| date |
event |
locations |
tags |
see also |
| 1895 23 Jun |
Birth of Leonora Stirling Holsapple (later Armstrong) in Hudson, New York. She was the first pioneer to Brazil and is regarded as the Mother of South America. [Wikipedia] |
Hudson; New York; United States |
Leonora Holsapple Armstrong; Names and titles; Births and deaths |
|
| 1897 (In the year) |
The Hands of the Cause appointed by Bahá'u'lláh were instructed by `Abdu'l-Bahá to gather to begin the consultations regarding the future organization of the Bahá'í community in Tihrán.
This gathering lead to the formation of the Central Spiritual Assembly of Tihrán in 1899. [BBD98, 114, 115; EB268; BAHAISM v. The Bahai Community in Iran by V. Rafati]
|
Tihran; Iran |
Hands appointed by Bahaullah; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Central Spiritual Assembly of Tihran; Spiritual Assemblies; LSA; Administrative Order |
|
| 1899 (In the year) |
A local spiritual assembly called "The Consulting Assembly of Tihrán", a forerunner of the National Spiritual Assembly, was established. [EB175–6; 26 November, 2007]
Four Hands of the Cause were permanent members; nine others were elected by special electors appointed by the Hands. [EB175–6] |
Tihran; Iran |
NSA; Spiritual Assemblies; LSA; Hands of the Cause; Appointments; Elections |
|
| 1899 May |
A council board of seven officers, a forerunner of the Local Spiritual Assembly, was established in Kenosha. [BFA1:112; GPB260]
Those elected were not so much members of a council but rather "community officers" who carried out the decisions made at a community meeting. [BFA1p112] iiiii
|
Kenosha; Wisconsin; United States |
Board of Council; Spiritual Assemblies; LSA |
|
| 1900 c. 16 Mar |
The Chicago community re-organized by selecting a ten-member Board of Council. Neither Kheiralla nor any of his supporters were on the Board. [BFA1:XXIX, 170] |
Chicago; United States |
Board of Council; Spiritual Assemblies; LSA; Ibrahim George Kheiralla |
|
| 1900 7 Dec |
In New York, nine men were selected to govern the affairs of the Faith. Those serving were Arthur Dodge, Hooper Harris, William Hoar, Andrew Hutchinson, Howard MacNutt, Frank Osborne, Edwin Putnam, Charles Sprague and Orosco Woolson. Among the problems that they had to face was the effect of the disaffection of Kheiralla. [BFA2p36] |
New York; United States |
Board of Council; Spiritual Assemblies; LSA; Ibrahim George Kheiralla |
|
| 1901 15 May |
The Chicago Bahá'ís elected a nine-man Board of Council for a term of five years. [BFA2:XXV, 44–7] |
Chicago; United States |
Board of Council; Spiritual Assemblies; LSA |
|
| 1901 20 May |
The number of members on the Board of Council was raised to 12. [BFA2:47] |
Chicago; United States |
Board of Council; Spiritual Assemblies; LSA |
|
| 1901 24 May |
The name of the Chicago Board of Council was changed to the House of Justice. [BFA2:48]
`Abdu'l-Bahá requested that this name be changed a year later. [BFA2:49] |
Chicago; United States |
Board of Council; House of Justice; Spiritual Assemblies; LSA |
|
| 1902 10 May |
The Chicago House of Justice changes its name to the House of Spirituality. [BFA2:XV] |
Chicago; United States |
House of Justice; House of Spirituality; Spiritual Assemblies; LSA |
|
| 1904 (In the year) |
At this point there were separate Spiritual Assemblies for the Jewish and Zoroastrian Bahá'ís in Hamadán and Tihrán. [BBRSM:151; CB371; CT33]
See BW2:275–9 for a letter from the `Israelitish' Bahá'í Assembly of Tihrán of November 1904. |
Hamadan; Tihran; iran |
LSA |
|
| 1907 19 Jul |
The Chicago `Bahai Assembly' filed an affidavit of incorporation, the first Bahá'í community to acquire legal status. [BFA2:278]
The incorporation is in the name of the community rather than the governing body. [BFA2:278–9] |
Chicago; United States |
Spiritual Assemblies; LSA; Incorporation; Recognition; Firsts, Other |
|
| 1920 After Jul |
The first Argentineans to become Bahá'ís, Hermann Grossman and his sister Elsa Grossman, accepted the Faith in Leipzig in 1920.
They were born in Argentina and emigrated to Germany in 1909.
