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2010 Cultural Calendar

January

Day

Date

Days of strict religious observance

Other religious days of significance

Other days of Indigenous or cultural significance

MonashUniversityholidays

Friday

1

New Year's Day
- Secular

Gantan-sai (New Years)
- Shinto

Mary, Mother of God
- Catholic Christian

Feast of St Basil
-
Orthodox Christian

New Years Day – Australia wide

 University closed

Tuesday

5

 

Twelfth Night
- Christian

Birthday of Goru Gobindh Singh
- Sikh

 

 

Wednesday

6

 

Epiphany
- Christian

Feast of the Theophany
- Orthodox Christian

Nativity of Christ (Christmas Day
- Armenian Christian

Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings Day)
- Christian

 

 

Thursday 7

Nativity of Christ
- Orthodox Christian

Ethiopian Christmas
- Rastafarian

   
Sunday 10   Baptism of the Lord Jesus
- Christian
   
Wednesday 13   St Hilary's Day
- Christian
   
Thursday 14   Maghi
- Sikh

Makar Sankrant
- Hindu
   
Friday 15  

Seijin Shiki (Adult's Day)
- Shinto

   
Sunday 17  

Blessing of the Animals
- Hispanic Christian

World Religion Day
-
Baha’i

   
Monday 18   Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins
- Christian
   
Tuesday 19   Timkat
- Ethiopian Orthodox Christian
Anniversary Day - Southland NZ  
Wednesday 20  

Vasant Panchami **
-
Hindu

   
Thursday 21   St Agnes Day
- Christian
   
Sunday 24   Triodion begins
- Orthodox Christian
   
Monday 25  

Conversion of St Paul
- Christian

Anniversary Day - Wellington NZ  
Tuesday 26     Australia Day - Australia-wide University Closed
Wednesday 27  

National Holocaust Day
- Jewish/Multifaith

   
Thursday 28   St Thomas Aquinas
- Christian
   

Saturday

30

 

Mahayana New Year **
- Buddhist

Tu B'shevat *
- Jewish

 

 

Sunday

31

 

Birrhday of Guru Har Rao
- Sikh

 

 

February

Day

Date

Days of strict religious observance

Other religious days of significance

National Days and other days of cultural significance

MonashUniversityholidays

Monday

1

 

 

Anniversary Day – Nelson NZ

Anniversary Day – Auckland NZ

 

Tuesday

2

 

Candlemas
- Christian

Presentation of Christ in the Temple
- AnglicanChristian

Imbolc *
- Wicca
(Northern hemisphere)

Lughnassad *
- Wicca
(Southern hemisphere)

St Brigid of Kildare
- Celtoc Christian

 

 

Wednesday

3

Setsubun Sai
- Shinto 

 

 

 

Saturday 6    

Waitangi Day – New Zealand

 

Sunday

7

 

Meatfare Sunday
- Orthodox Christian

Four Chaplains Sunday
-
Interfaith

 

 

Monday

8

 

Nirvana Day **
- Buddhist

 

 

Thursday 11   Our Lady of Lourdes Day
- Christian
   
Friday 12  

Maha Shivaratri **
- Hindu

   

Saturday

13

 

 

 

Second Anniversary of Apology to the Stolen Generation

 

Sunday

14

 Chinese New Year
- Confucian/Daoist/Buddhist

St Valentine's Day
- Christian

Cheesefare Sunday
- Orthodox Christian

Transfiguration Sunday
- Christian

 

 

Monday

15

 

Nirvana Day (alternative date) **
- Buddhist

Great Lent-Clean Monday
- Christian

 

 

Tuesday

16

 

Shrove Tuesday
- Christian

 

 

Wednesday

17

 

Ash Wednesday – Lent begins
- Christian

 

 

Sunday

21

 

Orthodox Sunday
- Orthodox Christian

 

 

Thursday

25

 

Fast of Esther (Ta'anit Esther)
- Jewish

 

 

Friday

26

 

Intercalary Days begin *
- Baha'i

Mawlid an Nabi * **
- Islam

 

 

Sunday 28  

Purim *
- Jewish

Holi **
- Hindu

   
March

Day

Date

Days of strict religious observance

Other religious days of significance

National Days and other days of cultural significance

MonashUniversityholidays

Monday

1

 

