Welcome to TIO’s Religious Calendar

October 2026

Thursday, October 1

Sukkot continues – Judaism [Ends October 2]
Sukkot is a weeklong Jewish holiday that commemorates the sheltering of the Israelites in the wilderness and celebrates the autumn harvest. It began at sundown on September 25 and concludes at nightfall on October 2.

St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus – Christianity [Catholic churches]
Honors the French Carmelite nun and Doctor of the Church, known for her "Little Way" of simple, everyday love and devotion.

Protection of the Theotokos (Pokrov) – Christianity [Orthodox churches using the New Calendar]
Celebrates the Virgin Mary's protection of the faithful, recalling a vision of Mary spreading her veil over worshippers in Constantinople. Old Calendar Orthodox churches observe it on October 14.

Gurgaddi of Sri Guru Angad Dev Ji – Sikhism
Marks the day the second Sikh Guru took up the Guruship.

Friday, October 2

Mehragan – Zoroastrianism
Mehragan is a Zoroastrian and Iranian festival celebrated to honor the yazata Mithra, which is responsible for friendship, affection, and love. Celebrated on the day of Mihr in the month of Mihr, it is also a harvest festival of thanksgiving. Iranian civil calendars mark the celebration on October 8.

Hoshana Rabbah – Judaism
The seventh and final day of Sukkot, traditionally regarded as the day the year's divine judgment is sealed, observed with circuits of prayer around the synagogue and the beating of willow branches.

Shemini Atzeret [Eighth Day of Assembly] – Judaism [Ends October 3]
This eighth day of Sukkot [Festival of Tabernacles] features prayers for rain and a good harvest in the coming year. It begins at sundown.

The Holy Guardian Angels – Christianity [Catholic churches]
Honors the guardian angels believed to watch over and protect each person.

Saturday, October 3

Simchat Torah – Judaism [Ends October 4]
This festival, also known as "Rejoicing with the Law," marks the end of Sukkot and the completion of the Torah reading cycle with the beginning of reading the first book again.

Sunday, October 4

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi and Blessing of the Animals – Christianity
Honors the founder of the Franciscan order and patron saint of animals and ecology. Many churches mark the day by blessing pets and other animals, celebrating the bond between people and all of creation.

End of the Season of Creation – Christianity [Ecumenical]
The close of the month-long ecumenical season of prayer and action for the care of creation, which began September 1.

World Communion Sunday – Christianity [Protestant churches]
Observed on the first Sunday of October, when churches around the world share communion as a sign of Christian unity.

Monday, October 5

Joti Jot of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji – Sikhism
Commemorates the passing of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism and first of the ten Sikh Gurus.

Bodhidharma Day – Buddhism [Zen]
Honors Bodhidharma, the monk traditionally credited with bringing Chan (Zen) Buddhism from India to China.

Wednesday, October 7

Our Lady of the Rosary – Christianity [Catholic churches]
A feast honoring Mary and the tradition of praying the Rosary.

Friday, October 9

Birth of Gurū Ram Das – Sikhism
This date in the original Nanakshahi tradition celebrates the birth of the 4th Sikh gurū (1534 – 1581 C.E.), who is remembered for organizing the structure of Sikh society, founding the city of Amritsar, and composing a four-stanza hymn that is the basis of many Sikh wedding ceremonies. Gurdwaras following the SGPC calendar observe it on October 27.

Saturday, October 10

Mahalaya / Sarva Pitru Amavasya – Hinduism
The new-moon day that concludes Pitru Paksha, the fortnight of rites honoring deceased ancestors. In Bengal, Mahalaya also marks the invocation of the Goddess Durga and opens the Durga Puja season.

Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan – Judaism [Ends October 12]
The beginning of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan, observed over two days. It begins at sundown.

Sunday, October 11

Sharad Navratri begins – Hinduism [Ends October 19]
Navratri, meaning "nine nights," is one of the most widely celebrated Hindu festivals, honoring the Goddess Durga in her nine forms through fasting, prayer, and devotional dance such as garba and dandiya.

Monday, October 12

Indigenous Peoples' Day – Native American spirituality and culture
A day to honor the histories, cultures, and continuing contributions of Native American and Indigenous peoples.

Ayathrem Gahambar begins – Zoroastrianism [Ends October 16]
One of the six seasonal feasts of the Zoroastrian year, marking the time when herds were brought home from summer pastures, observed with communal prayer and shared meals.

Jumada al-Awwal begins – Islam
The beginning of the fifth month of the Hijri year. Date is projected and subject to local moon sighting.

Birthday of the Aga Khan – Islam [Ismaili]
Ismaili Muslims mark the birthday of their Imam, the Aga Khan.

Tuesday, October 13

Nichiren Shonin Memorial – Buddhism [Nichiren]
Commemorates the passing of Nichiren, the 13th-century Japanese monk who founded Nichiren Buddhism.

Wednesday, October 14

Protection of the Theotokos (Pokrov) – Christianity [Orthodox churches using the Old Calendar]
Old Calendar Orthodox communities celebrate the Virgin Mary's protection of the faithful on this date.

