Intercalary Days Celebrated in Montreal and Around the World

Montreal, February 25, 2026 — Communities across Montreal are marking the Intercalary Days of the Bahá’í calendar, joining Bahá’ís in countries and territories around the globe in a celebration characterized by hospitality, generosity, and fellowship.

Known in Arabic as Ayyám-i-Há, the Intercalary Days form a distinct period in the Bahá’í year devoted to social gatherings, acts of charity, and spiritual preparation for the upcoming month of fasting. The observance typically falls in late February and early March. With the worldwide implementation of the Bahá’í, or Badíʿ, calendar, the exact dates of Ayyám-i-Há shift slightly each year within the Gregorian calendar.

The length of Ayyám-i-Há varies annually. The Bahá’í calendar is composed of 19 months of 19 days each, totaling 361 days. The remaining days—four in a standard year and five in a leap year—are inserted between the eighteenth and nineteenth months. These “excess” days constitute Ayyám-i-Há.

In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book, Bahá’u’lláh, Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, describes the significance of these days:

“Let the days in excess of the months be placed before the month of fasting. We have ordained that these, amid all nights and days, shall be the manifestations of the letter Ha, and thus they have not been bounded by the limits of the year and its months. It behoveth the people of Baha, throughout these days, to provide good cheer for themselves, their kindred and, beyond them, the poor and needy, and with joy and exultation to hail and glorify their Lord, to sing His praise and magnify His Name; and when they end --these days of giving that precede the season of restraint--let them enter upon the Fast.”**

Ayyám-i-Há, often translated as “Intercalary Days,” literally means days inserted into the calendar. Unlike most Bahá’í holy days—which commemorate historic events marked by joy or solemn remembrance—Ayyám-i-Há is a festival celebrating the attributes of generosity, love, compassion, friendship, and praise of God. It stands in deliberate contrast to the Fast that follows, a period of abstinence, reflection, and spiritual renewal.

Beginning each year on March 21, the spring equinox, the Badíʿ calendar is based on the solar year of 365 days, 5 hours, and approximately 50 minutes. By assigning the intercalary days immediately before the month of ‘Alá’—the month of fasting—Bahá’u’lláh fixed their place within the calendar, ensuring alignment with the solar cycle.

Ritual and ceremony are minimal in the Bahá’í Faith, and as a result, Ayyám-i-Há is observed in diverse ways. Many families and communities host shared meals, devotional gatherings, musical programs, and charitable initiatives. Some exchange gifts, particularly with children, while others focus on service projects benefiting those in need. Celebrations may be elaborate or simple, but the spirit of goodwill and fellowship remains central.

In Montreal’s clusters and beyond, the Intercalary Days continue to serve as a reminder that joy, generosity, and unity are not confined by time or geography, but are shared values embraced by Bahá’í communities worldwide.

In the Arabic alphabet, the numerical value of the letter “Há” is 5.*Bahá’u’lláh, The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, paragraph 16.

More information about the Bahá’í calendar is available at : www.bahai.org/calendar