Hola Mohala
- Sikh

Shushan Purim
- Jewish


St David of Wales
- Christian

Labour Day – Western Australia

 

Tuesday

2

 

Nineteen Day Fast start
- Baha'i

 

 

Wednesday 3   Hina-matsuri (Festival of Dolls)
- Shinto

Milad un Nabi (Shia)
- Islam
   
Friday 5   St Piran's Day
- Christian

Women's World Day of Prayer
- Christian
   

Monday

8

 

 

International Women’s Day

Eight Hours Day – Tasmania

Labour Day – Victoria

Adelaide Cup Day – South Australia

Canberra Day – ACT

Anniversary Day – Taranaki NZ

 

Saturday

13

 

L Ron Hubbard birthday
- Scientology

 

 

Sunday 14  

Mothering Sunday
- Christian

   
Tuesday 16   Vaisaki - New Year
- Hindu
   

Wednesday

17

 

St Patrick's Day
- Christian

 

 

Friday 19   St Joseph, husband of the Blessed Mary
- Christian
   

Saturday

20

 

Ostara *
- Wicca
(Northern hemisphere)

Mabon *
- Wicca
(Southern hemisphere)

 

 

Sunday

21

Naw Ruz (New Year)
-
Baha’i

Norouz (New Year)
- Persian/Zoroastrian

Passion Sunday **
- Christian

Shuban Sai - Equinox Day
- Shinto

 

 

Monday 22    

Anniversary Day – Otago NZ

 

Wednesday

24

 

Annunciation of Virgin Mary
- Catholic Christian

Ramanavami **
-
Hindu

 

 

Saturday 27   Lazarus Saturday
- Orthodox Christian
   

Sunday

28

 

Palm Sunday
- Christian/Orthodox Christian

Khordad Sal (Birth of Prophet Zaranhushtra)
- Zoroastrian

 

 

 

Monday

29

Mahavir Jayanti
- Jain

Fast of the Firstborn 
-
Jewish

 

 

Tuesday

30

Pesach (Passover, first day)
-
Jewish

Magha Puja Day **
- Buddhist

Theravadin New Year **
-
Buddhist

Lord’s Evening Meal
-
Jehovah’s Witness Christian

Hanuman Jayanti
-
Hindu

 

 

Wednesday 31 Pesach (Passover, second day)
-
Jewish
April

Day

Date

Days of strict religious observance

Other religious days of significance

National Days and other days of cultural significance

MonashUniversityholidays

Thursday

1

 

Maundy Thursday
-
Christian

 

 

Friday

2

Good Friday
-
Christian

 

Good Friday - Australia-wide

University closed 

Sunday

4

Easter
- Christian 

 

 

 

Monday 5 Pesach (Passover, second last day)
-
Jewish
  Easter Monday - Australia-wide University closed
Tuesday 6 Pesach (Passover, last day)
-
Jewish
  Easter Tuesday - Australia-wide University closed
Sunday 11   Yom HaSho'ah
- Jewish
   

Tuesday

13

 

Vaisakhi
-
Sikh

 

 

Wednesday

14

Baisakhi
-
Sikh

Birthday of the Guru Nanak
- Sikh

Hola Mohalla
- Sikh

 

 

Sunday

18

 

Yom Hazikaron
-
Jewish

Birthday of the Guru Tegh Bahadur
- Sikh

Birthday of the Guru Angad Dev
- Sikh

 

 

Monday

19

 

Yom Ha'tzmaut
-
Jewish

 

 

Wednesday

21

First Day of Ridvan * ***
-
Baha’i

Anniversary of the Haile Selassie's visit to Jamaica
- Rastafarian

 

 

Friday

23

 

St George’s Day
-
Christian

 

 

Sunday

25

 

 

ANZAC Day – Australia wide

 

Monday 26     ANZAC Day - Australia-wide University closed
Wednesday 28   Theravadin New Year *
- Buddhist
   
Thursday 29 Ninth Day of Ridvan
- Baha'i

   

Friday

30

 

St James the Great Day
- Orthodox Christian

 

 

May

Day

Date

Days of strict religious observance

Other religious days of significance

National Days and other days of cultural significance

MonashUniversityholidays

Saturday

1

 

Beltane *
- Wicca
(Northern hemisphere)