Dr Grossman heard of the Faith at a public meeting given by Harlan and Grace Ober at the Theosophical Society. [BW13:869] |
Leipzig; Germany |
Herman Grossmann; Elsa Grossman; Harlan and Grace Ober; Theosophical Society; First Bahais by country or area |
|
| 1921 1 Feb |
Leonora Holsapple Armstrong, the first Bahá'í pioneer in Latin America, arrived in Rio de Janeiro. |
Rio de Janeiro; Brazil |
Leonora Holsapple Armstrong |
|
| 1922 5 Mar |
Shoghi Effendi wrote to the American Bahá'ís calling for the establishment of local assemblies wherever nine or more believers reside and directing that all activities be placed under the authority of the local and national assemblies. [BA17-25; BBRSM120-1; CB300] |
BWC |
Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Shoghi Effendi, Basic timeline; Local Spiritual Assemblies; LSA; National Spiritual Assemblies; NSA; Administration |
|
| 1922 Apr |
Shoghi Effendi sent verbal messages through Consul Schwarz to Germany and Ethel Rosenberg to Britain to form local spiritual assemblies and to arrange for the election of a national spiritual assembly in each country. [CB293; ER209, 211-12; PP56]
|
Germany; United Kingdom; United States; Canada |
Shoghi Effendi, Life of; Consuls; Albert Schwarz; Ethel Rosenberg; National Spiritual Assemblies; NSA; Local Spiritual Assemblies; LSA; Spiritual Assemblies; Executive Board |
|
| 1922 10 Dec |
The first local assembly of Montreal was formed. [BW8:639, OBCC157, TG26] |
Montreal; Quebec; Canada |
LSA |
|
| 1923 Dec |
The first local spiritual assembly in Australia was formed in Melbourne. |
Melbourne; Australia |
LSA |
|
| 1924 Jul |
The second local spiritual assembly in Australia was formed in Perth. |
Perth; Australia |
LSA |
find reference |
| 1925 Jan |
The Spiritual Assembly of Alexandria was established, the second assembly to be formed in Africa. |
Alexandria; Africa |
LSA |
|
| 1925 |
There were 43 local spiritual assemblies in North America by this date. [BBRSM121] |
North America; United States |
LSA; Statistics |
|
| 1925 10 Apr |
Shoghi Effendi wrote to the American National Spiritual Assembly indicating that the word ‘assembly’ was to apply only to the elected body of nine believers in each locality or to the national assembly, not to the believers as a whole. They had been using the term to mean the community of Bahá'ís. [BA83; SBBH258] |
United States |
Administration; National Spiritual Assemblies; Local Spiritual Assemblies; LSA; Spiritual Assemblies |
|
| 1927 9 Sep - 2 Dec |
Leonora Holsapple (later Armstrong) made a teaching trip through Latin America and the Caribbean, becoming the first Bahá’í to visit Venezuela, Colombia, Haiti, Curaçao, Trinidad (2–12 Oct), the Guianas (29 Oct), Barbados (Dec) and several islands in the Antilles group. |
Latin America; Caribbean |
Leonora Holsapple Armstrong |
|
| 1928 (In the year) |
The first local assembly of Shanghai was formed. [PH28] |
Shanghai |
LSA |
|
| 1928 (In the year) |
In this year there were 579 localities in the world in which Bahá’ís lived, 102 local spiritual assemblies, nine national spiritual assemblies, and about eight languages into which Bahá’í literature was translated. [BBRSM160–1] |
|
NSA; LSA; statistics |
|
| 1930 (In the year) |
Leonora Holsapple Armstrong visited Gibraltar, the first Bahá’í to do so. |
Gibraltar |
Leonora Holsapple Armstrong |
|
| 1932 17 Feb |
The Chicago Bahá’í Assembly incorporated, the first local spiritual assembly in the world to do so. This set the pattern for other Assemblies. [GPB336, Century of LIght p57] |
Chicago; United States |
LSA; Incorporation; Recognition; Firsts, Other |
|
| 1932 21 Mar |
The first Local Spiritual Assembly of Tokyo, consisting of journalists and other professional people, was formed.
Owing to the situation in Japan, it was disbanded two years later.
