Sacred Calendar
The feasts and the fast the Scriptures give us — Old Testament and New — so no holy day takes you by surprise.
How we keep the days
House of Miriam keeps the appointed times of the Scriptures — the feasts of Leviticus 23, together with Purim and the Feast of Dedication that the Bible names. We do not keep days that come only from later church tradition (such as Christmas, Easter as a church feast, or the forty-day Lent).
We follow the original moon calendar: each month begins at the new moon, and the year turns in the spring. Because the new moon is seen, the exact day is confirmed close to the time.
The dates below are calculated to track the moon and the spring closely, so you always have good warning. They can differ by about a day from the observed new moon — always confirm the day with your fellowship, especially for the fast.
Tap any day to open it — what it means, and how to keep it. The fast day is opened for you.
The one commanded fast
In all the Torah there is only one yearly fast that is commanded: the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) — “you shall afflict your souls” (Leviticus 23:27–32). That is the day never to be caught unaware of. Every other fast kept among God’s people is a matter of tradition or of the heart, not a command.
If fasting would harm your health, or if you are pregnant or nursing, mercy comes before ritual — keep the day in rest and prayer instead. “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” (Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13)