Samhain *
-
Wicca (Southern hemisphere)

 

 

Sunday

2

Twelfth Day of Ridvan *
-
Baha’i

Lag B’Omer *
-
Jewish

Birthday of the Guru Arjan Dev
- Sikh

 

 

Monday

3

 

 

May Day – Northern Territory

Labour Day – Queensland

 

Thursday

6

 

National Day of Prayer
- Interfaith USA 

 

 

Wednesday

12

 

Yom Yerushalayim
- Jewish

 

 

Thursday

13

 

Ascension of Jesus
- Christian

 

 

Wednesday 19

Shavuot *
-
Jewish


   
Thursday 20

Shavuot *
-
Jewish


   
Sunday 23

Declaration of the Bab *
-
Baha’i

Pentecost
- Christian

Birthday of the Guru Amar Das
- Sikh
   

Wednesday

26

 

 

National Sorry Day

 

Thursday

27

Buddha Day Visakha Puja Vesak **
-
Buddhist

 

 

 

Saturday

29

Ascension of Baha’u’llah *
-
Baha’i

 

 

 

Sunday

30

 

All Saints
- Orthodox Christian

Trinity
-
Christian

 

 

June

Day

Date

Days of strict religious observance

Other religious days of significance

National Days and other days of cultural significance

MonashUniversityholidays

Thursday 3  

Corpus Christi
- Catholic Christian

   

Monday

7

 

 

Foundation Day – Western Australia

Queen’s Birthday – New Zealand

 

Wednesday

9

 

St Columba of Iona
-
Celtic Christian

 

 

Friday

11

 

Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Catholic Christian

 

 

Monday

14

 

 

Queen’s Birthday – all except Western Australia

 

Wednesday

16

 

Martyrdom of the Guru Arjan Dev
- Sikh

 

 

Saturday

19

 

New Church Day
- Swedenborgian Christian

 

 

Monday

21

 

First Nations Day
- Canadian Native People

Litha *
- Wicca
(Northern hemisphere)

Yule *
-
Wicca (Southern hemisphere)

 

 

Thursday

24

 

St John the Baptist birth
-
Christian

 

 

Tuesday

29

 

Feast of Sts Peter and Paul
-
Christian

17th Tammuz
- Jewish

 

 

July

Day

Date

Days of strict religious observance

Other religious days of significance

National Days and other days of cultural significance

MonashUniversityholidays

Sunday

4

 

 

NAIDOC Week

 

Monday

5

 

Birthday of the Guru Hargobind
- Sikh 

NAIDOC Week

 

Tuesday

6

 

 

NAIDOC Week

 

Wednesday

7

 

 

NAIDOC Week

 

Thursday

8

 

 

NAIDOC Week

 

Friday 9 Martyrdom of the Bab *
- Baha'i


NAIDOC Week  

Saturday

10

 

 

NAIDOC Week

 

Sunday

11

 

St Benedict’s Day
- Catholic Christian

NAIDOC Week

 

Tuesday

13

 

Ulambana (Obon) **
- Buddhist

 

 

Wednesday

14

 

Ulambana (Obon) **
- Buddhist

 

 

Thursday 15  

Ulambana (Obon) **
- Buddhist

St Vladimir’s Day
- Christian

St Swithin's Day
- Christian

   

Friday

16

 

Ethiopian Constitution Day
- Rastafarian

 

 

Tueday 20  

Tisha B'Av *
- Jewish

Jameshedi Noruz (Qadimi)
- Zoroastrian

   

Friday

23

 

Haile Selassi I birthday
-
Rastafarian

Birthday of the Guru Har Krishen
- Sikh

 

 

Saturday

24

 

Pioneer Day
- Mormon Christian

 

 

Sunday

25

 

St James the Great Day
- Christian

Khordad Sal (Qadimi)
- Zoroastrian

 

 

 

Monday

26

 Asalha Puja Day **
-
Buddhist

Lailat al Bara'ah
-
Islam

 

 

August

Day

Date

Days of strict religious observance

Other religious days of significance

National Days and other days of cultural significance

MonashUniversityholidays

Sunday

1

 

Lammas
- Christian

Fast Day in honour of Holy Mother of Jesus
- Orthodox Christian

Lughnassad *
- Wicca
(Northern hemisphere)

