McGill University 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.
- Jainism
- Judaism
Sabbath starts Friday sundown. All religious observances start sundown the night preceding the holiday.
- Paganism
Evening observances commence at sundown. Solstice observances commence at sunrise.
- Shinto
- Sikhism
- Zoroastrianism
Religious observances for current & future academic years
This information was compiled with the assistance of the McGill 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).
* religious observances begin at sundown the day before the identified date
** date of celebration may vary based on local customs or according to moon sightings
2025–2026 Religious Observances
| September 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Faith | Festival |
| September 1, 2025 | Sikhism | First Parkash |
| September 4*, 2025 | Islam | Mawlid al-Nabi* |
| September 7, 2025 | Jainism | Ksamavani |
| September 7, 2025 - September 21, 2025 | Hinduism | Pitru Paksha |
| September 22, 2025 - October 1, 2025 | Hinduism | Navrati |
| September 22**, 2025 | Paganism | Mabon** |
| September 23*, 2025 - September 24, 2025 | Judaism | Rosh Hashanah* |
| September 28, 2025 - October 2, 2025 | Hinduism | Durja Puja |
| October 2025 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
| October 2*, 2025 | Judaism | Yom Kippur* |
| October 2, 2025 | Hinduism | Dussehra |
| October 6, 2025 | Hinduism | Sharad Purnima |
|
October 7*, 2025 - October 13, 2025 sundown October 6 to sundown October 8 are the religious days where students would not attend class, work etc. |
Judaism | Sukkot* |
| October 14*, 2025 | Judaism | Shemini Atzeret* |
| October 15*, 2025 | Judaism | Simchat Torah* (Rejoicing of the Law) |
| October 20, 2025 | Sikhism | Installation of the Guru Granth Sahib |
| October 20, 2025 | Hinduism/Sikhism | Diwali |
| October 22*, 2025 | Baha'i | The Birth of the Báb* |
| October 23*, 2025 | Baha'i | The Birth of Bahá'ulláh* |
| November 2025 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
| November 1**, 2025 | Paganism | Samhain** |
| November 1, 2025 | Christianity | All Saints' Day |
| November 24, 2025 | Sikhism | Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji |
| November 25*, 2025 | Baha'i | Day of the Covenant* |
| November 27*, 2025 | Baha'i | Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá* |
| November 30, 2025 | Christianity | First Day of Advent |
| December 2025 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
| December 15*, 2025 - December 22, 2025 | Judaism | Hanukkah* |
| December 21**, 2025 | Paganism | Yule** |
| December 25*, 2025 | Christianity | Christmas* |
| January 2026 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
| January 1, 2026 | Shinto | Gantan-Sai |
| January 6, 2026 | Christianity | Epiphany |
| January 6, 2026 | Christianity (Orthodox, New Calendar) | Theophany |
| January 7**, 2026 | Christianity (Orthodox, Old Calendar) | Feast of the Nativity** |
| January 13, 2026 | Sikhism | Maghi |
| January 14, 2026 | Hinduism | Makar Sankranti |
| January 16*, 2026 | Islam | Laylat al-Mi'rāj* |
| January 23, 2026 | Hinduism | Vasanta Panchami |
| February 2026 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
| February 2*, 2026 | Paganism | Imbolc* |
| February 2*, 2026 | Judaism | Tu BiShvat* |
| February 2*, 2026 | Islam | Laylat al Baraat* |
| February 15, 2026 | Hinduism | Mahashivaratri |
| February 17**, 2026 | Buddhism | Lunar New Year |
