Holy days

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). This is not a conclusive list, and additional documentation may be requested from the student to demonstrate a religious commitment.

  • 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 the current academic year

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).

* 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 2023

September
Date Faith Festival
September 16 *, 2023 - September 17, 2023 Judaism Rosh Hashanah *
September 19, 2023 Hinduism Ganesh Chaturthi
September 23 **, 2023 Paganism Mabon **
September 25 *, 2023 Judaism Yom Kippur *
September 27 *, 2023 Islam Mawlid al-Nabi *
September 29, 2023 - October 14, 2023 Hinduism Pitru Paksha

September 30 *, 2023 - October 6, 2023

September 30 and October 1 are the religious days where students would not attend class, work etc.

Judaism Sukkot *
October
Date Faith Festival
October 7 *, 2023 Judaism Shemini Atzeret *
October 8 *, 2023 Judaism Simchat Torah * (Rejoicing of the Law) 
October 16 *, 2023 Baha'i The Birth of the Báb *
October 17 *, 2023 Baha'i The Birth of the Bahá'ulláh *
October 20, 2023 Sikhism Installation of the Guru Granth Sahib
October 20, 2023– October 24, 2023 Hinduism Durga Puja
October 24, 2023 Hinduism Dassehra
October 28, 2023 Hinduism Sharad Purnima
November
Date Faith Festival
November 1, 2023 Christianity All Saints' Day
November 1 **, 2023 Paganism Samhain **
November 12, 2023 Hinduism/Sikhism Diwali
November 24, 2023 Sikhism Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji
November 26 *, 2023 Baha'i Day of the Covenant *
November 27, 2023 Sikhism Birth date of Guru Nanak Dev Ji
November 28, 2023 Baha'i Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
December
Date Faith Festival
December 3, 2023 Christianity First Day of Advent
December 8 *, 2023 - December 15, 2023 Judaism Hanukkah *
December 22 **, 2023 Paganism Yule **
December 25 *, 2023 Christianity Christmas *

Holy Days 2024

January
Date Faith Festival
January 1, 2024 Shinto Gantan-Sai
January 6, 2024 Christianity Epiphany
January 6, 2024 Christianity (Orthodox, New Calendar) Theophany
January 7 **, 2024 Christianity (Orthodox, Old Calendar) Feast of the Nativity **
January 13, 2024 Sikhism Maghi
January 14, 2024 Hinduism Makar Sankranti
January 18, 2024 - January 25, 2024 Christianity Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
January 25 *, 2024 Judaism Tu B'Shvat *
February
Date Faith Festival
February 2 *, 2024 Paganism Imbolc *
February 8 *, 2024 Islam Laylat al-Mi'rāj *
February 10 **, 2024 Buddhism Chinese/Vietnamese/Korean New Year **
February 14, 2024 Christianity Ash Wednesday
February 14, 2024 Hinduism Vasanta Panchami
February 25 *, 2024 Islam Laylat al Baraat *
March
Date Faith Festival
March 12, 2024 Islam First of Ramadan
March 18, 2024 Christianity (Orthodox) Great Fast Begins
March 20 **, 2024 Paganism Ostara **
March 20 *, 2024 Baha'i Naw-Rúz *
March 21, 2024 Zoroastrianism Nowruz
March 24, 2024 - March 30, 2024  Christianity Holy Week
March 24, 2024 Christianity  Palm Sunday
March 24, 2024 Judaism  Purim *
March 25 **, 2024 Hinduism/Sikhism Holi **
March 26, 2024 Zoroastrianism Birth Anniversary of Prophet Zarathustra
March 29, 2024 Christianity Good Friday
March 31, 2024 Christianity Easter
April
Date Faith Festival
April 6 *, 2024 Islam Laylat al-Qadr *
April 10 *, 2024 Islam ʻĪd al-Fiṭr *
April 13 **, 2024 Sikhism Vaisakhi **
April 17 **, 2024 Hinduism Rama Navami **
April 18, 2024 Sikhism Birthday of Guru Angad Dev
April 20*, 2024 Baha'i First day of the Festival of Riḍván *

April 23 *, 2024 - April 30, 2024

April 23-24 and April 29-30 are the religious days where students would not attend class, work, use electronics, etc.

Judaism Pesach (Passover) *
April 28 *, 2024 Baha'i Ninth Day of Riḍván *
April 28, 2024 Christianity (Eastern Orthodox) Palm Sunday
May
Date Faith Festival
May 1 **, 2024 Baha'i Twelfth day of Riḍván *
May 1 **, 2024 Paganism Beltane *
May 3, 2024 Christianity (Orthodox) Good Friday
May 5, 2024 Christianity (Orthodox) Pascha (Easter)
May 6 *, 2024 Judaism Yom HaShoah *
May 19, 2024 Christianity Pentecost
May 23 *, 2024 Baha'i Declaration of the Báb *
May 28 *, 2024 Baha'i Ascension of the Bahá'u'lláh *
June
Date Faith Festival
June 10, 2024 Sikhism Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji
June 12 *, 2024 - June 13, 2024 Judaism Shavuot *
June 16 *, 2024 Islam Day of Hajj (Day at ‘Arafāt) *
June 17 *, 2024 - June 20, 2024 Islam ʻĪd al-’Aḍḥá *
June 20 **, 2024 Paganism Litha **
June 21, 2024 Indigenous Spirituality National Indigenous People’s Day (Canada)
July
Date Faith Festival
July 7 *, 2024 Islam First of Muharram *
July 9 *, 2024 Baha'i Martyrdom of the Báb *
July 16 *, 2024 Islam ʻĀshūrā’ *
August
Date Faith Festival
August 1 **, 2024 Paganism Lammas **
August 6, 2024 Christianity Feast of the Transfiguration Celebration
August 13 *, 2024 Judaism Tish'a B'Av *
August 19 **, 2024 Hinduism Raksha Bandhan **
August 26 **, 2024 Hinduism Sri Krishna Jayanti **
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