A guide to some of the Days of Religious Significance that people may request to take leave in 2012
Advice was sought from religious leaders in developing this list. The ethnic descriptor preceding “Religion” is not exhaustive and other ethnic groups may also celebrate the same day.
Note:The following list is not a comprehensive list of all days of religious observance, but a guide to assist managers in accommodating the needs of employees. Supervisors have the flexibility to approve an employees request for leave for religious reasons irrespective of whether the date is listed or not.
The Islamic days may adjust one or two days either side of the dates subject to the lunar cycle, the Jewish days commence at sunset the previous day.
January
|
Date
|
Day of Religious Significance
|
Religion
|
| 1 |
Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God
World Day of Prayer for Peace
New Year |
Catholic Christian |
| 1 |
Circumcision of the Lord
New Year |
Catholic Christian
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 1 |
Bodhi Day (The Enlightenment of the Buddha) |
Buddhist – Mahayana tradition |
| 5 |
Christmas Eve |
Armenian Christian |
| 5 |
Gurpurab – Birth of Guru Gobind Singh |
Sikh |
| 6 |
Christmas |
Armenian Christian |
| 6 |
Christmas Eve |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 6 |
Holy Epiphany - Baptism of Our Lord |
Catholic Christian
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 7 |
Christmas/ Holy Nativity Feast |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 14 |
Makar Sakranti |
Hindu |
| 19 |
Holy Epiphany - Baptism of Our Lord |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 20 |
Holy Epiphany |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 20 |
Saint John the Baptist |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 23 |
Lunar New Year |
Buddhist Mahayana tradition |
| 28 |
Vasant Panchami (Sarawati Puja) |
Hindu |
| 30 |
Festival of Sadeh or Jashan-E-Sadeh |
Zoroastrian |
30/1 -
1/2 |
Nineveh Rogation Days |
Catholic Christian |
February
|
Date
|
Day of Religious Significance
|
Religion
|
| 4 |
Mawlid an Anabi (Prophet Muhammad Birth) 12 of Rabi^ul Awwal |
Islam |
| 9 |
Saint Maroun |
Catholic Christian |
| 15 |
Meeting of Our Lord |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 20 |
Clean Monday (Great Lent or Ash Monday) |
Catholic Christian |
| 20 |
Maha Shivaratri |
Hindu |
| 22 |
Losar – Tibetan New Year |
Buddhist - Vajrayana |
| 27 |
Clean Monday (Great Lent or Ash Monday) |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 29 |
Parinibanna or Nirvana Day
the anniversary of Buddha’s passing away |
Buddhist Mahayana tradition |
March
|
Date
|
Day of Religious Significance
|
Religion
|
| 2-21 |
Baha’i fasting period |
Baha’i |
| 6 |
Saint Vartan’s Day |
Armenian Christian |
| 7 |
Magha Puja or Makka Puja (Sangha Day) |
Buddhist- Theravada tradition |
| 7-8 |
Purim |
Jewish |
| 8 |
Holi |
Hindu |
| 19 |
Feast of the Cross |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 21 |
Jamshidi Nawruz (New Year)
Baha’i New Year
Iranian New Year |
Baha’i, Zoroastrian |
| 21 |
Mid of the Great Lent, Elevation of the Holy Cross, King Abgar of Edessa and Syriac Martyrs’ Day |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 23 |
Hindu New Year (Vikram Samvat) |
Hindu |
| 25 |
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Annunciation of Our Lady |
Catholic Christian
Certain Orthodox Christian |
April
|
Date
|
Day of Religious Significance
|
Religion
|
| 1 |
Palm Sunday or Entry of our Lord into Jerusalem (Hosanna Sunday) |
Catholic Christian |