| February 17, 2026 | Christianity | Shrove Tuesday |
| February 18, 2026 | Christianity | Ash Wednesday |
| February 17**, 2026 – February 20, 2026 | Buddhism | Losar** |
| February 19*, 2026 | Islam | Start of Ramadan* |
| February 23, 2026 | Christianity (Orthodox) | Beginning of Great Lent |
| March 2026 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
| March 3*, 2026 | Judaism | Purim* |
| March 3**, 2026 | Hinduism/Sikhism | Holi** |
| March 3, 2026 | Buddhism | Māgha Pūjā (Sangha Day) |
| March 4, 2026 | Baha'i | 19-Day Fast begins |
| March 4, 2026 | Sikhism | Hola Mohalla |
| March 16*, 2026 | Islam | Laylat al-Qadr* |
| March 20*, 2026 | Islam | Eid al-Fiṭr* |
| March 20**, 2026 | Paganism | Ostara** |
| March 20*, 2026 | Baha'i | Naw-Rúz* |
| March 20, 2026 | Zoroastrianism | Nowruz |
| March 26, 2026 | Zoroastrianism | Birth Anniversary of Prophet Zarathustra |
| March 26**, 2026 | Hinduism | Rama Navami** |
| March 29, 2026 | Christianity | Palm Sunday |
| March 29, 2026 - April 5, 2026 | Christianity | Holy Week |
| March 31, 2026 | Jainism | Mahavir Jayanti |
| April 2026 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
|
April 2*, 2026 - April 9, 2026 sundown April 1 to sundown April 3 and sundown April 7 to April 9 are the religious days where students would not attend class, work, use electronics, etc. |
Judaism | Pesach (Passover)* |
| April 3, 2026 | Christianity | Good Friday |
| April 5, 2026 | Christianity | Easter |
| April 5, 2026 | Christianity (Orthodox) | Palm Sunday |
| April 10, 2026 | Christianity (Orthodox) | Good Friday |
| April 12, 2026 | Christianity (Orthodox) | Pascha (Easter) |
| April 14**, 2026 | Sikhism | Vaisakhi** |
| April 14*, 2026 | Judaism | Yom HaShoah* |
| April 18, 2026 | Sikhism | Birthday of Guru Angad Dev |
| April 21*, 2026 | Baha'i | First Day of Riḍván* |
| April 29*, 2026 | Baha'i | Ninth Day of Riḍván* |
| May 2026 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
| May 1, 2026 | Buddhism | Wesak |
| May 1*, 2026 | Paganism | Beltane |
| May 2*, 2026 | Baha'i | Twelfth day of Riḍván* |
| May 5*, 2026 | Judaism | Lag Ba'Omer* |
| May 14, 2026 | Christianity | Ascension |
| May 22*, 2026 - May 23, 2026 | Judaism | Shavuot* |
| May 24*, 2026 | Baha'i | Declaration of the Báb* |
| May 24, 2026 | Christianity | Pentecost |
| May 26*, 2026 | Islam | Hajj (Day of Arafah)* |
| May 27*, 2026 | Islam | Eid al-Adha* |
| May 29*, 2026 | Baha'i | Ascension of the Bahá'u'lláh* |
| May 31, 2026 | Christianity (Orthodox) | Pentecost |
| June 2026 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
| June 16*, 2026 | Islam | First of Muharram* |
| June 16, 2026 | Sikhism | Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji |
| June 21**, 2026 | Paganism | Litha** |
| June 21, 2026 | Indigenous Spirituality | National Indigenous People’s Day (Canada) |
| June 25*, 2026 | Islam | ʻĀshūrā’* |
| July 2026 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
| July 10*, 2026 | Baha'i | Martyrdom of the Báb* |
| July 23*, 2026 | Judaism | Tisha B'Av* |
| August 2026 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
| August 1**, 2026 | Paganism | Lammas** |
| August 6, 2026 | Christianity | Feast of the Transfiguration |
| August 16**, 2026 | Hinduism | Krishna Janmashtami** |
| August 25*, 2026 | Islam | Mawlid al-Nabīy* |
| August 28**, 2026 | Hinduism | Raksha Bandhan** |
2026–2027 Religious Observances
