How Loyola schedules events affects climate and relates to our mission. Loyola recommends groups adopt an inclusive approach to scheduling their campus events. That means being mindful of faith traditions and also coordinating efforts with other groups so as not to unnecessarily compete or overlap.

Major Religious Holidays and Celebrations

A handy interfaith calendar of major holy days and observances. Please be sure to check the calendar before scheduling events to avoid unnecessary conflicts. Also be sure to check the events calendar to see what other groups have reserved space on or near your desired day.

Date (2023-2024)	Holiday	Tradition
Jun. 28	*Eid al Adha (begins at sundown)	Islamic
Jun. 29	*Eid al Adha (ends at sundown)	Islamic
Jul. 27	Ashura (begins at sundown)	Islamic
Jul. 28	Ashura (ends at sundown)	Islamic
Aug. 15	**The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary	Catholic
Sept. 15	*Rosh Hashanah (begins at sundown)	Jewish
Sept. 17	*Rosh Hashanah (ends at sundown)	Jewish
Sept. 24	*Yom Kippur (begins at sundown)	Jewish
Sept. 25	*Yom Kippur (ends at sundown)	Jewish
Sept. 29	*Sukkot (begins at sundown)	Jewish
Oct. 1	*Sukkot (ends at sundown)	Jewish
Oct. 6	*Shemini Atzeret (begins at sundown)	Jewish
Oct. 8	*Shemini Atzeret (ends at sundown)	Jewish
Oct. 16	*Birth of the Báb (begins at sundown)	Baha'i
Oct. 17	*Birth of the Báb            (ends at sundown)	Baha'i
Nov. 1	**All Saints Day	Catholic
Nov. 2	All Souls Day	Catholic
Dec. 8	**Feast of the Immaculate Conception	Catholic
Dec. 7	*Hanukkah (begins at sundown)	Jewish
Dec. 15	*Hanukkah (ends at sundown)	Jewish
Dec. 25	**Christmas	Christian
Dec. 26	Kwanzaa (begins at sundown)	Interfaith African-American
Jan. 1	Kwanzaa (ends at sundown)	Interfaith African-American
Jan. 24	*Tu BiShvat (begins at sundown)	Jewish
Jan. 25	*Tu BiShvat (ends at sundown)	Jewish
Feb.10	Chinese New Year	Confucian/Daoist/Buddhist
Mar. 10	Ramadan  (begins at sundown)	Islamic
Mar. 23	*Purim (begins at sundown)	Jewish
Mar. 24	*Purim (ends at sundown)	Jewish
Mar. 24	Palm Sunday	Christian
Mar. 28	Holy Thursday	Christian
Mar. 29	Good Friday	Christian
Mar. 31	**Easter Sunday	Christian
Apr. 9	Ramadan (ends at sundown)	Islamic
Apr. 10	*Eid al-Fitr (begins at sundown)	Islamic
Apr. 12	*Eid al-Fitr (ends at sundown)	Islamic
Apr. 22	*Pesach (Passover) (begins at sundown)	Jewish
Apr. 30	*Pesach (Passover) (ends at sundown)	Jewish
May. 5	Pascha (Greek Orthodox Easter)	Greek Orthodoxy
May 24	*Declaration of the Báb	Baha’i
May 27	*Ascension of Baha'u'llah (begins at 3 a.m.)	Baha'i
May 28	*Ascension of Baha'u'llah (ends at sundown)	Baha'i
Jun.11	*Shavuot (begins at sundown)	Jewish
Jun. 13	*Shavuot (ends at sundown)	Jewish

Please note:

• Holidays indicated in bold with an asterisk (*) require abstinence from all secular activity; i.e., homework, exams, field trips, class meetings, etc. While the other religious holidays may not necessarily require abstinence from all secular activity, some of them may involve fasting, a dietary change, or special celebrations that may occur during the day or the evening.
• Holidays indicated with a double asterisk (**) are Holy Days of Obligation for Catholics. In addition, all Sundays are Holy Days of Obligation. When the solemn feasts of Mary, the Mother of God (Jan. 1), the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin (Aug. 15), and All Saints (Nov. 1) fall on a Saturday or Monday, the obligation to attend Mass is abolished. Although the obligation to attend Holy Mass is abolished, parishes continue to observe these holy days by scheduling one or more masses at a convenient time so that those who wish to participate are able to do so.
• In the Jewish tradition, all work-related activities stop from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday to observe Shabbat (Sabbath).
• Islamic dates are approximate. The official days can be plus/minus one day and depend upon the official physical sighting of the new moon.
• According to the Eastern Orthodox Church calendar, the day begins after evening vespers at sunset and concludes with vespers on the following day. For this reason, the observance of all Eastern Orthodox holy days begins at sunset on the evening before the holy day.