Religious and Spiritual Observance Calendar

Oregon State University (OSU) has created a calendar illustrating observances shared by members of the OSU community.

The calendar is a pilot that seeks to serve multiple purposes:

  • as a valuable resource for OSU leadership when making decisions regarding important OSU dates, deadlines, and timelines  
  • a useful tool for supervisors and teaching faculty when creating work schedules and course calendars  

The calendar was originally drafted by a Taskforce of OSU faculty/staff, students, and community members that were charged with evaluating what other universities provide their various communities, identifying specific religious holidays relevant to OSU community members, and gathering feedback from stakeholders.  

The calendar is not exhaustive of all observances celebrated by OSU community members and is intended to be an illustrative example;  Faculty and supervisors are reminded that accommodations should be considered for all observances, whether or not they appear on the calendar. If you would like to see a religious observance to be considered for addition to this list, please contact [email protected]. 

We request that faculty work with all undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of learning modality, as outlined in OSU’s Religious Accommodation of Students Policy. It is incumbent on the student making the request to notify their faculty member or supervisor as soon as possible prior to the need for accommodation, although we recognize that holidays closely aligned with the start of a term may make that difficult. Students should work directly with their faculty member on these requests, and we ask that faculty provide reasonable accommodations to allow for the completion of any missed course deliverables. Faculty and staff can approve requests for religious accommodations without consultation, but must first contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access before denying a request.

Key - Observation Listing Format:

  • Holy Day (Tradition): Date

2025

  • August
    • Uposatha (Buddhist day of observance): 8/2, 8/9, 8/17, 8/23, 8/31
    • Paryushana Parva (Jain) – 8/21/25 through 8/28/25
  • September
    • Uposatha (Buddhist day of observance): 9/7, 9/15, 9/22, 9/30
    • Rosh Hoshana (Jewish): 9/22 – 9/24
    • Navrati (Hindu): 9/22 – 9/30
  • October
    • Vijayadashami/Dussehra (Hindu): 10/1
    • Diwali - Festival of Lights (Hindu): 10/20
    • Birth of Bahá’u’lláh (Baháʼí): 10/23
    • Uposatha (Buddhist day of observance): 10/7, 10/15, 10/21, 10/29
    • Yom Kippur (Jewish): 10/1 & 10/2
    • Indigenous Peoples’ Day (National Holiday): 10/13
    • Sukkot (Jewish): 10/6 – 10/13
    • Shemini Atzeret (Jewish): 10/13 – 10/15
    • Simchat Torah (Jewish): 10/14 – 10/15
    • Jain New Year (Jain): 10/21
    • Samhain (Pagan): 10/31
  • November
    • Guru Nanak Jayanti (Sikh): 11/5
    • Day of the Covenant (Bahá’í): 11/25
    • Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (Bahá’í): 11/27
    • Uposatha (Buddhist day of observance): 11/5, 11/13, 11/20, 11/28
  • December
    • Uposatha (Buddhist day of observance): 12/5, 12/13, 12/19, 12/27
    • Rohatsu or Bodhi Day (Buddhist): 12/8
    • Hanukkah (Jewish): 12/14-12/22
    • Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (Catholic): 12/8
    • Yule – Winter Solstice (Pagan): starts: 12/21
    • Christmas (Christian): 12/25
    • Zartosht No-Diso (Zoroastrian): 12/26

2026

  • January
    • Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Catholic): 1/1
    • Uposatha (Buddhist day of observance): 1/3, 1/11, 1/18, 1/26
    • Feast of the Nativity (Orthodox Christian): 1/7
  • February
    • Tu Bishvat (Jewish): 2/1 – 2/2
    • Nirvana Day (Buddhist): 2/15
    • Parinirvana Day (Buddhist): 2/25
    • Ramadan starts (Islam): 2/17
    • Uposatha (Buddhist day of observance): 2/2, 2/10, 2/16, 2/24
    • Ash Wednesday (Christian): 2/18
    • Lunar New Year (Various Asian nations): 2/17
  • March
    • Purim (Jewish): 3/2 – 3/3
    • Holi – Festival of Colors (Hindu): 3/4
    • Gudi Padwa/Ugadi (Hindu): 3/19
    • Eid al-Fitr (Islam): 3/19 & 3/20
    • Ramadan ends (Islam): 3/21
    • Naw-Rúz (Bahá’í, Zorastrian, Sufi): 3/21
    • Birth of the Báb (Bahá’í): 3/21
    • Uposatha (Buddhist day of observance): 3/3, 3/11, 3/18, 3/26
  • April
    • Uposatha (Buddhist day of observance): 4/2, 4/10, 4/16, 4/24
    • Holy Thursday (Catholic): 4/2
    • Good Friday (Christian): 4/3
    • Easter (Christian): 4/5
    • Passover (Jewish): 4/1 – 4/9
    • Holy Friday (Orthodox Christian): 4/10
    • Pascha (Orthodox Christian): 4/12
    • Vaisakhi (Sikh): 4/14
  • May
    • Vesak (Buddhist): 5/1
    • Beltane (May Day): 5/1
    • Lag BaOmer (Jewish): 5/4 – 5/5
    • The Ascension (Catholic): 5/14
    • Declaration of the Báb (Bahá’í): 5/23
    • Eid al-Adha (Islam): 5/26 & 5/27
    • Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh: 5/29
    • Uposatha (Buddhist day of observance): 5/1, 5/9, 5/16, 5/24
    • Shavuot (Jewish): 5/21 – 5/23
  • June
    • Uposatha (Buddhist day of observance): 6/8, 6/14, 6/22, 6/29
  • July
    • Martyrdom of the Báb (Bahá’í): 7/9
    • Asalha Puja Day (Buddhist): 7/29
    • Uposatha (Buddhist day of observance): 7/7, 7/14, 7/22, 7/29
  • August
    • Uposatha (Buddhist day of observance): 8/6, 8/13, 8/21, 8/28