[In memoriam Barbara Sims
by Universal House of Justice, Sheridan Sims, and Sandra S. Fotos] |
Tokyo |
LSA; Z**** |
find reference |
| 1933 25 Nov |
The first Spiritual Assembly of Addis Ababa was formed. [BW6:70]
The community was established by Sabri Elias, a pioneer from Egypt who thus earned the title Knight of Bahá'u'lláh. [BW6:70]
Ethiopia was the only independent Kingdom in Africa at this date. [BW6:70]
Wikipedia says that the Assembly was formed in "late 1934".
|
Addis Ababa; Ethiopia |
LSA; Sabri Elias; Knights of Bahaullah |
|
| 1934 (In the year) |
The first Local Spiritual Assembly of Sofia, Bulgaria, was elected. |
Sofia; Bulgaria |
LSA; Bulgaria |
|
| 1935 (In the year) |
The persecution against the Bahá’ís in Iran continued. [BW18:389]
Meetings in the Bahá’í Centre in Tihrán were banned.
A number of Bahá’ís in Bandar Sháh were arrested and imprisoned.
The secretary of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Arák was arrested.
Bahá’ís in Qazvín were arrested and harassed.
A Bahá’í in Záhidán was arrested. |
Iran; Tihran; Bandar Shah; Arak; Qazvin; Zahidan |
Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Arrests; Persecution, Other; Persecution; LSA |
|
| 1937 (In the year) |
The persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran continued throughout the country. [BW18:389]
Many Bahá’ís employed in the police force, army and government departments were dismissed.
Six members of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Ahváz were arrested.
Bahá’ís who closed their shops on Bahá’í holy days in Bandar Sháh were arrested.
All Bahá’í meetings in Kirmánsháh, Bírjand, Arák and other towns were prohibited by police order.
Five Bahá’í families were attacked in their homes in Cham-tang, near Hindíyán. They were severely beaten and forced to leave the village. |
Iran; Ahvaz; Bandar Shah; Kirmanshah; Birjand; Arak; Cham-tang |
Persecution, Iran; Persecution, Arrests; Persecution, Other; Persecution; LSA; Holy days |
|
| 1937 Ridván |
The First Seven Year Plan was launched in North America. [BBD180; BBRSM158; BW7:17–18; MA9]
For the role of individuals, local spiritual assemblies and the National Spiritual Assembly see MA11–12.
The Plan called for:
- the completion of the exterior of the Wilmette Temple. BW7:17–18; PP385]
- the establishment of a local spiritual assembly in each state and province of the United States and Canada. [PP385]
- the establishment of a centre in each of the republics of Latin America. [PP385]
|
United States; Canada |
Seven Year Plan, US and CA (1937-1946); Teaching Plans; Teaching Plans, National; LSA; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Wilmette |
|
| 1938 5 Feb |
Bahá'ís in the Soviet Union were persecuted by the authorities. [BBR473, BW8p87-90, 179-81, BW14p479-481, SETPE1p155]
Five hundred Bahá'í men were imprisoned in Turkistán. [Bw8p89]
Many Persian Bahá'ís living in various cities of the Soviet Union were arrested, some are sent to Siberia, others to Pavladar in northern Kazakhstan and yet others to Iran. [BW8p87, 179, 184]
Six hundred Bahá'í refugees-women, girls, children and a few old men, went to Iran, most to Mashhad. [BW8p89]
The Bahá'í Temple in Ishqábád (now Ashgabat, Turkmenistan) was confiscated and turned into an art gallery. [BDD122, BW8p89]
The Bahá'í schools were ordered closed. [BW8p89]
Spiritual Assemblies and all other administrative institutions in the Caucasus were ordered dissolved. [BW8p89] |
Soviet Union; Russia; Caucasus; Turkistan; Ishqabad; Turkmenistan; Kazakhstan; Iran; Mashhad |
Mashriqul-Adhkar, Ishqabad; Persecution, Russia; Persecution, Arrests; Persecution, Other; Persecution; Bahai schools; LSA |
|
| 1938 Apr |
The first local spiritual assembly in the whole of Latin America was formed in Mexico City. |
Mexico City |
LSA |
find ref |
| 1939 Ridván |
The first Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Budapest was elected. There were about 14 believers in the community, mostly of Jewish ancestry. This caused difficulty for the community in the Nazi persecutions that followed. [Rebirth: Memoirs of Renée Szanto-Felbermann p108]
According to the description of Renée Szántó-Felbermann, they could not even meet in Budapest: „It was at their (the Sugárs) house in Alag (today part of Budakeszi) that we elected the first Spiritual Assembly in the history of Hungary, Ridvan 1939. When we boarded the train for Alag, in order to avoid suspicion, we Bahá’ís did not remain together, but went by twos and threes. The same procedure was repeated on our arrival to Alag. It was a memorable, unforgettable evening, that Feast of Ridván in the small house at Alag fragrant with spring flowers. We were all deeply moved. And our dear Bertha Matthiesen was radiant. … Jenő Sugár was elected chairman, Mária Kleinberger became treasurer and I continued as secretary.” [www.bahai.hu]
See www.bahai.hu for a list of community members.
