Welcome to TIO’s Religious Calendar

August–september 2025

For Native Americans, August marks the season of Wilhoon, a time for the late summer salmon runs. It is also the time for the Hopi Snake Dances, a ritual of purification; the Stomp Dance, performed by Seminole and other Oklahoma tribes as a time of renewal; the Sun Dance, a time of penitence and sacrifice observed by Plains peoples; and the Iroquois Green Corn Ceremony, a time of renewal involving dances, fasting, offerings, and readings from the code of Handsome Lake. 
 
For Native Americans, September marks the season of Genuuqwiikw, which is the season of mountain trails and the beginning of the fall hunt for game. During this time, the Iroquois Green Corn Ceremony is observed as a time of renewal involving dances, fasting, offerings, and readings from the code of Handsome Lake. The Jicarilla Apache Ghost Dance in New Mexico is also a significant observance during this month. 

August 2025 

Friday, August 1 

  • Lughnassadh [Lammas] – Wicca  
    The harvest of first fruits, celebrating the harvest of corn and wheat. Wiccan practitioners see this time as a signal of the god Lugh’s decline of strength as the sun rises farther south each day, while the Goddess witnesses this season with sorrow and joy. It is both a somber and celebratory feast day. 

  • Fast in honor of Holy Mother of Jesus 

Tuesday, August 5 

  • Fravardeghan Days [Muktad] begin – Zoroastrianism [Ends August 14] 
    A time of memorializing one’s ancestors in preparation for Nowruz [see August 15], according to Zoroastrians who follow the Shenshai calendar. 

Saturday, August 9 

  • Narali Purnima or Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan – Hinduism 
    Celebrating the end of monsoon season, marked by throwing coconuts to Varuna, the sea god. During this festival, girls and women tie amulets on their brothers’ wrists for protection against evil. 

Wednesday, August 13 

  • Obon – Buddhism [Ends August 15] 
    A Day when Buddhists make offerings to the Triple Gem—the Buddha, the Dharma [teachings], and the Sangha [monastic community]—on behalf of their ancestors.  

Friday, August 15 

  • Assumption of the Virgin Mary – Christianity [Catholic churches] 
    According to the Catholic Church, this day commemorates how, at the end of her life, Jesus’ mother Mary was assumed—body and soul—into heaven, where she intercedes for all believers.   

  • Dormition of the Theotokos or Most Holy Mother of God – Christianity [Eastern churches] 
    According to the Orthodox Church, this day marks Mary’s death and resurrection by God, as a sign to all believers of their ultimate destiny. 

  • Nowruz – Zoroastrianism 
    The start of the New Year for Zoroastrians who follow the Shenshai calendar, beginning the year 1389 AY [After Yazdegird III, the last of the Persian Zoroastrian monarchs].  

Saturday, August 16 

  • Sri Krishna Jayanti or Krishna Janmashtami – Hinduism 
    A festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, the eighth incarnation of the god Vishnu, whose purpose was to destroy the demon Kansa who was responsible for evil’s increase in the world. 

Tuesday, August 19 

  • Asmā’ – Bahá’í  
    The beginning of the ninth month of the Bahá’í year, meaning “names.” 

  • Feast of the Transfiguration – Christianity (Eastern and many Western churches) 
    Celebrates the manifestation of Jesus’ divinity as God’s Son to his disciples Peter, James, and John on Mount Tabor. In Eastern churches, the celebration begins at sunset; for Western churches, this feast is marked on the following day, Tuesday, August 6th.  

Wednesday, August 20 

  • Khordad Sal – Zoroastrianism (Shenshai) 
    The birth anniversary of the prophet Zarathustra (Zoroaster), according to the Shenshai calendar. 

Thursday, August 28

  • Das Laxanä Parva [Daslakshan Parva] begins – Jainism [Ends September 6] 
    The Festival of the Ten Virtues, celebrated over ten days by the Digambara Jains, helps believers to recall and practice forgiveness, tenderness or humility, honesty, contentment or purity, truth, self-restraint, austerities, charity, celibacy, and non-attachment.

