The Nineteen Day Feast
The heartbeat of Bahá'í community life: every nineteen days, the local Bahá'í community gathers for prayer, consultation, and fellowship.
The Nineteen Day Feast is a gathering for members of the Bahá'í community. Friends and family who are not Bahá'í are warmly welcomed to devotional gatherings, holy days and most other events on this site.
The Nineteen Day Feast is the regular gathering of the local Bahá'í community, held once every nineteen days — the length of a Bahá'í month. It is the central institution of the Bahá'í community's collective life.
Each Feast has three parts: a devotional portion of prayers and readings, an administrative portion where the community consults on its affairs and hears from the elected Local Spiritual Assembly, and a social portion of food and fellowship.
What to expect
Part one
Devotional
Prayers and readings from the Bahá'í writings and other traditions, often arranged around the theme or virtue associated with the month.
Part two
Consultation
The community hears reports from the Local Spiritual Assembly, shares news, and consults on the life of the community — its activities, its service to the neighbourhood, its plans.
Part three
Social
Food, conversation, music and unhurried time together. Children play, friends catch up, newcomers are welcomed in.
Who comes
- Members of the local Bahá'í community — adults, youth, and children.
- Bahá'ís visiting from out of town are warmly received.
- The consultation portion is for Bahá'ís only, though friends and family who happen to be present at the devotional or social portions are not excluded.
What to do
- If you're a Bahá'í, contribute to the consultation thoughtfully and prayerfully.
- Offer to read, sing or bring food for the social portion.
- Welcome any Bahá'ís who are new to the community.
What you don't need to do
- The consultation portion is reserved for Bahá'ís — non-Bahá'í friends are gently invited to join only the devotional or social portion if they're present.
A sample programme
Every gathering has its own rhythm — this is one realistic outline.
- 7:00 pm
- Devotional portion: prayers and readings on this month's theme
- 7:30 pm
- Consultation: report from the Local Spiritual Assembly, news, plans
- 8:15 pm
- Social portion: shared meal, music, fellowship
Origins & meaning
The Nineteen Day Feast is established in the Bahá'í writings and rooted in the Bahá'í calendar, which divides the year into nineteen months of nineteen days each. The institution combines worship, governance and fellowship — three strands the Bahá'í teachings see as inseparable.
Feasts began in the lifetime of Bahá'u'lláh and have been held continuously by Bahá'í communities for over a century. They remain the principal regular gathering for Bahá'ís worldwide.
- Bahá'í calendar
- A calendar of 19 months of 19 days, with a few intercalary days. Each month is named after a divine attribute (Splendour, Glory, Beauty, Grandeur, and so on).
- Local Spiritual Assembly
- The elected nine-member body that guides the affairs of the Bahá'í community in a locality.
Frequently asked questions
Can I attend if I'm not Bahá'í?+
The Feast is a gathering of the local Bahá'í community, and the consultation portion is for Bahá'ís. Friends and family who are not Bahá'í are warmly welcomed to devotional gatherings, holy days and most other events listed on this site.
Why every nineteen days?+
The Bahá'í calendar is built on nineteen months of nineteen days, and the Feast is held on the first day of each month.
Is there a meal?+
Usually a light shared meal or refreshments during the social portion — potluck contributions are common.
Who runs it?+
A different host or hosting family typically prepares each Feast, with the Local Spiritual Assembly responsible for the consultation portion.
Is there a Feast every nineteen days in every city?+
Wherever there is an organised Bahá'í community, yes. Smaller localities sometimes gather with neighbouring ones.
Find one near you
The next upcoming nineteen day feasts across Canada.
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Your first visit — a small checklist
- Check the date — Feasts fall on the first day of each Bahá'í month
- Bring a small dish if it's a potluck Feast
- Be prepared to contribute to the consultation
Other kinds of gatherings
Holy day
Nine days each year mark the most sacred moments in the lives of the founders of the Bahá'í Faith. Communities gather to remember, pray, and celebrate together — all welcome.
Read the guide →
Devotional
A simple, prayerful hour where neighbours of every background read sacred writings, share music, and reflect together.
Read the guide →
Reflection meeting
Periodic neighbourhood gatherings where friends look back on what they've learned, celebrate small victories, and plan what to do next.
Read the guide →