Event Date
⭐️ Presented by DEI
The Multicultural Calendar serves as a resource for students, staff, and faculty to plan events, activities, meetings, retreats, and courses throughout the year. It is a resource for understanding religious and cultural observances.
Multicultural Calendar - April 2025
Mahavir Jayanti
Jain
Jain festival honoring Lord Mahavira on the founder's birthday. Shrines are visited. Teachings are reviewed and reflected upon.
Thursday, April 10, 2025
Pesach / Passover
Jewish
Recommended Accomodation: Siginificant. Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events and activities after sundown on the first days, on the following two full days, and on last two days of the holiday. Provide food accommodation (kosher restrictions apply; the use of leavening is prohibited so, for example, matzah is eaten in place of bread.)
Pesach is a week-long observance commemorating the freedom and exodus of the Israelites (Jewish slaves) from Egypt during the reign of the Pharaoh Ramses II. It is one of three pilgrimage festivals.
General Practices: Family gatherings, ritualized meals called Seders, reading of the Haggadah, lighting of Yahrzeit memorial candle at sundown on the last night of Passover.
Date Details: Begins at sundown on first day.
April 12, 2025 - April 20, 2025
Theravadin New Year
Buddhist
In Theravadin countries (Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Laos) the new year is celebrated for three days from the first full moon day in April. In Mahayana countries the new year starts on the first full moon day in January.
General Practices: Devotees usually spend the New Year festival days in concentrated thought about the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death.
April 13, 2025 - April 15, 2025
Baisakhi / Vaisakhi
Sikh
Vaisakhi is the Sikh new year festival and commemorates 1699, the year Sikhism was born. Vaisakhi is also a long-established harvest festival.
General Practices: There are often parades, dancing, and singing throughout the day. These celebrations involve music, singing, and chanting of scriptures and hymns.
Monday, April 14, 2025
Maundy Thursday
Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Thursday before Easter, commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus with the Apostles.
General Practices: Prayer, communion (Eucharist), meals, and foot-washing ceremonies among some Christian denominations
Date Details: Always falls on the Thursday before Easter Sunday.
Thursday, April 17, 2025
Good Friday
Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Recommended Accommodation: Significant. Provide food accommodations: Meat is prohibited during meals for some (fish is not considered meat).
Friday before Easter, commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Among some sects of Christianity and in many countries it marks a day of fasting.
General Practices: Prayer, fasting, and noon or afternoon services in some Christian denominations.
Date Details: Always falls on the Friday before Easter Sunday.
Friday, April 18, 2025
Holy Friday
Eastern Orthodox Christian
Recommended Accommodation: Avoid scheduling important academic deadlines, events and activities on the date.
Friday before Easter, commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Among some sects of Christianity and in many countries marks a day of fasting.
General Practices: Prayer, fasting, confession, and church services as well as the wrapping or dying of eggs (often red) in preparation for Easter Sunday.
Date Details: Orthodox Good Friday is determined by the Julian calendar which regulates ceremonial cycle of the Eastern Orthodox Christian churches.
Friday, April 18, 2025
First Day of Ridvan
Baháʼí
Recommended Accommodation: Those celebrating will likely ask for the day off. Work is to be suspended on days 1, 9, and 12 of the festival.
Bahá'í commemoration of the twelve-day period in 1863 when Baha'u'llah declared that he was God's messenger for this age.
April 20, 2025 - May 1, 2025
Pascha / Easter
Eastern Orthodox Christian
Annual commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
General Practices: Celebratory meals, family gatherings, distribution of colored eggs and baskets of breads, meats, eggs, cheeses and other foods. It is a celebration of renewal.
Date Details: Easter Sunday is determined by the Julian calendar which regulates ceremonial cycle of the Eastern Orthodox Christian churches.
Sunday, April 20, 2025
Saint George's Day
Christian
Christian remembrance of a person who, in the 4th century, was a martyr and became an ideal of martial valor and selflessness. Legend of killing a dragon relates to this patron saint of England.
Wednesday, Apr 23, 2025
Ninth Day of Ridvan
Baháʼí
Recommended Accommodation: Those celebrating will likely ask for the day off. Work is to be suspended on days 1, 9, and 12 of the festival.
Bahá'í commemoration of the twelve-day period in 1863 when Baha'u'llah declared that he was God's messenger for this age.
April 28, 2025 - April 29, 2025
Yom Hazikaron
Jewish
National remembrance day observed in Israel for those who fell since 1860, when Jews were first allowed to live in Palestine outside of Jerusalem's Old City walls. While traditionally dedicated to fallen soldiers, commemoration has also been extended to civilian victims of political violence and terrorism.
Apr 29, 2025 – Apr 30, 2025
Maidyozarem Gahanbar
Zoroastrian
Recommended Accommodation: Each Gahanbar is a period to focus on worship and those celebrating will perform only necessary work.
There are six Gahanbars (five-day festivals) spread throughout the year. Maidyozarem literally means "midgreening," and is celebrated as a mid-spring festival.
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Yom Ha'atzmaut
Jewish
A national day of Israel commemorating the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948.
Apr 30, 2025 – May 1, 2025
Twelfth Day of Ridvan
Baháʼí
Recommended Accommodation: Those celebrating will likely ask for the day off. Work is to be suspended on days 1, 9, and 12 of the festival.
Bahá'í commemoration of the twelve-day period in 1863 when Baha'u'llah declared that he was God's messenger for this age.
April 30, 2025 - May 1, 2025