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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 5

 Feast of the Annunciation

 Catholic

 March 21 

 Naw-Ruz

 Baháʼí

 March 19-27

 Chaitra Navratri

 Sikh

 March 19-20

 Eid al-Fitr *

 Islam

 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

 Bahai

 May 1

 Vesak ^

 Buddhist (Varying by country) 

 May 21-23

 Shavuot *

 Jewish

 May 23

 Declaration of the Bab

 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 Bab

 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

 Jain/Hindu/Sikh

 November 11

 Birth of Baha'u'llah

 Baha'i

 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