Ms Bertha Matthiesen spent a lot of time in Hungary between 1937 and 1939 when most declarations took place and the first spiritual assembly was formed.
[www.bahai.hu]
Mr Emeric Sala (Imre Szalavetz) a Canadian Bahá'í who was born in Hungary visited Budapest in 1933 and in 1937.
[www.bahai.hu]
Canadian travel teacher Ms Lorol Schopflocher visited Budapest in March-April 1937.
[www.bahai.hu]
|
Budapest; Hungary |
LSA; World War II; War (general); Persecution, Hungary; Persecution, Other; Persecution; Jews |
|
| 1939 12 Dec |
The Bahá’ís of Caracas, Venezuela, held their first Nineteen Day Feast and afterwards elected a ‘Provisional Assembly’. |
Caracas; Venezuela |
LSA |
|
| 1940 (In the year) |
The first local spiritual assembly in Brazil was established in Bahia, with the assistance of Leonora Holsapple Armstrong. |
Bahia; Brazil |
Leonora Holsapple Armstrong |
|
| 1940 Apr |
The first local spiritual assembly of Argentina was established in Buenos Aires. |
Buenos Aires; Argentina |
LSA |
|
| 1942 Ridván |
The first local assembly in El Salvador was established in San Salvador. |
San Salvador |
LSA |
|
| 1942 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Cuba was established in Havana.
A loose organization had been formed in 1940. |
Havana |
LSA |
|
| 1942 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Haiti was established in Port-au-Prince. |
Port-au-Prince |
LSA |
|
| 1942 Jun |
The Spiritual Assembly of San José, Costa Rica, was legally registered with the government, the first local assembly to be incorporated in Latin America. [BW11:46] |
San Jose; Costa Rica |
LSA |
|
| 1943 (In the year) |
The first Local Spiritual Assembly was formed in Jamaica. [BWNS233] |
Jamaica |
LSA; BWNS |
|
| 1943 4 Sep |
The first local spiritual assembly in Alaska was established at Anchorage. |
Anchorage; Alaska; United States |
LSA |
|
| 1944 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Jamaica was established in Kingston. |
Kingston |
LSA |
|
| 1944 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Puerto Rico was established in San Juan. |
San Juan |
LSA |
|
| 1944 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Colombia was established in Bogotá. |
Bogota |
LSA |
|
| 1944 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Honduras was established in Tegucigalpa. |
Tegucigalpa |
LSA |
|
| 1944 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Peru was established in Lima. |
Lima |
LSA |
|
| 1944 May |
The British at their national convention, decided to ask the Guardian for their own Six Year Plan. [UDXVI]
He responded immediately by setting them the task of forming 19 assemblies spread over England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Eire. [UD173]
Shoghi Effendi described this as ‘their first collective enterprise’. [UDXVI, 173–4]
See also BBRSM158, 185. |
United Kingdom; Ireland |
Conventions, National; Teaching Plans, National; Firsts, Other; LSA |
|
| 1944 Nov |
The Local Spiritual Assembly of Bogotá, Colombia, was disbanded.
It was not reformed until April 1946. |
Bogota; Colombia |
LSA |
|
| 1945 (Ridván) |
The first local spiritual assembly in Ecuador was established in Guayaquil. |
Guayaquil; Ecuador |
LSA |
|
| 1945 (Ridván) |
The first local spiritual assembly in the Dominican Republic was established in Santo Domingo.
There were nine indigenous believers in the city. |
Santo Domingo |
LSA |
|
| 1945 (Ridván) |
The first local spiritual assembly of Bolivia was established in La Paz. |
La Paz |
LSA |
|
| 1945 (Ridván) |
The first local spiritual assembly of Venezuela was established in Caracas. |
Caracas |
LSA |
|
| 1945 Jun |
The 20 Bahá’ís in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, were a sufficient number for the local spiritual assembly to gain legal recognition for the Bahá’í Faith as a religion.
