RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS:
Policy and Calendar
Below find a memo sent from the University Provost and the University
Chaplain to all entering students explaining Lehigh University's "Accommodation
Policy" regarding religious holidays. A calendar of religious holidays
follows the policy statement.
RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS
Lehigh University seeks to extend hospitality to all persons regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, economic or social background. Diversity is valued at Lehigh, and the University is committed to assuring that all persons who enter this community are welcomed and respected.
People from a wide variety of religious traditions live and work at Lehigh, and over the years the University has developed policies that respect this diversity. Because Lehigh is non-sectarian and is not affiliated with any particular religious tradition, respect for religious life means that the University does not privilege one religious tradition over another. The University acknowledges that religious practices differ from tradition to tradition and that the demands of religious observance in some traditions may cause conflicts with student and work schedules. Like many other colleges and universities, Lehigh has adopted a policy to accommodate those who encounter conflicts between the demands of religious observance and the demands of work or study. This "accommodation policy" acknowledges the right of those who live and work and study at Lehigh to engage in religious observances, and the University is pledged to honor the exercise of that right.
This accommodation policy is particularly important with respect to religious holidays. The University publishes major religious holidays in its official calendar to alert faculty so that as they prepare their syllabi, they will not plan exams or other major course events on these dates. But not all holidays are published, and occasionally students who inform a faculty member that they will be absent from class due to religious observances will encounter a difficulty, perhaps with a new faculty member or a graduate teaching assistant who has not been fully informed about the religious accommodation policy. These problems are all resolvable. The university policy is to support the student who requests an absence due to the demands of religious observance. Of course, nothing in this policy exempts a student from meeting course requirements or completing assignments, so the student will have to negotiate with the instructor any make-up work.
If you encounter a schedule conflict with your course work due to the demands of religious observance, here is what you should do:
1. Talk with your instructor and indicate that you will be absent from class due to observance of religious holidays.
2. Arrange with the instructor to complete assignments.
3. If you run into difficulties, including a refusal to grant you an excused absence, please call the University Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd Steffen, at x83877 or e-mail him at lhs1. The Chaplain will speak with the faculty person, explain the accommodation policy adopted by the University and enforced by the Provost, and work to resolve any difficulties.
Religious holidays are posted on the Chaplain's web page at http://www.lehigh.edu/~incha/holidays.html
__________________________________
__________________________________
Mohamed S. El-Aasser Lloyd Steffen
Provost
University Chaplain
Religious Holidays
SPRING 2009
| JANUARY 2009 | ||
| 1 | Mary, Mother of God | Catholic Christian |
| Feast of St. Basil | Orthodox Christian | |
| Gantan-sai (New Years | Shinto | |
| 3 | Vasant Panchami ** | Hindu |
| 5 | Twelfth Night | Christian |
| Guru Gobinth Singh birthday | Sikh | |
| 6 | Epiphany | Christian |
| Feast of the Theophany | Orthodox Christian | |
| Dia de los Reyes | Christian | |
| 7 | Ashura *** | Islam |
| Nativity of Christ | Orthodox Christian | |
| 11 | Mahayana New Year ( 3 days) ** | Buddhist |
| 13 | Maghi | Sikh |
