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.
Living by the moon — a gentle guide
This is the calendar Yeshua and His people lived by: months set by the moon, not the modern Western months. It feels unfamiliar at first — that's alright. Start by seeing what today is, then explore the months at your own pace.
What day is it — really?
Pick any date and see where it falls on the moon calendar. It opens on today.
Dates are calculated to track the moon closely and can differ by about a day from the observed new moon — see the note at the top of the page.
The whole sacred year at a glance
The moon year runs from Nisan in the spring around to Adar — one full circle of feasts. Scripture counts the months from the spring (Passover is in the 1st month); the Hebrew year-number itself turns over in the autumn, at Tishrei. Every year the moons shift a little against the Western calendar.
The moons and their names
Twelve moons make a year — about 354 days, some eleven short of the sun's year. So roughly every third year a thirteenth moon (Adar II) is added, keeping Passover in the spring where it belongs. Here are the moons in order, with what each one holds.
What's coming next
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)