It was registered as a cultural, religious and social organization on 5 August 1946.
|
Port-au-Prince; Haiti |
LSA |
|
| 1946 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Panama was established Panama City. |
Panama |
LSA |
|
| 1946 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Brazil was established in Rio de Janeiro. |
Rio de Janeiro |
LSA |
|
| 1947 Apr |
The Tokyo Spiritual Assembly, suspended during the war, was re-established. |
Tokyo |
LSA |
|
| 1947 Ridván |
The formation of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Amsterdam, the first in the Netherlands. |
Amsterdam; Netherlands |
LSA |
find ref
|
| 1948 19 Apr |
The Havana Bahá’ís incorporated as an ‘assembly’, meaning ‘group’.
It was incorporated as a local spiritual assembly in 1949. |
Havana |
LSA |
|
| 1948 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly of the Netherlands was established in Amsterdam. [BW11p654] |
Amsterdam; Netherlands |
LSA |
|
| 1948 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Belgium was established in Brussels. [BW11p727] |
Brussels; Belgium |
LSA |
|
| 1948 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Afghanistan was established in Kabul. |
Kabul; Afghanistan |
LSA |
|
| 1948 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Ireland was established in Dublin. |
Dublin; Ireland |
LSA |
|
| 1948 Ridván |
The first All-Native Bahá’í Assembly was established in Macy, Nebraska. [BW13:837; CF72]
See BW11:536 for a picture.
For the role of Amelia Collins in establishing this Assembly see PSBW88. |
Macy; Nebraska; United States |
Amelia Collins; LSA |
|
| 1948 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Sweden was established in Stockholm. [BW11:689]
For picture see BW11p689.
|
Stockholm |
LSA |
|
| 1948 Ridván |
The Local Spiritual Assembly of Budapest reformed. The Assembly was forced to dissolve again near the end of 1950 under the new regime. Most Bahá'ís fled the country during or after the Revolution in 1956. [www.bahai.hu]. |
Budapest; Hungary |
LSA; Re-form |
|
| 1948 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Spain was established in Madrid. |
Madrid |
LSA |
|
| 1948 Ridván |
The first Bahá'í institution in Italy, the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Rome was elected.
See picture. |
Rome; Italy |
LSA |
|
| 1948 Ridvan |
The formation of the first Spiritual Assembly in Cardiff. See CG9 for a picture. |
Cardiff,Wales |
LSA |
|
| 1949 20 Apr |
The first local spiritual assembly in Portugal was established in Lisbon. |
Lisbon |
LSA |
|
| 1949 21 Apr |
The first local spiritual assembly of Denmark was established in Copenhagen. |
Copenhagen |
LSA |
|
| 1951 (In the year) |
Bahá’í women in Egypt were extended the right of membership on local spiritual assemblies. [MBW12]
Shoghi Effendi called this ‘a notable step in the progress of Bahá’í women of the Middle East’. [MBW12] |
Egypt |
LSA; women |
|
| 1952 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly of Uganda was established in Kampala.
Enoch Olinga was a member. |
Kampala |
LSA |
|
| 1952 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Tanganyika was established in Dar-es-Salaam. |
Dar-es-Salaam |
LSA |
|
| 1952 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly of Singapore City was established. [BW12:573; PH58, 67] |
Singapore |
LSA |
|
| 1953 Apr |
The first local spiritual assembly in Finland was established in Helsinki. |
Helsinki |
LSA |
find reference
|
| 1953 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Kenya was established in Nairobi. |
Nairobi; Kenya |
LSA |
|
| 1953 Sep |
Elsa Grossman arrived in the Frisian Islands and was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh. [BW13:452] |
Frisian Islands |
Elsa Grossman; Knights of Bahaullah; Islands |
|
| 1954 Apr |
Bahá’í women in Iran were accorded full rights to participate in membership of both national and local Bahá’í assemblies. [MBW65]
This removed the ‘last remaining obstacle to the enjoyment of complete equality of rights in the conduct of the administrative affairs of the Persian Bahá’í Community’. [MBW65] |
Iran |
NSA; LSA |
|
| 1954 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in the Malay Peninsula was established in Seremban. |
Seremban; Malay |
LSA |
|
| 1954 Ridván |
The first all African local spiritual assembly in Tanganyika was formed in Bukoba. |
Bukoba; Tanganyika (Tanzania) |
LSA |
|
| 1954 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly was formed in British Cameroons. |
British Cameroon |
LSA |
|
| 1954 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly was formed in Ruanda-Urundi. |