| 17 | Blessing of the Animals | Hispanic Christian |
| 18 | World Religion Day | Baha'i |
| Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins | Christian | |
| 25 | Conversion of St. Paul | Christian |
| 26 | Chinese New Year | Confucian/Daoist/Buddhist |
| FEBRUARY 2009 | ||
| 1 | Four Chaplains Sunday` | Interfaith USA |
| 2 | Candlemas | Christian |
| Presentation of Christ in the Temple | Anglican Christian | |
| Imbolc* (Northern Hemisphere) | Wicca | |
| Lughnassad (Southern Hemisphere) | Wicca | |
| 8 | Triodion begins | Orthodox Christian |
| 9 | Tu B'shvat | Jewish |
| 14 | Saint Valentine's Day | Christian |
| 15 | Nirvana Day ** | Buddhism |
| 21 | Saturday of Souls #1 | Orthodox Christian |
| 22 | Transfiguration Sunday | Christian |
| Meatfare Sunday | Orthodox Christian | |
| 23 | Maha Shivaratri ** | Hindu |
| 24 | Saint Matthew's Day | Christian |
| Shrove Tuesday | Christian | |
| 25 | Ash Wednesday --Lent Begins | Christian |
| 26 | Intercalary Days begin * | Baha'I |
| MARCH 2009 | ||
| 1 | Intercalary Days conclude * | Baha'i |
| Cheesefare Sunday | Orthodox Christian | |
| Four Chaplains Sunday | Chrisitan/Jewish Interfaith | |
| Saint David of Wales | Christian | |
| 2 | Lent begins (Clean Monday) | Orthodox Christian |
| 8 | Orthodox Sunday | Orthodox Christian |
| 9 | Mawlid an Nabi * ** | Islam |
| Clean Monday | Orthodox Christian | |
| 10 | Purim * | Jewish |
| 11 | Holi ** | Hindu |
| Hola Mohola | Sikh | |
| 17 | St. Patrick's Day | Christian |
| 21 | Vernal Equinox | |
| Ostara * (northern hemisphere) | Wicca | |
| Mabon * (southern hemisphere) | Wicca | |
| Norouz (New Year) | Persian/Zoroastrain | |
| Naw Ruz (New Year) | Baha'i | |
| 25 | Annunciation of Virgin Mary | Christian |
| 26 | Khordad Sal (Birth of Prophet Zaranhushtra) | Zoroastrian |
| 27 | New Year ** | Hindu |
| 29 | Passion Sunday ** | Christian |
| APRIL 2009 | ||
| 3 | Ramamavami ** | Hindu |
| 5 | Palm Sunday | Christian |
| 7 | Mahavir Jayanti ** | Jain |
| 9-10 | Pesach (Passover) first two days * | Jewish |
| 9-12 | Theravadin New Year ** | Buddhist |
| 9 | Lord's Evening Meal | Jehovah's Witness Christian |
| Maundy Thursday | Christian | |
| Hanumam Jayanti | Hindu | |
| 10 | Good Friday | Christian |
| 12 | Easter | Christian |
| 13 | Easter Monday | Christian |
| 14 | Baisakhi | Sikh |
| 15-16 | Pesach (Passover) final two days* | Jewish |
| 17 | Holy Friday | Orthodox Christain |
| 18 | Lazaarus Sunday | Orthodox Christian |
| 19 | Easter/Pascha | Orthodox Christian |
| 21 | Yom HaSho'ah * | Jewish |
| First Day of Ridvan | Baha'i | |
| 23 | Saint George's Day | Christian |
| 29 | Yom Ha'Azmaut * | Jewish |
| Ninth Day of Rivdan | Baha'i | |
| 30 | St. James the Great Day | Orthodox Christain |
| MAY 2009 | ||
| 1 | Beltane * (northern hemisphere) | Wicca |
| Samhain * (southern hemisphere) | Wicca | |
| 2 | Twelfth Day of Ridvan * | Baha'i |
| 9 | Buddha Day Visakha Puja - Vesak ** | Buddhist |
| 12 | Lag B'Omer * | Jewish |
| 21 | Ascension of Jesus | Christian |
| 23 | Declaration of the Bab | Baha'i |
| 28 | Ascension of Jesus | Orthodox Christian |
| 29-30 | Shavuuot * | Jewish |
| 29 | Ascension of Baha'ullah * | Baha'i |
| 31 | Pentecost | Christian |
| Lag B'Omer | Jewish |
| JUNE 2009 | ||
| 7th | Trinity | Christian |
| Pentecost | Orthodox Christian | |
| 11th | Corpus Christi | Catholic Christian |
| 9th | Saint Columba of Iona | Celtic Christian |
| 14th | All Saints | Orthodox Christian |
| 16th | Guru Arjan Dev Martyrdom | Sikh |
| 19th | Sacred Heart of Jesus | Catholic Christian |
| New Church Day | Swedenborgian Christian | |
| 21 | Summer Soltice | |
| Litha* (northern hemisphere) | Wicca | |
| Yule* (southern hemisphere) | Wicca | |
| First Nations Day | Canadian Native People | |
| 24 | Saint John the Baptist Birth | Christian |
| 28 | Saints Peter and Paul | Christian |
| JULY 2009 | ||
| 7 | Asalha Puja Day ** | Buddhist |
| 9 | Martyrdom of the Bab * | Baha'i |
| 11 | St. Benedict Day | Catholic Christian |
| 13 | Ulambana (Obon) ** | Buddhist |
| 15 | St. Vladimir's Day | Christian |
