Holidays, Observances and Religious Holy Days
Saint Louis University provides a calendar of holidays, observances and religious holy days — sourced from Jesuit Resource — for informational purposes. To learn more about about which days the University is formally closed or class is not in session, please view the University’s holiday calendar and the University academic calendar.
The following definitions, also sourced from Jesuit Resource, should be considered when reviewing the calendar.
Meaningful: Days marked as meaningful are not work-restricted by definition but may be particularly significant to people attending or working at Saint Louis University.
Special Worship: Special worship days are not by definition work-restricted but may involve a special worship or observance.
Work-Restricted: Days denoted as work-restricted are recognized denominational sacred or holy days where religious beliefs, laws/doctrines, tenets, canons or theology restrict or limit work (be it physical or mental). This definition may include academic examinations, classroom activities and research, or out-of-classroom learning experiences.
Learn More About Work-Restricted Days from Jesuit Resource
2023 Dates Name Type of Observance January 1 Feast of Mary Mother of God (Catholic) Special worship January 7 Christmas (Eastern Orthodox) Special worship N/A Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib (Sikh) Special worship January 16 Rev. MLK Day (Federal) Meaningful February 18 Maha Shivaratri (Hindu) Work-restricted February 22 Ash Wednesday (Catholic) Special worship February 22 – April 8 Lent (Catholic) Special worship March 6 Purim (Jewish) Special worship March 15 Shri Ramakrishna Jayanti (Hindu) Work-restricted March 20 Naw-Ruz (Bahá’í) Work-restricted March 21 Norouz (Persian) Work-restricted March 23 – April 22 Ramadan (Islam) Work-restricted March 25 Feast of the Annunciation (Catholic) Meaningful March 30 Ramanavami (Hindu) Work-restricted April 2 Palm Sunday (Christian) Meaningful April 5 Passover (Jewish) Work-restricted April 7 Good Friday (Christian) Special worship April 9 Easter (Christian) Special worship April 9 Palm Sunday (Eastern Orthodox) Meaningful April 14 Vaisakhi (Sikh) Special worship April 14 Good Friday (Eastern Orthodox) Meaningful April 16 Easter (Eastern Orthodox) Special worship April 20 Eid al-Fitr (Islam) Work-restricted April 29 Ridvan (Jewish) Work-restricted May 5 Vesak (Buddhist) Work-restricted May 18 Feast of Ascension (Catholic) Special worship May 22 Declaration of the Bab (Bahá’í) Work-restricted May- 25 – May 27 Shavuot (Jewish) Work-restricted May 29 Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh (Bahá’í) Work-restricted June 16 Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib (Sikh) Work-restricted June 19 Juneteenth (Federal) Meaningful July 9 Martyrdom of the Bab (Bahá’í) Work-restricted July 26 Tisha B’Av Begins (Jewish) 25-hour fasting, work-restricted optional July 29-30 Eid-ul-Adha (Islam) Work-restricted July 31 Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola (Catholic) Special worship August 15 Feast of the Assumption of Mary (Catholic) Special worship September 6 Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu) Work-restricted September 11-18 Paryushan (Jain) Special worship September 15-17 Rosh Hashanah (Jewish) Work-restricted September 24-25 Yom Kippur (Jewish) Work-restricted September 29- October 6 Sukkot (Jewish) Work-restricted September 29- October 6 Shemini Atzeret (Jewish) Work-restricted October 7-8 Simchat Torah (Jewish) Work-restricted October 26 Birth of the Bab (Bahá’í) Work-restricted November 1 All Saints Day (Catholic) Special worship November 2 All Souls Day (Catholic) Special worship November 12 Diwali (Hindu, Jain) Special worship November 16 Remembering the Martyrs of the UCA (Secular) Meaningful November 24 Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib (Sikh) Work-restricted November 23 Thanksgiving (Federal) Meaningful November 30 Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Sahib (Sikh) Work-restricted December 3 Feast of St. Francis Xavier (Catholic) Meaningful December 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Catholic) Special worship December 8 Bodhi Day (Buddhist) Special worship December 12 Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Catholic) Meaningful December 25 Christmas (Christian) Special worship December 26-January 1 Kwanzaa (Ethnic) Meaningful
