RESOURCES
Explore resources about multi-faith and religious topics.
Religious observances
Concordia has a policy for students on the accomodation of religious observances.
If you have or might have a conflict between a religious observance and an academic requirement, the policy describes how to make a request for an accomodation and important deadlines.
If your religious observance conflicts with centrally-scheduled final exams, please advise the Exams Office prior to the deadline to report a conflict each term.
Calendar of religious observances
The calendars below list many religious holidays in the current academic year.
- Please note that some dates may vary — in some cases significantly — due to differences across communities, regions, time zones and calendar systems.
- The absence of a specific date on this list does not indicate that an observance is ineligible for accommodation.
- An asterisk next to the date means that the observance starts at sundown on the day prior to the listed date.
Get in touch if you have questions about these or other religious holidays and observances: mfsc@concordia.ca
Summer 2025
Date |
Observance |
Religion/Faith Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| May 1 | Baltane | Paganism & Wicca |
| May 12 | Wesak | Buddhism |
| June 2* - 3 | Shavuot | Judaism |
| June 6* - 10 | Eid el-Adha | Islam |
| August 3* | Tisha B'va | Judaism |
| August 16 | Krishna Janmashtami | Hinduism |
Fall 2025
Date |
Observance |
Religion/Faith Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| September 23* - 24 | Rosh Hashanah | Judaism |
| October 2* | Yom Kippur | Judaism |
| October 7* - 15 | Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, Simchat Torah | Judaism |
| October 20 | Diwali | Hinduism |
| October 20 | Diwali and Bandi Chhor Diwas | Sikhism |
| December 15* - 22 | Hannukkah | Judaism |
Winter 2026
Date |
Observance |
Religion/Faith Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| January 7 | Feast of Nativity/Orthodox Christmas | Christianity |
| February 17 | Lunar New Year | Budhhism (also Cultural) |
| February 17* - March 20 | Ramadan | Islam |
| February 18 | Ash Wednesday | Christianity |
| March 3* | Purim | Judaism |
| March 19* - 22 | Eid al-Fitr | Islam |
| March 20 | Naw Ruz/Nowruz | Baha'i & Zoroastrian |
| April 2* - 9 | Passover | Judaism |
| April 5 | Easter | Christianity (Catholic & Protestant) |
| April 10 | Holy Friday | Christianity (Orthodox) |
| April 12 | Pascha | Christianity (Orthodox) |
| April 14 | Vaisakhi | Sikhism & Hinduism |
Interfaith resources
Tips for multi-faith engagement: Religion.
It’s ok to ask! But…
- Be respectful. Avoid making someone have to be a teacher for their own entire tradition or culture.
- Ask people about their personal practices rather than their personal beliefs. Not all people within a religious or spiritual community practice in the same way.
- Use “I” statements. Start by talking about yourself/your own tradition.
Approach every conversation with a lens of curiosity: genuine respectful curiosity will be acceptable to many, while demanding people defend their faith will be offensive to most.
It’s ok to make mistakes. Let others know that they can tell you if something you say might be incorrect or offensive.
Use inclusive language for those who do not identify with a particular faith tradition or identify as atheist or agnostic.
Whenever possible, make events accessible and inclusive for all potential participants.
Some things to consider:
- Religious Holidays (check out our calendar or external resources like interfaith-calendar.org)
- Prayer times (e.g. Friday prayers for Muslims, Friday Sabbath/sundown for Jews)
- Physical contact between genders
- Dietary needs such as Kosher, Halal, vegetarian, vegan etc.
What will you do to further your knowledge?
Take the time to learn something about a tradition different from your own. You don’t need to be an expert, so ask an expert!
Contact us anytime for advice from our staff or the multi-faith network: mfsc@concordia.ca