| September 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Faith | Festival |
|
1 September 2026 |
Sikhism |
First Parkash |
|
4 September 2026 |
Hinduism |
Sri Krishna Jayanti |
|
Sundown 11 September 2026 – Sundown 13 September 2026 (religious restrictions on work/school) |
Judaism |
Rosh Hashanah |
|
15 September 2026 |
Hinduism |
Ganesh Chaturthi |
|
16 September 2026 |
Jainism |
Samvatsari |
|
Sundown 20 September – Sundown 21 September 2026 (days with religious restrictions on work/school) |
Judaism |
Yom Kippur |
|
**22 September 2025 |
Wicca/Paganism |
Mabon |
|
*26 September 2026 – 2 October 2026 (sundown 25 September to sundown 27 September are the days with religious restrictions on work/school) |
Judaism |
Sukkot |
|
26 September 2026 |
Jainism |
Ksamavani |
|
27 September 2026 – 12 October 2026 |
Hinduism |
Pitru Paksha |
| October 2026 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
|
Sundown 2 October – Sundown 3 October 2026 |
Judaism |
Shemini Atzeret |
|
Sundown 3 October – Sundown 4 October 2026 |
Judaism |
Simchat Torah |
|
11 October 2026 – 19 October 2026 |
Hinduism |
Navratri |
|
17 October 2026 – 21 October 2026 |
Hinduism |
Durga Puja |
|
20 October 2026 |
Sikhism |
Installation of the Guru Granth Sahib |
|
20 October 2026 |
Hinduism |
Dussehra |
|
25 October 2026 |
Hinduism |
Sharad Purnima |
|
**31 October 2026 |
Wicca/Paganism |
Samhain |
| November 2026 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
|
1 November 2026 |
Christianity |
All Saints Day |
|
8 November 2026 |
Hinduism/Sikhism |
Diwali |
|
*10 November 2026 (religious restrictions on work/school) |
Bahá'í |
The Birth of the Báb |
|
*11 November 2026 (religious restrictions on work/school) |
Bahá'í |
The Birth of Bahá'ulláh |
|
24 November 2026 |
Sikhism |
Guru Nanak Jayanti |
|
24 November 2026 |
Sikhism |
Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji |
|
*26 November 2026 (religious restrictions on work/school) |
Bahá'í |
Day of the Covenant |
|
*28 November 2026 (religious restrictions on work/school) |
Bahá'í |
Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá |
|
29 November 2026 |
Christianity |
First Day of Advent |
| December 2026 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
|
*5 December 2026 – 12 December 2026 |
Judaism |
Hanukkah |
|
**21 December 2026 |
Wicca/Paganism |
Yule |
|
*25 December 2026 |
Christianity |
Christmas |
| January 2027 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
|
1 January 2027 |
Shinto |
Gantan-Sai |
|
5 January 2027 |
Sikhism |
Birth date of Guru Gobind Singh Ji |
|
*6 January 2027 |
Islam |
Laylat al-Mi'rāj |
|
6 January 2027 |
Christianity |
Epiphany |
|
6 January 2027 |
Christianity (Orthodox) |
Theophany |
|
**7 January 2027 |
Christianity (Orthodox) |
Feast of the Nativity |
|
13 January 2027 |
Sikhism |
Maghi |
|
14 January 2027 |
Hinduism |
Makar Sankranti |
|
*22 January 2027 |
Islam |
Laylat al Baraat |
|
*23 January 2027 |
Judaism |
Tu BiShvat |
| February 2027 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
|
*2 February 2027 |
Wicca/Paganism |
Imbolc |
|
**6 February 2027 |
Buddhism |
Lunar New Year |
|
**7 February 2027 – 10 February 2027 |
Buddhism |
Losar |
|
*8 February 2027 |
Islam |
Start of Ramadan |
|
9 February 2027 |
Christianity |
Shrove Tuesday |
|
10 February 2027 |
Christianity |
Ash Wednesday |
|
11 February 2027 |
Hinduism |
Vasant Panchami |
|
20 February 2027 |
Buddhism |
Māgha Pūjā (Sangha Day) |
| March 2027 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