September 2025 

Monday, September 1 

  • Religious Calendar Begins — Orthodox Christianity 
    The Orthodox liturgical calendar begins on September 1. This contrasts with the beginning of the Catholic liturgical calendar, which starts on the first Sunday of Advent or the first Sunday closest to the Feast of St. Andrew, which falls annually on November 30 in the Gregorian calendar. 

Thursday, September 4 

  • Mawlid-al-Nabi (birthday of Mohammad) — Islam 
    Mawlid is Celebrated by Muslims during the month of Rabiulawal, the third month of the Muslim calendar. Also commonly known as Milad un Nabi, this day is observed as a public holiday in many countries with a large Muslim population as it commemorates the anniversary of the birth of the founder of Islam and the proclaimer of the Qurʾan. 

Saturday, September 6 

  • Zhōngyuán Jié [Ghost Festival] – Taoism  
    According to Chinese Taoist belief, this day is when deceased ancestors visit the homes of the living. Families prepare feasts and set tables with empty chairs so that the living and the dead can share the meal together. 

  • Ullambana – Buddhism 
    A day when Buddhists make offerings to the Triple Gem—the Buddha, the Dharma [teachings], and the Sangha [monastic community]—on behalf of their ancestors.    

Sunday, September 7 

  • ‘Izzat – Bahá’í  
    The beginning of the tenth month of the Bahá’í year, meaning “might.” 

  • Pitr-paksha or Mahalay Paksha – Hinduism [Ends September 21] 
    The beginning of a two-week period during which Hindu adherents perform shraddha rites to gratify the spirits of their deceased ancestors, including giving food or other donations as a form of charitable service. Hindus believe in Sanatana Dharma — a lifestyle with prime importance for righteousness, values to respect every living being in the universe, as well as those who have left us. 

Monday, September 8 

  • Nativity of the Mother of God (Theotokos) or Birth of the Blessed Virgin – Christianity  
    This festival celebrates the birth of Mary, the mother of Jesus of Nazareth. In Eastern Orthodox churches she is known by the honorific of Theotokos. 

Thursday, September 11

  • Coptic New Year (Enkutatash) — Coptic Christianity 
    "Enkutatash is the name for the Ethiopian New Year and means ‘gift of jewels’ in the Amharic language. The story goes back almost 3,000 years to the Queen of Sheba of ancient Ethiopia and Yemen, who was returning from a trip to visit King Solomon of Israel in Jerusalem, as mentioned in the Bible in I Kings 10 and II Chronicles 9. She had gifted Solomon with 120 talents of gold (4.5 tons) and many unique spices and jewels. When the Queen returned to Ethiopia, her chiefs welcomed her with enku or jewels to replenish her treasury." — Bill Petro 

Friday, September 19

  • Ohigon – Buddhism [Ends September 25] 
    A celebration of the equinox that is of particular importance to Japanese, Korean, and Tibetan Buddhists. During this festival, the six Paramitas [virtues] are emphasized: generosity, morality, wisdom, honesty, endeavor, and patience. 

Monday, September 22 

  • Rosh Hashanah begins – Judaism [Ends September 24] 
    Beginning at sundown is New Year’s Day for the year 5780 and the anniversary of the creation of the world. Jews celebrate Rosh Hashanah with the blowing of the shofar (ram’s horn) and apples and honey, marking it as the first of the Ten Days of Awe [or Repentance].  

  • Mabon [Harvest Home] – Wicca 
    Marking the second or continuing harvest, this festival celebrates life’s encapsulation as a seed to survive the cold winter, as well as the Harvest of the Vine, which symbolizes the divine power to transform the nectar of youth into the wine of elders’ wisdom and spiritual maturity. 

Saturday, September 27 

  • Elevation or Exultation of the Holy Cross – Christianity 
    This day recognizes the Cross as a symbol of Christ’s love for humankind and God’s victory over death. It also marks the finding of the Holy Cross by St. Helen after it had been stolen in the 7th century C.E. Orthodox churches begin their commemoration at sundown on the preceding day. In the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition, this day is known as Meskel and is marked on September 27th. 

Monday, September 29 

  • St. Michael and All Angels – Christianity 
    A celebration of the archangel Michael and all angels (from the Greek angelos, “divine messenger”) mentioned in the Bible.