Accommodating Religious and Cultural Practices

Swarthmore College values and works to cultivate a culture of inclusion, mutual respect and belonging for all campus community members from a variety of faith traditions and cultures. 

Towards that effort, we encourage all faculty, staff and students to consult this calendar of religious celebrations and dates of note when planning for course curriculum and programming for the community. We ask all members of the Swarthmore community to please 

  • Be aware of these holidays when planning due dates and major events.

  • Attempt to accommodate those who may need time off for religious observances on and around these dates.

  • Be sensitive to those observing holidays who may be fasting (e.g., for Yom Kippur, Ramadan, Ash Wednesday, and Good Friday).

 

Academic Year 2026-27 Major Religious Holidays

Please keep in mind that members of our community may observe other holidays not included on this list, and we hope that their observances will be accommodated as well. In addition, due to the lunar calendar of some holidays, and differences among cultures and sects within single religions, there may be some variations in when observances occur. 

Start Date

End Date

Name of Observance

Faith Tradition

Possible Types of Observance/Accommodations

July 22July 23Tisha B'AvJudaismFasting, Possible work restriction
     
August 15 The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin MaryCatholicism and Orthodox ChristianityWork restriction
August 25August 26Mawlid

Islam-Sunni

Islam-Shi'i

Work restriction
     
September 4September 5Krishna JanmashtamiHinduismWork restriction, Fasting, Late night worship, Avoid scheduling events and deadlines
September 11September 13Rosh Hashanah (High Holiday)JudaismFood accommodations, Work restriction, Avoid scheduling events and deadlines
September 14September 15Ganesh ChaturthiHinduismFasting, Food accommodations
September 20September 21Yom Kippur (High Holiday)JudaismFasting, Work restriction, Avoid scheduling events and deadlines
September 25October 2SukkotJudaismWork restriction, Avoid scheduling events and deadlines
     
October 2October 4Shemini Atzeret/Simchat TorahJudaismWork restriction, Avoid scheduling events and deadlines, Food accommodations
October 11October 19Navarātrī/Durga PujaHinduismLate night worship, Food accommodations
     
November 6November 10Diwali/Deepawali/Divali/Bandi Chhor DivasHinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, BuddhismWork restriction, Avoid scheduling events and deadlines
November 10November 11Birth of Báb/Birth of BaháúllahBaháʼíWork restriction
November 24 Guru Nanak Jayanti/GurpurabSikhismWork restriction
November 24 Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur SahibSikhismWork restriction
     
December 4December 12HanukkahJudaismSpecial worship
December 8 Solemnity of the Immaculate ConceptionCatholicismWork restriction
December 24December 25Christmas (Julian Calendar)ChristianityAvoid scheduling events and deadlines
     
2027
January 1 Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of GodChristianityWork restriction
January 1January 3Gantan-saiShintoWork restriction
January 6January 7Christmas (Gregorian Calendar)Orthodox/Apostolic ChurchWork restriction
January 15 Makara Saṅkrānti/PongalHinduismLate night worship
     
February 7March 10RamadanIslamFasting, Late night worship, Avoid scheduling events and deadlines during sunrise/down, Food accommodations
February 10March 25Lenten Season (Julian Calendar)ChristianityFood accommodations
February 10 Ash WednesdayChristianityFasting, Food accommodations
February 20 Lunar New YearConfucian, Taoist, BuddhistWork restriction
     
March 2March 20‘Alá’/Nineteen Day FastBaháʼíFasting, Avoid scheduling events and deadlines during sunrise/down
March 5March 6Laylat al-QadrIslamFasting, Late night worship
March 6March 7Mahāśivarātrī/Shiv RatriHinduismPossible work restriction, Fasting, Late night worship
March 9March 10Eid-al-Fitr/ End of RamadanIslamWork restriction, Avoid major scheduling/deadlines, Food accommodations
March 10 Shri Ramakrishna JayantiHinduismWork restriction
March 15May 2Lenten Season/Great Lent (Gregorian Calendar)Orthodox ChristianityFood accommodations
March 20March 21Naw-Rúz/Nowruz/NavrozZoroastrianism, Baháʼí, IslamWork restriction
March 25March 27Holy Thursday/Good Friday/Holy Saturday (Gregorian Calendar)ChristianityFasting, Late night worship
March 28 Easter Sunday (Gregorian Calendar)ChristianityLate night worship, Avoid scheduling events and deadlines
     
April 7April 15NavarātrīHinduismFood Accommodations
April 14 Vaisakhī/BaisakhiSikhism, Hinduism, BuddhismPossible work restriction
April 15 Ram NavamiHinduismFasting
April 19 Mahavir JayantiJainismFasting
April 20April 211st day of RidvanBaháʼíWork restriction
April 21April 29PassoverJudaismWork restriction, Avoid scheduling events and deadlines, Food accommodations
April 28April 299th day of RidvanBaháʼíWork restriction
April 29May 1Holy Thursday/Good Friday/Holy Saturday (Julian Calendar)ChristianityLate night worship, Food accommodations
     
May 1May 212th day of RidvanBaháʼíWork restriction
May 2 Pascha/Easter (Julian Calendar)ChristianityLate night worship
May 16May 17Eid al-AdhaIslamWork restriction, Avoid major scheduling/deadlines, Food accommodations
May 20Varies by regionVesak/Wesak/Vaiśākha PūrṇimaBuddhismWork restriction
May 24 Declaration of BábBaháʼíWork restriction
May 29 Ascension of Baha’u’llahBaháʼíWork restriction
     
June 10June 12ShavuotJudaismWork restriction, Avoid major scheduling/deadlines, Food accommodations
June 14June 15AshuraIslamPossible work restriction/fasting
June 16 Martyrdom of Guru ArjanSikhismWork restriction
     
July 10 Martyrdom of the BábBaháʼíWork restriction
     
August 11August 12Tisha B'AvJudaismFasting

For more information, please consult the Swarthmore College Cultural and Religious Observance Policy.

For more information regarding spiritual support and resources, please visit the Swarthmore College Interfaith Center website.