RELIGION BINDER UPDATES
2015-2016
Islamic Holy Days
Dates are Approximate / 2015-2016School Year / 2016-2017
School Year / 2017-2018
School Year
First Day of Ramadan / June 6, 2016 / May 27, 2017 / May 16, 2018
Eid-ul-Fitr / July 5, 2016 / June 25, 2017 / June 15, 2018
Eid-ul-Adha / September 23, 2015 / September 11, 2016 / August 22, 2018
Ashura (Shia) / October 23, 2015 / October 11, 2016 / September 20, 2018
Pilgrimage (Hajj)
Beliefs and Practices
Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is compulsory for every Muslim who can afford it and is able to go at least one in their lifetime.
School Accommodation
Students, whose families are traveling to Mecca, should be accommodated. Consideration should also be given to accommodating staff.
Ramadan
Fasting during Ramadan
Beliefs and Practices
The month of Ramadan lasts for 29 or 30 days, depending on the lunar calendar. During Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink from the break of dawn to sunset. Ramadan is a continued period of enhanced commitment to self-restraint, and a time to focus on moral conduct. Fasting is required when children reach the age of puberty. However, younger children are encouraged by their parents to participate in the fast so they may become accustomed to the practice. Women and girls who are menstruating are exempt from fasting. Certain persons may be exempt from fasting for health or medical reasons.
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Jewish holy days that don’t require accommodation:
Chanukah (The Festival of Dedication or Festival of Lights)
This commemoration goes back to the time when the Greek-Syrians, who ruled over the entire Middle East region, sought to prevent the Jews from observing their religion. In a series of battles led by Judah the Maccabee and his brothers, the Jews emerged victorious and re-established Jewish observance in the land.
Purim (The Feast of Lots)
Purim commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people who lived in the Persian Empire from the anti-Semitic Prime Minister Haman who plotted to annihilate the Jewish population.
Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)
Yom HaShoah is a time of communal reflection, sadness, and loss as the six million Jews who were murdered by Hitler and the Nazis between 1939 and 1945 are remembered.
Yom HaAtzmaut (Israeli Independence Day)
Yom HaAtzmaut celebrates the rebirth of the State of Israel in1948.
4 YEAR CALENDAR OF JEWISH HOLIDAYS
2015-2016 / 2016-2017 / 2017-2018 / 2018-2019Rosh Hashanah / Sept. 14 / Oct. 3 / Sept. 21 / Sept. 10
Yom Kippur / Sept. 23 / Oct. 12 / Sept. 30 / Sept. 19
Sukkot (first day) / Sept. 28 / Oct. 17 / Oct. 5 / Sept. 24
Shemini Atzeret / Oct. 5 / Oct. 24 / Oct. 12 / Oct. 1
Simchat Torah / Oct. 6 / Oct. 25 / Oct. 13 / Oct. 2
Hanukkah (1st day) / Dec. 7 / Dec. 25 / Dec. 13 / Dec. 3
Tu B’Shevat / Jan. 25 / Feb. 11 / Jan, 31 / Jan. 30
Purim / Mar. 24 / Mar. 12 / Mar. 1 / March 21
Passover (last 2 nights) / Apr. 29-30 / Apr. 17-18 / Apr. 6-7 / April 20-21
Pesach 1st and 2nd / Apr. 23-24 / Apr. 11-12 / Mar 30-31 / April 26-27
Shavuot / June 11 / June 1 / May 20 / June 9-10
Lag Ba’Omer / May 26 / May 14 / May 3 / May 23
Fast of Tishabuv / Aug. 14 / Aug. 1 / July 22 / Aug. 10
Eve of Rosh Hashanah / Sept. 13 / Oct. 2 / Sept. 20 / Sept. 10
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Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji
On this holy day, Sikhs remember those who have suffered for their faith and the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, who sacrificed his life for religious expression. Guru Arjan Dev Ji built the Golden Temple at Amritsar and compiled the Adi Granth, the Sikh scriptures.
Parkash
Parkash celebrates the introduction of the Adi Granth to the Golden Temple.
Investiture of Guru Granth Sahib (Eternal)
This holy day celebrates the passing on of the guruship from 10 living gurus to the eternal Guru, Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book.
