvanBaháʼí FaithBegins at sunset on April 27, 2024, and ends at sunset on April 28, 2024
Twelfth Day of RidvanBaháʼí FaithBegins at sunset on April 30, 2024, and ends at sunset on May 1, 2024
BeltaneWiccaMay 1, 2024
Eastern Orthodox Holy Friday Orthodox Christianity
May 3, 2024
Eastern Orthodox Easter (Pascha)
Orthodox ChristianityMay 5, 2024
Ascension DayCatholicismMay 9, 2024

Summer 2024

ObservanceReligionDates
Declaration of the Báb
Baháʼí FaithBegins at sunset on May 22, 2024, and ends at sunset on May 23, 2024
VesakBuddhismMay 23, 2024
Ascension of Bahá’u’lláhBaháʼí FaithBegins at sunset on May 27, 2024, and ends at sunset on May 28, 2024
ShavuotJudaismBegins at sundown on June 11, 2024, and ends at sundown on June 13, 2024
Eastern Orthodox Ascension Day OrthodoxOrthodox ChristianityJune 13, 2024
Eid al-AdhaIslamAnticipated to begin at sundown on June 16, 2024, and end at sundown on June 20, 2024
Litha/Midsummer (Summer Solstice)
WiccaJune 20, 2024
Martyrdom of the Báb
Baháʼí FaithBegins at sunset on July 8, 2024, and ends at sunset on July 9, 2024
10th of Muharram (Ashura) IslamAnticipated to begin at sundown on July 16, 2024 and end at sundown on July 17, 2024
Tish’a B’AvJudaismBegins at sundown on August 12, 2024, and ends at sundown on August 13, 2024
LammasWiccaAugust 1, 2024

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.