Faith Calendar 2025 - 2026
The Faith Calendar supplements the Equality and Inclusion Calendar to specifically highlight dates of religious observance. This calendar supports in the planning of meetings, teaching and events.
When scheduling, assess the impact on employees and students, using your knowledge and conversations with staff and students in your area. Consider alternatives if required, particularly where a date has known restrictions on working. It should be noted that religious observation may vary and not all dates may be observed, or marked in the same way by individuals. Staff may request annual leave or to change their working hours during periods of observation. Changes in hours could include earlier or later starts or finish, or increased flexibility to work from home for those periods. Managers are strongly encouraged to accommodate these requests where practical.
The religions in this calendar are selected as those historically included and those identified as those most observed by staff and students at the University. Not all dates of religious observance have been included. Instead, there is a focus on highlighting major dates as observed within the UK. If you would like another religion to be included on this calendar please contact equality@leeds.ac.uk to nominate.
Download the Faith Calendar to import into your calendar
Key
* - observation begins at sunset on the previous day
** - observation begins at the sighting of the moon
% - work activities are restricted or forbidden on these day(s)
September 2025
1 September: Sikhism: First Parkash Sri Guru Granth Sahib
**4 – 5 September: Islam: Milad-un-Nabi
4 – 5 September: Hinduism: Onam
22 September: Paganism: Mabon – Autumn Equinox
22 September – 2 October: Hinduism: Navrati
*23 – 24 September: Judaism: Rosh Hashana %
28 September – 2 October: Hinduism: Durga Puja
October 2025
*2 October: Judaism: Yom Kippur – %
2 October: Hinduism and Sikhism: Vijayadashami / Dusshera
*7-13 October: Judaism: Sukkot – %
10 October: Hinduism: Karwa Chauth
*14 October: Judaism: Shmini Atzeret – %
*15 October: Judaism: Simchat Torah – %
18 October: Hinduism: Dhanteras
20 October: Hinduism: Diwali
20 October: Sikhism: Installation of Guru Granth Sahib
22 October: Baha’i: Birth of the Báb – %
23 October: Baha’i: Birth of the Bahá’ullah – %
25 – 28 October: Hinduism: Chhath Puja
31 October: Paganism: Samhain
November 2025
1 November: Christianity: All Saints Day
2 November: Christianity: All Souls Day
5 November: Hinduism and Sikhism: Kartik Purinma
5 November: Sikhism: Birthday of Guru Nanak
25 November: Baha’i: Day of the Covenant
27 November: Baha’i: Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
December 2025
8 December: Buddhism: Bodhi Day
*15 – 22 December: Judaism: Hannukah
21 December: Paganism: Yule – Winter Solstice
24 December: Christianity: Christmas Eve (University closed)
25 December: Christianity: Christmas Day (University closed)
January 2026
3 January: Buddhism: Mahayana New Year
6 January: Christianity: Epiphany
7 January: Eastern Orthodox Christianity: Christmas
13 January: Hinduism: Pongal
** 15 – 16 January: Islam: Lailat-al-Miraj
20 January: Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti
23 January: Hinduism: Vasant Panchami
February 2026
1 February: Paganism: Imbolc
15 February: Buddhism: Nirvana Day
15 February: Buddhism: Maha Shivrati
**17 February – 18 March: Islam: Ramadan
18 February: Christianity: Ash Wednesday
18 February – 2 April: Christianity: Lent
March 2026
3 March: Buddhism: Magha Puja Day
*3 March: Judaism: Purim
4 March: Hinduism and Sikhism: Holi
4 – 6 March: Sikhism: Holla Mohalla
19 March Hinduism: Ugadi/Samvatsaradi and Gudi Padwa
**19 – 20 March: Islam: Eid-al-Fitr
19 – 27 March: Hinduism: Vasant Navrati
20 March: Paganism: Ostara – Spring Equinox
22 March: Baha’i: Naw’Rùz – %
26 March: Hinduism: Ram Navami
29 March: Christianity: Palm Sunday
April 2026
1 April: Hinduism: Hanuman Jayanti
*2 – 9 April: Judaism: Pesach – % 2-3 and 8-9 April (University closed 2 - 7 April)
3 April: Christianity: Good Friday (University closed)
5 April: Christianity: Easter Sunday (University closed)
13 April: Buddhism: Theravada New Year
13 – 15 April: Buddhism: Songkran (Water Festival)
14 April: Sikhism: Vaisakhi
May 2026
1 May: Paganism: Beltane
2 May: Baha’i: Twelfth day of Ridván – %
14 May: Christianity: Ascension Day
*22 – 23 May: Judaism: Shavuot – %
24 May: Baha’i: Declaration of the Báb – %
24 May: Christianity: Pentecost/Whitsun
**24 – 29 May: Islam: Hajj (University closed 25 - 26 May)
**26 – 30 May: Islam: Eid-al-Adha (University closed 26 May)
29 May: Baha’i: Ascension of the Bahá’u’llah – No work permitted
31 May: Buddhism: Vesak
June 2026
**16 June: Islam: Muharram
16 June: Sikhism: Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev
21 June: Paganism: Litha – Summer Solstice
**25 – 26 June: Islam: Ashura
July 2026
10 July: Baha’i: Martyrdom of the Báb
19 July: Hinduism: Sitalsasthi
23 July: Judaism: Tish’a B’av
29 July: Buddhism: Asala-Dharma Day
29 July: Hinduism: Guru Purnima
August 2026
1 August: Paganism: Lammas
13 August: Buddhism: Obon
15 August: Christianity: Assumption Day
28 August: Hinduism: Raksha Bandhan/Rakhi
Guidance for University Staff and Students
The pages and resources listed offer guidance for staff and students around supporting religious observance and flexibility for specific holy days and festivals.