2026 Religious Observances

The Division of Equity, Justice, & Inclusive Excellence at UC Merced embraces and celebrates the cultural and spiritual diversity of our Bobcat community. We recognize that our faculty, staff, and students observe various important religious days that may require accommodation and we are committed to making reasonable efforts to accommodate the needs of individuals observing religious holidays.

We encourage faculty, staff, and students who do not share the same religious practices to extend understanding and support to their colleagues and peers. This can be done by considering these dates when scheduling academic deadlines, events, meetings, or activities. By fostering an environment of inclusivity and respect, we strengthen our community and honor the rich diversity that defines our campus.

We thank you in advance for your commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment at UC Merced.


Religious Observances Calendar

Dates

Holiday

Religion

January 3

Mahayana New Year

Buddhist

January 5

Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh (Gurpurab)

Sikh

January 26

Bodhi Day

Buddhist

February 15

Maha Shivaratri

Hindu

February 17–March 19

Ramadan *

Islam

February 18

Ash Wednesday

Christian/Catholic

March 3

Magha Puja

Buddhist

March 4

Holi

Hindu

March 25

Feast of the Annunciation

Catholic

March 19

Hindu New Year — Vikram Samvat

Hindu

March 19–27

Chaitra Navratri

Sikh

March 19–20

Eid al-Fitr *

Islam

March 21

Naw-Ruz

Baháʼí

March 31

Mahavir Jayanti

Jain

April 1–9

Passover *

Jewish

April 3

Good Friday

Christian/Catholic

April 5

Easter

Christian/Catholic

April 14

Vaisakhi

Sikh

April 19

Akshaya Tritiya

Jain

April 20–May 2

The Baha'i Festival of Ridván

Baháʼí

May 1

Vesak ^

Buddhist (varies by country)

May 21–23

Shavuot *

Jewish

May 23

Declaration of the Báb

Baháʼí

May 24

Pentecost

Christian/Catholic

May 26–30

Eid al-Adha *

Islam

June 16

Al Hijra

Islam

June 18

Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib

Sikh

July 9–10

Martyrdom of the Báb

Baháʼí

July 26

Asalha Puja

Buddhist

August 25–26

Mawlid

Islam

September 8

Paryushana Parva

Jain

September 11–13

Rosh Hashanah *

Jewish

September 20–21

Yom Kippur *

Jewish

September 25–October 2

Sukkot *

Jewish

October 2–3

Shemini Atzeret *

Jewish

October 11–20

Shardiya Navratri

Sikh

November 8

Diwali

Hindu / Jain / Sikh

November 11

Birth of Baha'u'llah

Baháʼí

November 24

Guru Nanak's Birthday

Sikh

December 4–12

Hanukkah *

Jewish

December 25

Christmas

Christian/Catholic

 

* Indicates the holiday begins on the evening

^ Indicates the holiday date varies by country