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Religious Holidays & Observances Calendar

Listed below are many of the religious holidays observed by members of the STLCC community.

The Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis assisted with reviewing the religious observances included in this 2022 calendar. Here you will find dates and descriptions of major religious holidays for the Bahá’i Faith, Buddhism, Christian Science, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Orthodox Christianity, Protestant Christianity, Roman Catholicism, and Sikhism. Brief descriptions of each holiday are also included. Many communities begin observances at sundown, which are noted. Lunar holidays may vary based on sighting the new moon.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive and individual practices may vary.

Fall 2022

Aug. 6

Tisha B’Av • Judaism

Mourns the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem.

Aug. 8

Ashura (begins at sundown) • Islam

10th day of the month of Muharram; celebrates Moses' exodus from Egypt. For Shia Muslims, it marks the end of the Remembrance of Muharram.

Aug. 11

Raksha Bandhan • Hinduism

Celebrates the loving ties between siblings.

Aug. 18

Sri Krishna Janmashtami • Hinduism

Celebrates the birth of Krishna, an incarnation of the god Vishnu.

Aug. 24

Paryushana Parva • Jainism

Eight-day festival celebrating the human soul and its capacity for moral accomplishment.

Aug. 30

Ganesh Chaturthi • Hinduism

Celebrates the birth of Ganesh, the elephant deity.

Sept. 1

Samvatsari • Jainism

"Forgiveness Day," the last day of the Paryushana festival, is the most important holy day for Jains; on it, Jains seek forgiveness for their faults.

Sept. 1

Gur-Gaddi Guru Granth Sahib • Sikhism

Celebrates Sri Guru Granth Sahib as the eternal Guru of mankind.

Sept. 25          

Rosh Hashanah (begins at sundown) • Judaism

The Jewish New Year, the beginning of ten days of penitence culminating in Yom Kippur. A customary greeting is shanah tovah or "happy new year!"

Sept. 26      

Navaratri • Hinduism

Nine-day festival celebrating good's victory over evil and Devi, the divine feminine.

Oct. 4

Yom Kippur (begins at sundown) • Judaism

The Day of Atonement; a very solemn day devoted to fasting, prayer, and repentance. One appropriate thing to say to someone observing Yom Kippur is "Have an easy fast."

Oct. 4

Vijaya Dastami • Hinduism

The final day of the festival of Navaratri

Oct. 9

Sukkot (begins at sundown) • Judaism

A week-long harvest festival commemorating when the Israelites lived in temporary booths (sukkah) during their 40-year journey in the Sinai desert.

Oct. 16

Simchat Torah (begins at sundown) • Judaism

On Simchat Torah, Jews celebrate finishing the annual reading of the Torah and begin a new cycle. Celebrations include a procession of the Torah around the synagogue.

Oct. 24

Diwali • Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism

Indian festival of lights commemorating the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. You can wish those celebrating a "Happy Diwali!"

Oct. 25

Birth of Báb(begins at sundown) • Baháʼí Faith

Commemorates the birth of the Báb, predecessor to the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. With the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, celebrated as the Twin Holy Days.

Oct. 26

Birth of Bahá’u’lláh (begins at sundown) • Baháʼí Faith 

Commemorates the birth of Bahá’u’lláh, founder of the Baháʼí faith.

Oct. 31

Reformation Sunday • Protestant Christianity

Commemorates the beginning of the Reformation movement in 1517.

Nov. 1

AAll Saints Day • Roman Catholic and Protestant Christianity 

Day to honor all the Saints in the Christian tradition.

Nov. 2

All Souls Day • Roman Catholic Christianity

Commemorates all the faithful departed.

Nov. 8

Prakash Utsav Guru Nanak Dev Ji • Sikhism

Also known as also Gurpurab, the birthday of the founder and First Guru of the Sikhs is one of the most important Sikh holidays.

Nov. 24

Thanksgiving Day Service • Christian Science

Christian Scientists traditionally celebrate a Thanksgiving morning prayer service focused on gratitude, in keeping with the example set by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church.

Nov. 27

Advent Sunday • Roman Catholic & Protestant Christianity 

Marks the beginning of Advent, the season leading up to Christmas.

Nov. 28     

Martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur Ji • Sikhism

Marks the death of the ninth Sikh guru who died supporting religious freedom.

Dec. 8

Bodhi Day • Buddhism

Celebrates the day that the Buddha experienced enlightenment.

Dec. 8

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception • Roman Catholic Christianity 

Commemorates the immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Roman Catholicism.

Dec. 12

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe • Roman Catholic Christianity

Commemorating the 1531 apparition of Mary in Meso-America in the Roman Catholic Tradition, this feast day has particular importance for Latin Catholics.

Dec. 18

Hanukkah / Chanukah (begins at sundown) • Judaism

Hanukkah commemorates the liberation and "rededication" of the Temple in Jerusalem in 164 B.C.E. Modern celebrations of Hanukkah include the lighting of the Hanukkah menorah.

Dec. 24

Christmas Eve • Roman Catholic & Protestant Christianity, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Celebrates the arrival of Mary & Joseph in Bethlehem.

Dec. 25

Christmas Day • Roman Catholic & Protestant Christianity, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Celebrates the birth of Jesus. You can with those celebrating a “Merry Christmas!”

Dec. 26

Kwanzaa • Black American Cultural Holiday

Celebration of Black American culture and heritage. Sometimes the holiday is celebrated in the Caribbean or other areas where there are a great number of descendants of Africans. It was created as a holiday both non-political and non-religious.

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