Ruanda-Urundi (Burundi) |
LSA |
|
| 1954 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Algeria was formed in Algiers. |
Algiers; Algeria |
LSA |
|
| 1955 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Zanzibar was formed. |
Zanzibar |
LSA |
|
| 1955 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Réunion was formed. |
Reunion; France |
LSA |
|
| 1955 Ridván |
The first five local assemblies in Bechuanaland (Botswana) were formed in Seqonoka, Maseru, Mafeteng, Maphohloane and Sephapos’ Gate. |
Seqonoka; Maseru; Mafeteng; Maphohloane and Sephapos Gate; Lesotho |
LSA |
|
| 1955 Ridván |
The first four local spiritual assemblies in The Gambia were formed in Bathurst (Banjul), Serrekunda, Lamin and Brikama. |
Bathurst (Banjul); Serrekunda; Lamin and Brikama; Gambia, The |
LSA |
|
| 1955 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) was formed in Salisbury (Harare). [CG21] |
Salisbury (Harare); Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) |
LSA |
|
| 1955 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly of French Togoland (Togo) formed at Lomé. |
Lome; French Togoland (Togo); Togo |
LSA |
|
| 1955 Ridván |
The first local spiritual in Mozambique was established in Lourenço Marques. [BW13:290] |
Lourenco Marques; Mozambique |
LSA |
|
| 1955 Ridván |
The first Local Spiritual Assembly in Italian Somalia was formed in Mogadishu. |
Mogadishu; Italian Somaliland |
LSA |
|
| 1955 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Madagascar was formed in Tananarive (Antananarivo). |
Tananarive (Antananarivo); Madagascar |
LSA |
|
| 1955 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in the Seychelles was formed in Victoria. |
Victoria; Seychelles |
LSA |
|
| 1955 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in the Bahamas was formed in Nassau. |
Nassau; Bahamas |
LSA |
|
| 1955 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Vietnam was formed at Saigon-Cholon (Cholon is the Chinese section of Saigon).
This body was also the first local assembly to be formed in Indochina. |
Saigon-Cholon; Vietnam |
LSA |
|
| 1956 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly was formed in Morocco (International Zone). |
Morocco |
LSA |
|
| 1956 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Taiwan was formed in T’ainan. [The Taiwan Bahá'í Chronicle by Barbara R. Sims p15] |
Tainan; Taiwan |
LSA |
|
| 1956 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Bermuda was formed. |
Bermuda |
LSA |
|
| 1956 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assemblies in Korea were formed at Seoul and at Kwangju. |
Seoul; Kwangju; Korea |
LSA |
|
| 1956 Ridván |
With the enrolment of the first Micronesian Bahá’í, the first local spiritual assembly of Guam was formed. |
Guam |
LSA |
|
| 1956 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly of Hong Kong was formed. |
Hong Kong |
LSA |
|
| 1956 Ridván |
The local spiritual assembly of Addis Ababa incorporated, the first one in Africa to do so. [BW13:287] |
Addis Ababa |
LSA |
|
| 1956 Ridván |
Formation of the first Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Guam. |
Guam |
LSA |
find reference |
| 1957 (In the year) |
Nagoya, Japan, became the only spiritual assembly to be made up entirely of Japanese believers. |
Nagoya; Japan |
LSA |
|
| 1957. 21 Apr |
The first Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Apia, Western Samoa was formed. The members were: Lilian Ala'i, Ghodsieh Ala'i, Nemat Ala'i, To'alima Sa'ialala, Lotoa Rock, Emanuel Rock, William I Laing, Sa'ialala Tamasese, and Suhayl A Ala'i. [CBN No99 April, 1958 p5] |
Apia; Samoa |
LSA; Lilian Ala'i; Ghodsieh Ala'i; Nemat Ala'i; To'alima Sa'ialala; Lotoa Rock; Emanuel Rock; William I Laing; Sa'ialala Tamasese; Suhayl A Ala'i |
|
| 1957 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Laos had already been formed in Vientiane. |
Vientiane; Laos |
LSA |
|
| 1957 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Brunei had already been formed. [BW 13:302] |
Brunei |
LSA |
|
| 1957 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Cape Verde was formed in Praia. |
Praia; Cape Verde |
LSA |
|
| 1957 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Nyasaland was formed at Lilongwe. |
Lilongwe; Nyasaland |
LSA |
|
| 1957 Ridván |
The formation of the first Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canberra, the last capital city in Australia to form. |
Canberra; Australia |
LSA |
find reference |
| 1958 (In the year) |
The first local spiritual assembly of Nepal was formed in Kathmandu.