Bandi Chhor Divas
This holy day celebrates the release of the sixth guru, Guru Hargobind Ji, and 52 other religious prisoners of various faiths from jail, and the Guru’s subsequent journey to the holy city of Amritsar. This day coincides with the Hindu festival of Divalhi.
Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji
Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji sacrificed his life for freedom of religious expression and in the protest against forced conversion of Hindus to another faith.
School Accommodation
Scheduling of all school and school-related activities should take Sikh holy days into account. In the case of a conflict with assignments, exams, and major tests, Sikh students should be accommodated.
Holy days that most Sikhs will be absent from school:
Date / Date / DateBirthday of Guru Gobind Singh / January 5, 2015 / January 5, 2016 / January 5, 2017
Baisakhi Day / April 14, 2015 / April 13, 2016 / April 14, 2017
Birthday of Guru Nanak / November 25, 2015 / November 14, 2016 / November 4, 2017
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APPENDIX 2
Religious Holy Days
2015-2016
This summary of Religious Holy Days is adapted from the Multicultural Calendar 2015-2016, which was developed through consultation with Creative Cultural Communications; a non-profit organization.
Schools and workplaces may wish to use this Calendar as a general guide to the observances of members of their diverse school communities. It is provided for information only, and the dates listed correspond to the academic calendar year 2015-2016. While the names of the observances will remain the same, the dates for solar and other calendars will change from year to year.
Schools are reminded to follow collective agreements for the granting of requests for leave from members of staff.
For more detailed information please refer to the monthly “Multicultural Calendar” distributed to each school through the Diversity Office. To obtain a copy or for more information, please contact the Diversity Office at 255-3200 ext. 10213.
Summary by Faith of Religious Holy Days
September 2015 to August 2016
(Capitalized days are the most important, and some people may abstain from work. Some dates are approximate because they are determined based on the lunar calendar)
Religious Denomination / Holy Days / Dates Noted are Year 2015-2016 Observances (for subsequent years, check the Multicultural Calendar)BAHÁ’Í (All holy days begin at sunset the day before the date listed, and end at sundown on the date listed) / The Birth of the Báb
The Birth of Bahá’u’lláh
The Day of the Covenant
Ascension of Abdu’l-Bahá
Intercalary Days
Alá—The Bahá’í Fast
Now Ruz (New Year)
RIDVAN BEGINS
Declaration of the Báb
Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh
Martyrdom of the Báb / November 13, 2015
November 14, 2015
November 26, 2015
November 28, 2015
February 26 – 29, 2016
March 1-19, 2016
March 21, 2016
May 24, 2016
May 29, 2016
July 10, 2016
BUDDHISM / Pavarana
Kathina
CHINESE NEW YEAR
Wesak
Wassana* / October 24, 2015*
November 8, 2015*
FEBRUARY 8, 2016
May 20, 2016
July 2, 2016
CHRISTIAN
Occidental calendar (Gregorian)
Coptic & Eastern Orthodox (Julian) Calendar
Christian – Mormon / All Saints’ Day
All Souls Day
First Sunday of Advent
St. Nicholas Day
Christmas Day
Epiphany
Three Kings Day
Christmas – Armenia
Candlemas Day
Shrove Tuesday
Ash Wednesday (Lent Begins)
St. Joseph’s Day
Annunciation
Palm Sunday
Maundy Thursday
GOOD FRIDAY
Easter
Easter Monday
St. George’s Day
Ascension
Pentecost
Assumption
Theophany