Imbloc *
-
Wicca (Southern hemisphere)

 

 

Monday

2

 

 

Picnic Day – Northern Territory

 

Friday

6

 

Transfiguration of the Lord
- Orthodox Christian

 

 

Monday

9

 

 

International Day of the World’s Indigenous People

 

Wednesday

11

Ramadan begins * **
-
Islam

Ganesha Chaturthi **
- Hindu

Royal Show - Queensland

 

Sunday

15

 

Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary
- Catholic Christian

Dormition of the Theotokos
- Orthodox Christian

 

 

Tuesday

17

 

Birthday of Marcus Garvey
- Rastafarian

 

 

Thursday

19

Jamshedi Noruz (Shenshai)
- Zoroastrian

 

 

Tuesday

24

 

Raksha Bandham **
- Hindu

Khordad Sal (Shensai)
- Zoroastrian

 

 

Sunday

29

 

Beheading of John the Baptist
- Christian

 

 

September

Day

Date

Days of strict religious observance

Other religious days of significance

National Days and other days of cultural significance

MonashUniversityholidays

Wednesday

1

 

Ecclesiastical Year begins
- Orthodox Christian

 

 

Thursday 2 Krishna Janmashtami **
- Hindu
   
Sunday 5   Paryushana **
- Jain
   
Monday 6  

Lailat al Kadr * **
-
Islam

   

Wednesday

8

 

Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary
- Christian

Nativity of the Theotokos
- Christian

 

 

 

Thursday 9

Rosh Hashanah *
-
Jewish

     
Friday 10

Rosh Hashanah *
-
Jewish

Eid al Fitr * ** Ramadan ends
-
Islam

     

Saturday

11

 

Ethiopian New Years Day
- Rastafarian

Ganesha Chaturthi **
- Hindu

Fast of Gedalliah
- Jewish

 

 

Sunday 12 Paryushana
- Jain
     

Tuesday

14

 

Elevation of the Life Giving Cross
- Christian

 

 

Saturday

18

Yom Kippur *
-
Jewish

 

 

Thursday

23

Sukkot *
- Jewish

Mabon *
- Wicca
(Northern hemisphere)

Ostara *
-
Wicca (Southern hemisphere)

 

 

Friday

24

Sukkot *
- Jewish


 

 

Saturday

25

 

Sukkot *
- Jewish

 

 

Sunday

26

 

Sukkot *
- Jewish

 

 

Monday

27

 

Sukkot *
- Jewish

Queen’s Birthday – Western Australia

Anniversary Day – Canterbury South NZ

 

Tuesday

28

 

Sukkot *
- Jewish

 

 

Wednesday

29

Sukkot *
- Jewish

Michael and All Angels
- Christian

Hoshanah Rabbah
- Jewish

 

 

Thursday

30

Shemini Atzeret *
- Jewish


 

 

October

Day

Date

Days of strict religious observance

Other religious days of significance

National Days and other days of cultural significance

MonashUniversityholidays

Friday

1

Simchat Torah *
-
Jewish


 

 

Monday

4

 

St Francis Day
- Catholic Christian

 

 

Tuesday

5

 

 

Labour Day – NSW, ACT and South Australia

 

Friday

8

Navaratri (starts) **
-
Hindu
 

 

Saturday 9   Birthday of the Guru Ram Das
- Sikh
   

Monday

11

 

Thanksgiving
-
Interfaith Canada

 

 

Wednesday

13

 

St Edward's Day
- Christian

 

 

Sunday

17

Dasera **
-
Hindu

 

 

Wednesday

20

Birth of the Bab *
- Baha'i


 

 

Friday

22

 

 

Anniversary Day – Hawkes Bay NZ

 

Monday

25

 

 

Labour Day – New Zealand

 

Thursday

28

 

Milvian Bridge Day
- Christian

 

Sunday

31

 

All Hallows Eve
- Christian

Reformation Day
- Protestant Christian

 

 

November

Day

Date

Days of strict religious observance

Other religious days of significance

National Days and other days of cultural significance

MonashUniversityholidays

Monday

1

 

All Saints’ Day
- Christian

Samhain *
- Wicca
(Northern hemisphere)

Beltane *
-
Wicca (Southern hemisphere)

Anniversary Day – Marlborough NZ

 