| 1 |
Ramanavami |
Hindu |
| 5 |
Holy (Maundy or Covenant) Thursday |
Catholic Christian |
| 5 |
Memorial of Jesus Christ’s Death |
Jehovah’s Witness |
| 6 |
Good (Holy) Friday |
Catholic Christian
Armenian Christian
Anglican |
| 6 |
Hanuman Jayanti (celebrates) |
Hindu |
| 7 |
Easter (Holy) Saturday |
Catholic Christian Armenian Christian |
| 7 |
Annunciation of Our Most Lady/Feast |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 7-14 |
Passover |
Jewish |
| 8 |
Easter Sunday (Glorious Feast of the Resurrection) |
Catholic Christian
Armenian Christian
Anglican |
| 8 |
Palm Sunday or Entry of our Lord into Jerusalem (Hosanna Sunday) |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 9 |
Easter Monday |
Catholic Christian |
| 12 |
Holy (Maundy or Covenant) Thursday |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 13 |
Good (Holy) Friday |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 13-15 |
Theravada New Year |
Buddhist Theravada tradition |
| 13 |
Vaisakhi, Sikh New Year, Creation of the Khalsa |
Sikh |
| 14 |
Easter (Holy) Saturday |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 14 |
Baisakhi |
Hindu |
| 15 |
Easter Sunday (Glorious Feast of the Resurrection)/Great and Holy Pascha |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 16 |
Easter Monday |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 21 |
First Day of Ridvan |
Baha’i |
28/4 -
5/5 |
Wesak Day or Visakha Puja (Buddha Day) |
Buddhist |
| 29 |
Ninth Day of Ridvan |
Baha’i |
May
|
Date
|
Day of Religious Significance
|
Religion
|
| 2 |
Twelfth Day of Ridvan |
Baha’i |
| 6 |
Saint George’s Day |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 17 |
Ascension of the Lord or Holy Feast of Ascension |
Catholic Christian |
| 23 |
Declaration of the Bab |
Baha’i |
| 24 |
Ascension of the Lord or Holy Feast of Ascension |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 27 |
Pentecost Sunday (Whit Sunday) |
Catholic Christian |
| 27-28 |
Shavuot |
Jewish |
| 29 |
Ascension of Baha’u’llah |
Baha’i |
June
|
Date
|
Day of Religious Significance
|
Religion
|
| 3 |
Pentecost Sunday (Whit Sunday) |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 7 |
Divine Body/The Body and Blood of Christ |
Catholic Christian |
| 16 |
Night of Isra’ & Mi^raj (27 Rajab) |
Islam |
| 16 |
Martyrdom Day of Guru Arjan Dev |
Sikh |
| 28 |
Vidovdan |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
July
|
Date
|
Day of Religious Significance
|
Religion
|
| 1 |
Festival of Tirgan or Jashne-E-Tirgan |
Zoroastrian |
| 3 |
Guru Purnima |
Hindu |
| 3 |
St Thomas the Apostle Day |
Catholic Christian |
| 4 |
15th of Sha^aban |
Islam |
| 6 |
H.H The Dalai Lama’s Birthday |
Buddhist - Vajrayana |
| 9 |
Martyrdom of the Bab |
Baha’i |
| 12 |
Saint Peter and Saint Paul Feast Day/ Apostles’ Feast (Martyrdom of Saint Peter& Saint Paul) |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 15 |
Transfiguration Day |
Armenian Christian |
19
or
20 |
Ramadan begins |
Islam |
August
|
Date
|
Day of Religious Significance
|
Religion
|
| 2 |
Salha (Dharma Day) |
Buddhist Theravada tradition |
| 2 |
Saint Prophet Elijah/Holy Glorious Prophet Elijah |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 2 |
Raksha Bandhan |
Hindu |
| 3-5 |
Sydney District Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses |
Jehovah’s Witness |
| 6 |
Transfiguration of Our Lord |
Catholic Christian
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 8 |
Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop |
Catholic Christian |
| 10 |
Krishna Janmashthami |
Hindu |
| 14 |
