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Memorial Church Open Visiting Hours:
Monday - Thursday, 9 AM - 4 PM
Friday, 9 AM - 1 PM
Tours on Fridays at 11 AM.

Memorial Church is closed for University holidays, University closures, services, and private events. Windhover Contemplative Center is currently closed. There is no expected re-opening date at this time.

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Religious Calendar

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Major Religious Observances

Stanford has long supported faculty, students and staff in observing religious holidays of significance to them. In the complex process of creating the academic calendar, religious holy days are but one of many considerations. The university administration has always been helpful in facilitating communication and encouraging respect and understanding when there are academic calendar conflicts with religious holy days.

Most instructors will be cooperative and flexible regarding religious observance when they receive appropriate and early communication. Students should work with their instructors in advance. If a student is planning NOT to attend class or take an exam because of a religious holiday, they should convey this information to instructors at the beginning of the quarter so that the student will not be disadvantaged as a result of religious practice. Students and instructors should work together to plan for the absence and any class notes or assignments that might be missed.

The Office for Religious & Spiritual Life makes available to faculty, staff and students this list of significant religious holidays at the beginning of each academic year. For any questions or concerns, please contact the Office for Religious & Spiritual Life.

How to view the multifaith Religious Observances Calendar

  1. Log in to your web calendar at webcal.stanford.edu
  2. On the left side of the screen, click on the “Add Calendar” link
  3. A window will pop up. On the left-hand side menu, click on “Add from Directory”
  4. You will be prompted to enter the calendar name. Type in “ORSL CAL Religious Observances” and select it from the drop-down menu
  5. From the "Add to" drop down menu, select where you would like the calendar to appear and then click on the "Add" button
  6. The ORSL CAL Religious Observances calendar will now appear under your calendar list for viewing. 

If you don't have Outlook, then the calendar can be viewed on the browser here: View the Religious Observances Calendar in your Browser

List of Observances for the 2024-2025 academic year

This list is not meant to be a comprehensive list of observances from all religions. Instead, the following observances are some that may affect the academic calendar.

Meaning of Symbols
IconMeaning
Lunar Icon
Observance is set and move according to a lunar calendar
Sundown Icon
Observance begins at sundown on the first day listed
Nightfall Icon
Observance ends at nightfall of the last day listed
Stop Icon
Observance has significant work restrictions
Fasting Icon
Observance involves fasting practices or food accommodations

Summer Quarter 2024

Observances in Summer Quarter 2024
DateNameFaith
June 11 - June 13

Shavuot

Nightfall Icon
Stop Icon
Jewish
June 16 - June 17Eid al-AdhaMuslim
June 20LithaPagan, Wiccan
July 7

First of Muharram

Lunar Icon
Nightfall Icon
Sundown Icon
Muslim
July 9Martyrdom of The BábBahá’í
July 16

Ashura

Lunar Icon
Nightfall Icon
Sundown Icon
Muslim
August 1Lammas/LughnasadPagan, Wiccan
August 12 - 13Tisha B'AvJewish
August 26

Sri Krishna Jayanti

Lunar Icon
Hindu

Fall Quarter 2024

Observances in Fall Quarter 2024
DateNameFaith
September 14

Mawlid al Nabi

Sundown Icon
Muslim
October 2 - 4

Rosh Hashanah

Nightfall Icon
Jewish
October 3 - 12

Navaratri

Nightfall Icon
Fasting Icon
Hindu
October 11 - 12

Yom Kippur

Nightfall Icon
Fasting Icon

 

Jewish
October 16 - 18

Sukkot

Stop Icon
Sundown Icon
Nightfall Icon
Jewish
October 23 - 24

Shemini Atzeret

Sundown Icon
Stop Icon
Nightfall Icon
Jewish
October 24 - 25

Simchat Torah

Sundown Icon
Stop Icon
Nightfall Icon
Jewish
October 31SamhainPagan, Wiccan
November 1

Diwali

Lunar Icon
Stop Icon
Hindu
November 2 - 3

Twin Holy Birthdays:
Birth of Báb/Bahá’u’lláh

Lunar Icon
Stop Icon
Sundown Icon
Bahá’í
December 24Christmas EveChristian
December 25ChristmasChristian
December 25 - January 2

Hanukkah/Chanukah

Sundown Icon
Nightfall Icon
Jewish
December 26 - January 1KwanzaaPan-African

 

Winter Quarter 2025

Observances in Winter Quarter 2025
DateNameFaith
March 1 - 30

Ramadan

Lunar Icon
Fasting Icon
Sundown Icon
Muslim
March 5

Ash Wednesday

Fasting Icon
Christian
March 13 - 14

Purim

Sundown Icon
Nightfall Icon
Jewish
March 14

Holi

Lunar Icon
Nightfall Icon
Hindu
March 20OstaraPagan, Wiccan
March 21NowruzZoroastrian, Bahá’í
March 31

Eid al Fitr

Sundown Icon
Fasting Icon

 

 

Muslim

Spring Quarter 2025 

Observances in Spring Quarter 2025
DateNameFaith
April 12- 19

Passover

Nightfall Icon
Fasting Icon

 

Jewish
April 13Palm SundayChristian
April 14VaisakhiHindu, Sikh
April 18

Good Friday

Fasting Icon
Christian
April 20

Easter

Stop Icon
Christian
April 20 - May 1

Festival of Ridván

Sundown Icon

 

Bahá’í
April 20, April 28, May 1

First, Ninth, and Twelfth Day of Ridván

Sundown Icon

 

Stop Icon
Bahá’í
April 23 - 24

Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)

Nightfall Icon
Jewish
May 1BeltanePagan, Wiccan
May 12

Vesak/Buddha Day

Fasting Icon
Buddhist
May 28

Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh

Fasting Icon
Bahá’í
June 1 - 3

Shavuot

Nightfall Icon
Jewish
June 6

Eid al Adha

Sundown Icon
Muslim