Prof. Anil Sarwal says it was 1960-1961
The first Local Spiritual Assembly was established in the capital city Kathmandu in 1961. [Yellow Place] |
Kathmandu; Nepal |
LSA |
|
| 1958 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in the Kingdom of Tonga was formed at Nuku’alofa. |
Nukualofa; Tonga |
LSA |
|
| 1958 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly of Macau was formed. |
Macau |
LSA |
|
| 1958 Ridván |
The formation of the first local spiritual assembly of Taipei. [The Taiwan Bahá'í Chronicle by Barbara R. Sims p25] |
Teipei; Taiwan |
LSA |
|
| 1958 May |
The first local spiritual assembly in Papua New Guinea was formed in Madina Village, in New Ireland.
This was the first all-indigenous local spiritual assembly in the South Pacific. |
Madina Village; New Ireland |
LSA |
|
| 1959 Mar |
A number of Bahá’ís, members of the local spiritual assembly, were arrested in Ankara, Turkey. [MC306]
The incident received wide coverage in the press and the Bahá’ís were eventually released from prison. [MC306]
A court case was subsequently brought against the Bahá’ís by the public prosecutor, who claimed that the Faith is a ‘Tarighat’, a sect forbidden by the law of the land, and lengthy litigation followed. [MC306–7] |
Ankara; Turkey |
Persecution, Turkey; Persecution, Arrests; Persecution, Court cases; Persecution; LSA; Court cases |
|
| 1959 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Grenada was formed in St George’s Parish. |
St Georges; Grenada |
LSA |
|
| 1959 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Cambodia was formed in Phnom Penh. |
Phnom Penh; Cambodia |
LSA |
|
| 1960 (In the year) |
The first local spiritual assembly in the Cocos Islands was formed on West Island.
For picture see BW13:1052. |
West Island |
LSA |
|
| 1961 Jan - Feb |
Hand of the Cause of God Dr Rahmatu’lláh Muhájir traveled to India and demonstrated the principle of mass teaching. [DM172–84; SBBH2:165–7]
Mass teaching began in the rural area of Madhya Pradesh among the Hindu population. In 1961 there were 850 Bahá’ís; in 1963 87,000; by 1973 nearly 400,000; and by 1987 about two million. In 1983 45 per cent of all local spiritual assemblies were in India. [BBRSM195; BW13:299] |
Madhya Pradesh; India |
Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Rahmatullah Muhajir; Mass conversion; Mass teaching; Teaching; LSA; Statistics; Growth |
|
| 1962 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly of the Loyalty Islands was formed in Nouméa. |
Noumea; Loyalty Islands |
LSA |
|
| 1962 27 Dec |
The Custodians asked national and local spiritual assemblies to write to the Moroccan ambassador in their respective countries pleading for justice and religious freedom. [MoC398–9] |
Morocco; Worldwide |
Persecution, Morocco; Persecution, Other; Persecution; Human rights; Custodians; NSA; LSA |
|
| 1962 31 Dec |
The first indigenous local spiritual assembly in Venezuela was formed among the Yaruro Indians of Apure state in the village of Agua Linda. |
Agua Linda; Venezuela |
LSA; Indigenous people |
|
| 1963 1 Jan |
The Custodians ask all national and local spiritual assemblies to cable the King of Morocco appealing for justice for the Bahá’ís under sentence of death and imprisoned for life in his country. [BW14:97; MoC19] |
Morocco; Worldwide |
Persecution, Morocco; Persecution, Other; Persecution; Human rights; Custodians; NSA; LSA |
|
| 1965 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Iceland was formed in Reykjavik. Its members were Asgeir Einarsson, Kirsten Bonnevie, Florence Grindlay, Jessie Echevarria, Carl John Spencer, Charles Grindlay, Liesel Becker, Barbel Thinat and Nicholas Echevarria. [Bahá'í News (417): 10, December 1965] |
Reykjavik |
LSA |
|
| 1966 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Senegal was formed in Dakar. |
Dakar; Senegal |
LSA |
|
| 1966 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Suriname was formed in Paramaribo. |
Paramaribo; Suriname |
LSA |
|
| 1966 7 Nov |
The first local spiritual assembly in Niger was formed in Niamey. |
Niamey |
LSA |
|