|
*2 March 2027 |
Bahá'í |
19-Day Fast begins |
|
6 March 2027 |
Hinduism |
Mahashivratri |
|
*6 March 2027 |
Islam |
Laylat al-Qadr |
|
*9 March 2027 |
Islam |
Eid al-Fitr |
|
15 March 2027 |
Christianity (Orthodox) |
Beginning of Great Lent |
|
20 March 2027 |
Zoroastrianism |
Nowruz |
|
**20 March 2027 |
Wicca/Paganism |
Ostara |
|
*21 March 2027 |
Bahá'í |
Naw-Rúz |
|
21 March 2027 |
Christianity |
Palm Sunday |
|
21 March 2027 – 28 March 2027 |
Christianity |
Holy Week |
|
**22 March 2027 |
Hinduism/Sikhism |
Holi |
|
*23 March 2027 |
Judaism |
Purim |
|
23 March 2027 |
Sikhism |
Hola Mohalla |
|
26 March 2027 |
Zoroastrianism |
Birth Anniversary of Prophet Zarathustra |
|
26 March 2027 |
Christianity |
Good Friday |
|
28 March 2027 |
Christianity |
Easter |
| April 2027 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
|
**14 April 2027 |
Sikhism |
Vaisakhi |
|
**15 April 2027 |
Hinduism |
Rama Navami |
|
18 April 2026 |
Sikhism |
Birthday of Guru Angad Dev |
|
18 April 2027 – 19 April 2027 |
Jainism |
Mahavir Jayanti |
|
Sundown 21 April 2027 – Sundown 28 April 2027
(sundown 21 April - sundown 23 April, and sundown 28 April - sundown 29 April are the days with religious restrictions on work/school) |
Judaism |
Pesach (Passover) |
|
25 April 2027 |
Christianity (Orthodox) |
Palm Sunday |
|
30 April 2027 |
Christianity (Orthodox) |
Good Friday |
|
*21 April 2027 (religious restrictions on work/school) |
Bahá'í |
First Day of Riḍván |
|
*29 April 2027 (religious restrictions on work/school) |
Bahá'í |
Ninth Day of Riḍván |
| May 2027 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
|
*1 May 2027 |
Wicca/Paganism |
Beltane |
|
*2 May 2027 (religious restrictions on work/school) |
Bahá'í |
Twelfth Day of Riḍván |
|
2 May 2027 |
Christianity (Orthodox) |
Pascha (Easter) |
|
*4 May 2027 |
Judaism |
Yom HaShoah |
|
6 May 2026 |
Christianity |
Ascension |
|
*15 May 2027 |
Islam |
Hajj (Day of Arafah) |
|
16 May 2027 |
Christianity |
Pentecost |
|
*16 May 2027 |
Islam |
Eid al-Adha |
|
20 May 2027 |
Buddhism |
Wesak |
|
*24 May 2027 (religious restrictions on work/school) |
Bahá'í |
Declaration of the Báb |
|
*25 May 2027 |
Judaism |
Lag Ba’Omer |
|
*29 May 2027 (religious restrictions on work/school) |
Bahá'í |
Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh |
| June 2027 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
|
*6 June 2027 |
Islam |
First of Muharram |
|
*11 June 2027 – 12 June 2027 (religious restrictions on work/school) |
Judaism |
Shavuot |
|
16 June 2027 |
Sikhism |
Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji |
|
20 June 2027 |
Christianity (Orthodox) |
Pentecost |
|
**21 June 2027 |
Wicca/Paganism |
Litha |
|
21 June 2027 |
Indigenous Spirituality |
National Indigenous People’s Day (Canada) |
|
*15 June 2027 |
Islam |
ʻĀshūrā' |
| July 2027 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
|
*10 July 2027 (religious restrictions on work/school) |
Bahá'í |
Martyrdom of the Báb |
| August 2027 | ||
| Date | Faith | Festival |
|
**1 August 2027 |
Wicca/Paganism |
Lammas |
|
6 August 2027 |
Christianity |
Feast of the Transfiguration |
|
*12 August 2027 |
Judaism |
Tisha B'Av |
|
*13 August 2027 |
Islam |
Mawlid al-Nabīy |
|
**17 August 2027 |
Hinduism |
Raksha Bandhan |
|
24 August 2027 |
Zoroastrianism |
Birth Anniversary of Zarathustra |
|
**25 August 2027 |
Hinduism |
Krishna Janmashtami |
|
25 August 2027 |
Hinduism |
Sri Krishna Jayanti |