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2011 MAJOR RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS
2004-10 | 2012 | 2013
March 21 Monday Naw-Ruz (Baha'i New Year) (follows fasting March 2-20)
April 19 Tuesday Passover (Slavery to Freedom) (1st of 8 days)
April 21 Thursday Ridvan begins (Festival commemorates declaration of Baha'u'llah in garden of Ridvan in Baghdad 1863) (12 days)
April 22 Friday Good Friday (Crucifixion of Jesus)
April 24 Sunday Easter (western) (Resurrection of Jesus)
April 24 Sunday Easter (Orthodox) (Resurrection of Jesus)
June 8 Wednesday Shavuot (Moses receives Ten Commandments) (1st day of 2)
August 1* Monday Ramadan begins (Month of Fasting) (30 days)
August 30* Tuesday Eid al-Fitr (Feast of Fast-breaking) Ramadan ends
September 29 Thursday Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) (1st day of 2)
October 8 Saturday Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
October 13 Thursday Sukkot (Celebrate harvest in small booths in desert)
(1st of 8 or 9)
October 26# Wednesday Diwali (Festival of Lights; Coronation of Lord Rama; worship of Mahalakshmi)
November 5* Saturday Eid Ul Adha (Feast of sacrifice, ending Hajj) (3 Days)
November 12 Saturday Birth of Baha'u'llah (Prophet-founder of Baha'i faith, b. 1817)
December 21 Wednesday Hanukkah begins (Festival of Lights) (1st of 8 days)
December 25 Sunday Christmas (Birth of Jesus)
December 26 Monday Kwanzaa (African-American cultural celebration)(1st day of 7)
  • All Jewish, Islamic and Baha'i holidays begin at sundown on the evening before the date given
  • (*) Islamic holidays are subject to the actual first sighting of the new crescent moon
  • (#) Hindu holidays are subject to change depending on the Hindu lunar calendar as interpreted in India and on local customs.
  • On the 9 Baha'i holy days, including the 3 listed here, work should be suspended.