| 19 | Lailat al Miraj* ** | Islam |
| 23 | Haile Selassi I birthday | Rastafari |
| 24 | Pioneer Day | Mormon Christian |
| 25 | St. James the Great Day | Christian |
| 30 | Tisha B'Av * | Jewish |
FALL 2009
| AUGUST 2009 | ||
| 1 | Lammas | Christian |
| Fast in honor of the Holy Mother of Jesus | Orthodox Christian | |
| 2 | Lughnassad* | Wicca (northern hemisphere) |
| Imbolc* | Wicca (southern hemisphere) | |
| Fast in honor Holy Mother of Lord Jesus | Orthodox Christian | |
| 5 | Raksha Bandhan ** | Hindu |
| Lailat al Bara'ah* | Islam | |
| 6 | Transfiguration of The Lord | Orthodox Christian |
| 14 | Krishna Janmashtami ** | Hindu |
| 15 | Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary | Catholic Christian |
| Dormition of the Theotokos | Orthodox Christian | |
| 17 | Paryushana** | Jain |
| 22 | Ramadan begins * ** | Islam |
| 23 | Ganesa Chaturthi ** | Hindu |
| 25 | Assumption of the Virgin Mary | Catholic Christian |
| 29 | Beheading of John the Baptist | Christian |
SEPTEMBER 2009 |
||
| 1 | Church Year Begins | Orthodox Christian |
| 8 | Nativity of Mary | Christian |
| 14 | Elevation of the Life Giving Cross | Chrsitian |
| 16 | Laylat al Kadar | Islam |
| 19-20 | Rosh Hashanah* | Jewish |
| 19-27 | Navaratri ** | Hindu |
| 20 | Eid al Fitr* ** (Ramadan ends) | Islam |
| 22 | Autumnal Equinox | |
| Mabon * | Wicca (northern hemisphere) | |
| Ostara * | Wicca (southern hemisphere) | |
| 28 | Yom Kippur * | Jewish |
| Dasera ** | Hindu | |
| 29 | Michael and All Angels | Christian |
OCTOBER 2009 |
||
| 3-9 | Sukkot * (3-4) pimary obligation days | Jewish |
| 4 | St. Francis Day | Catholic Christian |
| 10 | Shemini Atzeret * | Jewish |
| 11 | Simchat Torah * | Hindu |
| 12 | Thanksgiving -- Canada | Interfaith - Canada |
| 17 | Diwali - Deepavali ** | Hindu - Jain |
| 20 | Installation of Scriptures as Guru Granth | Sikh |
| 25 | Reformation Day | Protestant Christian |
| 28 | Milvian Bridge Day | Christian |
| 29 | Birth of the Bab | Baha'i |
| 31 | All Hallows Eve | Christian |
|
NOVEMBER 2009 |
||
| 1 | All Saint's Day | Christian |
| Samhain * | Wicca (northern hemisphere) | |
| Beltane * | Wicca (southern hemisphere) | |
| 2 | All Soul's Day | Christian |
| Guru Nanek Dev Sahib birthday | Sikh | |
| 12 | Birth of Baha'u'llah | Baha'i |
| 15 | Nativity of Fast Begins (thourgh Dec. 24th) | Orthodox Christian |
| 22 | Christ the King | Christian |
| 24 | Guru Tegh Bahadur Martyrdom | Sikh |
| 25-28 | Hajj * | Islam |
| 26 | Day of Covenant *Christ the King Day | Baha'i |
| Thanksgiving | Interfaith - USA | |
| Waqf al Arafa - Hajj Day * ** | Islam | |
| 28 | Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha* | Baha'i |
| 29 | First Sunday of Advent | Christian |
| 30 | St. Andrew's Day |
Christian |
DECEMBER 2009 |
||
| Nov. 29, Dec. 5, 12, 19 | Sundays of Advent | Christian |
| 6 | Saint Nicholas Day | Christian |
| 8 | Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) ** | Buddhist |
| Immaculate Conception | Catholic Christian | |
| 12 | Feast Day - Our Lady of Guadalupe | Catholic Christian |
| Advent Fast begins | Orthodox Christian | |
| 12-19 | Hanukkah* | Jewish |
| 21 | Winter Solstice | |
| Yule | Christian | |
| Yule* | Wicca (northern hemisphere) | |
| Litha* | Wicca (southern hemisphere) | |
| 25 | Christmas | Christian |
| Feast of the Nativity** | Orthodox Christian | |
| 26 | Zarathosht Diso (Death of Prophet Zarathushtra) | Zoroastrain |
| 27 | Feast of the Holy Family | Catholic Christian |
| Ashura * | Islam | |
| 28 | Holy Innocents | Chrsitian |
| 31 | Watch Night | Christian |
* All Jewish and Bah'a'i holidays begin at sunset the previous
day. ** Hindu, Sikh, and Jain holidays are calculated on a lunar calendar
and are observed at different times in different regions.
Islamic Calendar: The Islamic Calendar
The Hindu Calendar: The Hindu Calendar
Roman Catholic Holy Days of Obligation:
January 1: Mary Mother of God
May 25: Ascension Thursday
August 15: Assumption
November 1: All Saints
December 8: Immaculate Conception
December 25: Christmas