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April 20, 2019 Ayyám-i-Há led the way through the Fast and on to Naw-Rúz Towards the end of an unusually long winter in the Nation's Capital, members of the Ottawa Bahá’í community celebrated Ayyám-i-Há in preparation for the period of the Fast, which began on March 2 and ended just before the Bahá’í New Year, on March 21st, coinciding with the spring solstice. Ayyám-i-Há, also known as Intercalary Days, are four or five days (depending on whether it is a leap year) of gift giving, donating to the poor and celebrations among family, friends and the community at large. These special days of festivities precede the beginning of the Bahá’í Fast, a sunrise-to-sunset fast that lasts the length of a Bahá’í month, which is 19 days. Along with obligatory prayer, it is one of the important aspects in the life of a Bahá'í, and its chief purpose is spiritual: to reinvigorate the soul and bring the person closer to God. This year Ayyám-i-Há celebrations were held in more than 10 locations across the city of Ottawa. The celebrations featured the involvement of children to wonderful effect, as well as the joyful attendance of adults, family and friends. In Orléans, the Tanha family hosted a wonderful and well-attended Intercalary Days party that included a delicious potluck meal, a brief explanation on the meaning of Ayyám-i-Há, and warm fellowship. In West Ottawa, the Foster Farm children's class celebrated with an Ayyám-i-Há party on Thursday, February 28, its regular class time, and invited the parents to attend. There were songs and prayers and a special craft. The youngest child was invited to partake of refreshments first then everybody joined in. The evening finished with good cheer and happiness.
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