Tuesday

2

 

All Souls’ Day
- Catholic Christian

Anniversary of the Coronation of Haile Selassie
- Rastafarian

Melbourne Cup Day - Melbourne

 

Friday

5

Diwali (Deepavali) **
-
Hindu, Jain

 

 

 

Thursday 11   Armistice Day
- Multifaith
   

Friday

12

Birth of Baha'u'llah *
- Baha'i


Anniversary Day – Canterbury NZ

 

Sunday

14

 

Remembrance Sunday
- Multifaith

Hajj *
- Islam

 

 

Monday

15

 

Nativity Fast begins (until 24 December)
- Orthodox Christian

Waqf al Arafa Hajj Day * **
- Islam

Shichigosan
- Shinto

Hajj *
- Islam

 

 

Tuesday 16

Eid al Adha * **
- Islam

Hajj *
- Islam
   
Wednesday 17   Hajj *
- Islam
   
Thursday 18   Hajj *
- Islam
   

Sunday

21

Birthday of the Guru Nanak
- Sikh

Christ the King
- Christian

 

 

Tuesday

23

 

Niinamesei
- Shinto

 

 

Wednesday 24  

Martyrdom of the Guru Tegh Bahadur
- Sikh

   

Thursday

25

 

Thanksgiving
-
Interfaith USA

 

 

Friday

26

 

Day of the Covenant *
- Baha'i

 

 

Sunday

28

 

First Sunday of Advent
- Christian

Ascension of Abdu'l-Baha *
- Baha'i

 

 

Monday

29

 

Anniversary Day – Chatham Islands NZ

Anniversary Day – Westland NZ

 

Tuesday

30

 

St Andrew’s Day
- Christian

 

 

December

Day

Date

Days of strict religious observance

Other religious days of significance

National Days and other days of cultural significance

MonashUniversityholidays

Thursday 2  

Hanukkah begins *
- Jewish

   
Friday 3  

Hanukkah
- Jewish

   
Saturday 4  

Hanukkah
- Jewish

   
Sunday 5  

Hanukkah
- Jewish

   

Monday

6

 

Hanukkah
- Jewish

St Nicholas Day


- Christian

 

 

Tuesday

7

 

Hanukkah
- Jewish

Hijra New Year * **
- Islam

 

 

 

Wednesday

8

 

Hanukkah
- Jewish

Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) **
- Buddhist

Immaculate Conception
- Catholic Christian

 

 

Thursday 9  

Hanukkah
- Jewish

   

Sunday

12

 

Feast Day: Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Catholic Christian

 

 

Monday

13

 

St Lucy's Day
- Christian

 

 

Thursday

16

 

Ashura * **
- Islam

Posadas Navidenas   
- Christian

 

 

Friday

17

 

Posadas Navidenas   
- Christian

 

 

Saturday

18

 

Posadas Navidenas   
- Christian

 

 

Sunday

19

 

Posadas Navidenas    
- Christian

 

 

Monday

20

 

Posadas Navidenas    
- Christian

 

 

Tuesday

21

 

Posadas Navidenas    
- Christian

Yule *
- Wicca
(Northern hemisphere)

Litha *

-
Wicca (Southern hemisphere)

Yule
- Christian

 

 

Wednesday

22

 

Posadas Navidenas    
- Christian

 

 

Thursday 23   Posadas Navidenas   
- Christian
  University closed
Friday 24   Posadas Navidenas   
- Christian
  University closed
Saturday 25 Christmas *
- Christian
Posadas Navidenas   
- Christian
   

Sunday

26

 

Feast of the Holy Family
- Catholic Christian

Zarathosht Diso - (Death of Prophet Zarathushtra)
- Zoroastrian

St Stephen's Day
- Christian

Boxing Day – all except South Australia

University closed

Sunday

27

 

Ashura *
- Islam

 

 

University Closed

Tuesday

28

 

Holy Innocents
- Christian

Proclamation Day – South Australia

University closed

Friday

31

 

Watch Night
- Christian

New Year's Eve

University closed

*

Begins at sunset on the previous day

**

Local customs may vary this day

***

Ridvan Baha'i commemoration of the twelve day period in 1863 when Baha'u'llah declared that He was God's Messenger for this age. Work is to be suspended on days 1, 9, and 12 of the festival.