Christmas
New Year
Timket (Ethiopian Orthodox)
Great Lent Begins
Holy Thursday
HOLY FRIDAY
Pasha/Easter
Easter Monday
Ascension
Pentecost
Joseph Smith’s Birthday
Organization of the Church
Pioneer Day / November 1, 2015
November 2, 2015
November 29, 2015
December 6, 2015
December 25, 2015
January 6, 2016
January 6, 2016
January 6, 2016
February 2, 2016
February 9, 2016
February 10, 2016
March 19, 2016
March 25, 2016
March 20, 2016
March 24, 2016
March 25, 2016
March 27, 2016
March 28, 2016
April 25, 2016
May 5, 2016
May 15 , 2016
August 15, 2016
January 6, 2016
January 7, 2016
January 14, 2016
January 20, 2016
March 14, 2016
April 28, 2016
April 29, 2016
May 1, 2016
May 2, 2016
June 9, 2016
June 19, 2016
December 23, 2015
April 6, 2016
July 24, 2016
HINDUISM / Navratri
Durga Puja
Dussehra
DIWALI
Lohri
Makar Sankranti
Saraswati Puja
Vasant Panchami
Shivaratri
Holi
Ram Navami
Baisakhi
Raksha Bandhan / October 13-21st, 2015
October 22, 2015
October 22, 2015
NOVEMBER 11, 2015
January 13, 2016
January 14, 2016
February 12, 2016
February 13, 2016
March 8, 2016
March 23, 2016
April 15, 2016
April 14, 2016
August 18, 2016
ISLAM
Islam Ismaili / Day of Hajj (Day of Arafat)
EID-UL-ADHA
First Day of Muharram (New Year)
ASHURA
Eid-Maulad-un-Nabi
First Day of Ramadan
Laylat al-Qadr
EID-UL-FITR
Aga Khan’s Birthday
Now Ruz
Imamat Day / September 22, 2015
SEPTEMBER 23, 2015
October 13, 2015
October 24, 2015
December 12, 2015
June 6, 2016
July 1, 2016
JULY 5, 2016
December 13, 2015
March 21, 2016
July 11, 2016
JAINISM / Ananta Chaturdasi
Ksamavani
Mahavira Nirvana
Lokashah Jayanti
Mahavira Jayanti
Akshaya Tritya / September 26, 2015
September 27, 2015
November 11, 2015
November 25, 2015
March 30, 2016
May 9, 2016
JUDAISM (All holy days begin at previous sundown)
*Some Jews may abstain
from work / ROSH HASHANAH
YOM KIPPUR
Sukkot
Shemini Atzeret
Simchat Torah
Hanukkah
Purim
PESACH/ PASSOVER
Yom HaShoah
Shavuot
Tisha B’av / OCTOBER 3-4, 2015
OCTOBER 12, 2015
October 17-23, 2015
October 24, 2015
October 25, 2015
December 7-14, 2015
March 24, 2016
April 23-30, 2016
May 5, 2016
June 12-13, 2016
August 14, 2016
SHINTO / Shubun no hi (Autumn Equinox Day)
Tohji-Tasai (Ceremony of Winter Solstice)
Gantan-Sai (New Year)
Shunki-Sorei-Sai (Spring Equinox)
Oh-Harai-Taisai (Grand Purification Ceremony) / September 22, 2015
December 22, 2015
January 1, 2016
March 20, 2016
July 30, 2016
SIKHISM (The old lunar calendar is Bikarami, the new solar calendar is Nanakshahi). The dates are mostly Nanakshahi unless otherwise indicated. / DIWALI
Guru Nanak’s Birthday
Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur
Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday
Lohri
Holi
Hola Mohalla (Bikarami)
BAISAKHI
Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji / November 11, 2015
November 25, 2015
November 24, 2015
January 5, 2016
January 14, 2016
March 23, 2016
March 24, 2016
APRIL 14, 2016
June 16, 2016
WICCA / Mabon (Harvestide)
Samhain
Yule
Imbolc
Ostara
Beltane
Litha
Lammas / September 23, 2015
October 31, 2015
December 21, 2015
February 2, 2016
March 20, 2016
May 1, 2016
June 21, 2016
August 1, 2016
ZOROASTRIANISM / Death of Prophet Zarathustra
Gahambar Maidyarem
Gahambar Hamaspathmaedem*
NOW RUZ (New Year – Fasli)
Birthday of Prophet Zarathustra
Gahambar Maidyozarem
Gahambar Maidyoshem*
Fravardeghan
NOW RUZ (Shenshai) / December 26, 2015
December 31, 2015 – Jan. 4, 2016
March 16 – March 20, 2016
March 21, 2016
March 28, 2016
April 30 – May 4, 2016
June 29 – July 3, 2016
August 8 – August 17, 2016
August 18, 2016