Night of Al-Qadr ( 27 of Ramadan ) |
Islam |
| 15 |
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary |
Catholic Christian |
| 15 |
Dormition of the Theotokos (Our Lady) |
Catholic Christian
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 18 |
Shahenshahi Nowruz or Parsi New Year |
Zoroastrian |
| 19 |
Transfiguration of Our Lord (Feast) |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
19
or
20 |
Eidul Fitr (End of Ramadan) |
Islam |
| 22 |
Assumption of St Mary’s Body |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 23 |
Khordad Saal - Birth of Zaroshtra |
Zoroastrian |
| 28 |
Dormition of the Theotokos |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 31 |
Ulambana or Obon |
Buddhist - Mahayana tradition |
September
|
Date
|
Day of Religious Significance
|
Religion
|
| 1 |
First Prakash of Guru Granth Sahib – Opening Day of Holy Book |
Sikh |
| 7-9 |
Canberra District Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses |
Jehovah’s Witness |
| 8 |
Nativity of the Theotokos (Our Lady) |
Catholic Christian |
| 11 |
Nayrouz Feast (Coptic New Year) |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 14 |
Holy Cross Day or Exaltation of the Glorious Cross |
Catholic Christian Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 14-16 |
Tamworth District Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses |
Jehovah’s Witness |
| 16 |
Holy Cross Day |
Armenian Christian |
| 17-18 |
Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year |
Jewish |
| 19 |
Ganesh Chaturthi |
Hindu |
| 21 |
Nativity of the Theotokos |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 26 |
Yom Kippur (Yizkor, Day of Attonement) |
Jewish |
| 27-29 |
Feast of the Holy Cross |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
October
|
Date
|
Day of Religious Significance
|
Religion
|
| 1-8 |
Succot |
Jewish |
| 2 |
Festival of Mehregan or Jashn-E Mehregan |
Zoroastrian |
| 13 |
Saint Translator’s Day |
Armenian Christian |
| 16 |
Navaratri commences |
Hindu |
| 20 |
Birth of the Bab |
Baha’i |
| 20 |
Gurugaddi Day of Guru Granth Sahib |
Sikh |
| 23 |
Durga Puja |
Hindu |
| 24 |
Vijay Dashami (Dussera) |
Hindu |
| 25 |
Day of Arafat (Hajj pilgrimage – 9th of Dhul-Hijjah) |
Islam |
| 26 |
Eidul Adha (10th of Dhul-Hijjah) |
Islam |
| 27 |
1st day of Ramyul Jamarat (Pilgrimage ) |
Islam |
| 28 |
2nd day of Ramyul Jamarat (Pilgrimage ) |
Islam |
| 29 |
End of Hajj (Pilgrimage) |
Islam |
November
|
Date
|
Day of Religious Significance
|
Religion
|
| 1 |
All Saints Day |
Catholic Christian |
| 2 |
All Souls Day |
Catholic Christian |
| 8 |
Saint Michael’s the Archangel Feast |
Catholic Christian |
| 12 |
Birth of Baha’u’llah |
Baha’i |
| 13 |
Deepavali (Diwali) |
Hindu |
| 15 |
Bhai Dooj |
Hindu |
| 15 |
Islamic New Year ( Hijrah/1st of Muharram) |
Islam |
| 21 |
Holy Archangel Michael |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 24 |
Ashura ( 10th of Muharram ) |
Islam |
| 24 |
Martyrdom Day of Guru Teg Bahadur |
Sikh |
| 28 |
Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev |
Sikh |
December
|
Date
|
Day of Religious Significance
|
Religion
|
| 1 |
Saint Tadoes and Bartholomew Day |
Armenian Christian |
| 4 |
Entry into the Temple of the Theotokos |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 9-16 |
Hannukkah/Chanukah |
Jewish |
| 19 |
Saint Nicholas |
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 25 |
Christmas/The Nativity of Christ |
Catholic Christian
Anglican
Certain Orthodox Christian |
| 26 |
Second Day of Christmas |
Catholic Christian |
| 26 |
Zarthos no Diso - Death of Zaroshtra |
Zoroastrian |
|
