 Ember days are four separate sets of three days within the same week—specifically, the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday—roughly equidistant in the circuit of the year, that were formerly set aside for fasting and prayer.These days set apart for special prayer and fasting were considered especially suitable for the ordination of clergy.The Ember Days are known in Latin as "quatuor tempora" (the "four seasons"), or "jejunia quatuor temporum" ("fasts of the four seasons").