Thursday, October 15

St. Teresa of Ávila – Christianity [Catholic churches]
Honors the 16th-century Spanish mystic, reformer of the Carmelite order, and Doctor of the Church.

Kannamesai – Shinto [Ends October 17]
The most important annual rite at Ise Jingu, Japan's holiest Shinto shrine, in which the first rice of the harvest is offered to the sun goddess Amaterasu.

Friday, October 16

'Ilm – Bahá'í
The beginning of the twelfth month of the Bahá'í year, meaning "knowledge." The Bahá'í day begins at sunset, so the month opens on the evening of October 15.

Saturday, October 17

Durga Puja – Hinduism [Bengali tradition, ends October 21]
The great autumn festival of Bengal, celebrating the Goddess Durga's victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura and her annual homecoming, with elaborately crafted images, community pandals, music, and feasting.

Saraswati Puja – Hinduism
Worship of Saraswati, goddess of knowledge, music, and the arts, observed during Navratri with the blessing of books and instruments.

Sunday, October 18

Chongyang Festival [Double Ninth Festival] – Taoism and Chinese traditional religion
Held on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, this festival honors elders and ancestors. Families climb hills, visit graves, drink chrysanthemum tea, and wear sprigs of dogwood for protection.

Durga Ashtami – Hinduism
The eighth day of Navratri, one of its most sacred, devoted to the Goddess Durga with fasting and the worship of young girls as embodiments of the goddess. Calculated for Los Angeles on October 18; Indian calendars list October 19.

Monday, October 19

Maha Navami – Hinduism
The ninth and final night of Navratri, honoring the Goddess Durga in her form as Siddhidatri, the giver of spiritual power.

Tuesday, October 20

Vijayadashami or Dussehra – Hinduism
Celebrates the victory of good over evil, recalling Lord Rama's triumph over the demon king Ravana and the Goddess Durga's defeat of Mahishasura. Effigies of Ravana are burned in many communities. In the Bengali tradition, Vijaya Dashami falls on October 21.

Installation of the Gurū Granth Sahib – Sikhism
This date in the original Nanakshahi tradition celebrates the transmission of the gurūship to the Holy Scriptures (the Gurū Granth Sahib Ji) by the tenth gurū, Gobind Singh Ji, in 1708. Gurdwaras following the SGPC calendar observe it on November 11.

Friday, October 23

Birth of Baba Budha Ji – Sikhism
Commemorates the birth of Baba Budha Ji, the revered early Sikh elder who served the first six Gurus and anointed five of them.

Sunday, October 25

Reformation Sunday – Christianity [Protestant churches]
Protestant churches mark the anniversary of the Reformation on the last Sunday of October, ahead of Reformation Day on October 31.

Sharad Purnima – Hinduism
The harvest full moon of autumn, considered the brightest of the year, devoted to the Goddess Lakshmi. Devotees keep vigil through the night and leave rice pudding in the moonlight to absorb its blessings.

Monday, October 26

Pavarana Day – Buddhism [Theravada]
Marks the end of Vassa, the three-month monastic rains retreat. Monks gather to invite one another's feedback on their conduct, and lay communities bring offerings to temples.

Valmiki Jayanti – Hinduism
The birth anniversary of the sage Valmiki, revered as the author of the Ramayana.

Tuesday, October 27

Atmasiddhi Rachna Divas (Creation Day) – Jainism
On this day Jains celebrate that, in 1896, the poet Shrimad Rajchandra-ji (who was a spiritual guide for Mohandas Gandhi) wrote the legendary treatise Shri Atmasiddhi Shastra, which explains the quintessence of Jainism.

Birth of Gurū Ram Das – Sikhism [SGPC calendar]
Gurdwaras following the SGPC calendar celebrate the birth of the fourth Sikh Guru on this date.

Kathina begins – Buddhism [Theravada, ends November 24]
The month-long season following the rains retreat, when lay communities offer new robes and other necessities to monks.

Wednesday, October 28

Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles – Christianity
Honors two of the twelve apostles of Jesus, traditionally believed to have preached and been martyred together.

Thursday, October 29

Karwa Chauth – Hinduism
A day of fasting for married women, in which they dress like new brides and offer prayers for the long lives and safety of their husbands. Husbands offer sweets to their spouses at the end of the fast, once the moon is sighted.

Friday, October 30

Saka Panja Sahib – Sikhism
Commemorates the 1922 sacrifice of Sikhs who gave their lives while halting a train at Gurdwara Panja Sahib to bring food to imprisoned protesters.

Saturday, October 31

All Hallows' Eve – Christianity
Halloween, a contraction of All Hallows' Eve, is the evening before the Christian feast of All Saints on November 1, with roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain.

Reformation Day – Christianity [Protestant churches]
This day commemorates October 31, 1517 C.E., when Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany, eventually leading to the Protestant Reformation in Europe. Most Protestant Christian churches will mark this on Sunday, October 25.

Samhain – Wicca [Ends November 1]
Celebration of the Celtic New Year. The dying God returns to the womb of the Goddess in preparation for rebirth at Yule. The souls of ancestors and those who have died during the turning of the past year's wheel are remembered.