Lights of Guidance/Time for Holding Nineteen Day Feast

811. Time for Holding the Nineteen Day Feast

"We have your letter of October 12, 1971 concerning the date for the holding of the Nineteen Day Feast. It is preferable that Nineteen Day Feasts be held on the first day of the Bahá’í month, but if it should be difficult to do so, it is permissible to hold it on a succeeding day of the Bahá’í month. The matter is left to the discretion of the Local Spiritual Assembly."

(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Teaching Committee of Iceland, October 28, 1971, Australian Bahá’í Bulletin, No. 213, May 1972, p. 7)


812. If Feast Clashes with Regular Day for Public Meeting

"The Nineteen Day Feast should be held, preferably, on the first day of the Bahá’í month, that is to say the Bahá’í day, beginning at sunset. If this is not possible for some good reason, for example that it clashes with the regular day for a public meeting, then it may be held later, but it must fall within that same Bahá’í month and should be on the nearest possible date."

(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles, August 8, 1969)


813. Feast Should be Held on Prescribed Day Before Sunset

"Regarding the time for holding of the Nineteen Day Feasts and elections: The Guardian would advise your Assembly to urge the friends to hold such gatherings on the prescribed day before sunset. If impossible, then it is permissible to hold them on the preceding day…."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada, December 24, 1939: Bahá’í Meetings, The Nineteen Day Feast, p. 28)


814. Feast Can be Celebrated During Intercalary Days, Also Month of Fasting

"…relative to the last Nineteen Day Feast, Shoghi Effendi sees no objection if the friends choose to celebrate it on one of the intercalary days. They may also celebrate it during the month of fasting, provided they abstain from food."

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, August 2, 1929)


815. In High Latitudes Permissible to Go by the Clock

"As to whether the celebrating of the Feasts, Holy Days and the Fast should follow the rising and the setting of sun, in the high latitudes it is permissible to go by the clock."

(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Teaching Committee of Iceland October 28, 1971: Australian Bahá’í Bulletin, No. 213, May 1972, p. 7)


816. "Most Suitable" Day for Celebrations of the Nineteen Day Feast

"… You ask if it is within the discretion of a Local Spiritual Assembly, to schedule the Feasts at times other than the first day of a Bahá’í month, and point out that attendance was very low when the Feasts were held in the middle of a week, but that when held on a Saturday many more of the friends were able to attend. It seems obvious, therefore, that the intent of the Local Assembly, in loving consideration of the members of its community, was to make the participation in a Nineteen Day Feast available to as many of the believers as possible. Perhaps the Assembly was basing its decision on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's statement, taken from the compilation on the Nineteen Day Feast, that the 'object' of the Feast is 'concord, that through this fellowship hearts may become perfectly united…'

"Other passages from that same compilation are:

'This Feast is a bringer of joy. It is the groundwork of agreement and unity. It is the key to affection and fellowship…'

'The believers of God must assemble and associate with each other in the utmost love, joy and fragrance.'

"On the other hand, since the beloved Guardian expressed a preference, and considered it 'most suitable', for the Feast to be held on the first day of each month, the House of Justice hopes that the friends everywhere will aim at scheduling their Nineteen Day Feasts in this way, and that the friends themselves will arrange their personal affairs to be able to attend.

"As in so many aspects of our beloved Faith, this is a matter of the gradual maturing of the Bahá’ís and of the institutions. The House of Justice feels that you should lovingly guide the Local Assemblies in this matter, but leave it to their discretion for the time being."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Mexico, October 10, 1985)


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