The absorption spectra of the ferrate (VI) ion (FeO^2-₄) in K₂MO₄ (M = S, Se, Cr, Mo) host lattices consist of a series of relatively weak bands at low energy, which can be assigned to transitions within the partially filled 3d shell and some intense bands at higher energy, which are assigned to ligand-to-metal charge transfer transitions (LMCT). In the near-infrared (NIR) region sharp lines are observed belonging to the spin-forbidden spin-flip transitions ³A₂→ ¹E and ³A_{2 Â} â†’ ¹A₁. The lowest excited state is the ¹E state, serving as initial state for ¹E → ³A₂ sharp-line luminescence at around 6200 cm^-1. Another luminescence is observed centered at 9000 cm^-1, which is assigned to the ³T₂ → ³A₂ transition. It is rather broad and three orders of magnitude weaker than the ¹E luminescence at 30K as a result of efficient non-radiative relaxation processes to the ¹E state. The temperature dependence of the total intensity and the lifetime of the ¹E → ³A₂ luminescence is understood within a complex scheme of radiative and non-radiative processes.