| 1968 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in French Guiana was formed at Cayenne. |
Cayenne; French Guiana |
LSA |
|
| 1968 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly of the Cayman Islands was formed in George Town. |
George Town |
LSA |
|
| 1968 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assemblies of Equatorial Guinea were formed in Bata and Santa Isabel. |
Bata; Equatorial Guinea; Santa Isabel; Equatorial Guinea |
LSA |
|
| 1969 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly of Upper Volta was formed in Ouagadougou. |
Ouagadougou; Upper Volta |
LSA |
|
| 1969 Aug |
The Bahá’í Faith was legally recognized in Lebanon when the Local Spiritual Assembly of Beirut was incorporated. [BW15:173]
This was the first time any Arab government has granted the Faith recognition. [BW15:173]
|
Beirut; Lebanon |
LSA; Recognition |
|
| 1970 Ridván |
The first Local Spiritual Assembly of Nouakchott, Mauritania was formed. |
Nouakchott; Mauritania |
LSA |
|
| 1971 (In the year) |
The first local spiritual assembly in Mali was formed in Bamako. |
Bamako; Mali |
LSA |
|
| 1971. c. 1971 |
The first local spiritual assembly in Ciskei was formed in Mdantsane. |
Mdantsane; Ciskei |
LSA |
|
| 1971 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assemblies in Guam were formed in Dededo, Inarajan, Mangilao and Tamuning. |
Guam |
LSA |
|
| 1972 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in the Republic of San Marino was formed. |
San Marino |
LSA |
|
| 1972 Ridván |
The Spiritual Assembly of Phuntsholing town was formed. It was the first assembly of Bhutan. [Bahá'í Collections] |
Phuntsholing; Bhutan |
LSA |
|
| 1972 7 Sep |
The first local spiritual assembly in Malta was formed. |
Malta |
LSA |
|
| 1972 Oct |
The first local spiritual assembly in the Falkland Islands was formed. [BW15:650] |
Falkland Islands |
LSA |
|
| 1973 (In the year) |
The first local spiritual assembly in St Helena was formed. |
St Helena |
LSA |
|
| 1973 (In the year) |
The first local spiritual assembly in the Faroes was formed in Tórshavn. |
Torshavn; Faroes |
LSA |
|
| 1974 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly of Kotzebue, an Iñupiat Eskimo community situated north of the Arctic Circle, was formed. |
Kotzebue; Alaska; United States; Arctic |
LSA |
|
| 1974 Aug |
The first local spiritual assembly in Andorra was formed at Andorra la Vella. |
Andorra |
LSA |
|
| 1975 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly to be elected among the Meo tribes, Laotian refugees in northern Thailand, was formed. [BW16:262] |
Thailand |
LSA |
|
| 1976 10 Jan |
The most northerly-located local spiritual assembly in the world was formed in the Iñupiat community of Barrow, Alaska. |
Barrow; Alaska; United States |
LSA; Superlatives |
|
| 1976 27 Dec |
The first local spiritual assembly in Dominica was formed in St George. |
St George; Dominica |
LSA |
|
| 1977 14 Sep |
The first local spiritual assembly in the Galapagos Islands was formed on Santa Cruz. |
Galapagos Islands; Ecuador |
LSA |
|
| 1977 16 Sep |
In Uganda, 27 religious organizations were banned, including the Bahá’í Faith, and the Bahá’í House of Worship was closed. [BW17:81]
The national spiritual assembly and all 1,550 local assemblies were dissolved. [BW17:141]
|
Uganda |
Persecution, Uganda; Persecution, Bans; Persecution; NSA; LSA; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Kampala |
|
| 1978 (In the year) |
The first local spiritual assembly in Bonaire was formed.
It never functioned and was dissolved in 1989.
See also West, Letters From Bonaire. |
Bonaire |
LSA |
|
| 1978 Ridván |
The first local assembly in the British Virgin Islands was formed on Tortola. |
Tortola; British Virgin Islands |
LSA |
|
| 1979 17 Apr |
The first local spiritual assembly in Greenland was formed in Nuuk. |
Nuuk; Greenland |
LSA |
|
| 1979 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Lapland was formed in Kemi, Finland. |
Kemi; Finland |
LSA |
|
| 1980 (In the year) |
The first local spiritual assemblies in Guinea were formed. |
Guinea |
LSA |
|
| 1980 17 Oct |
Leonora Stirling Holsapple Armstrong, (b.June 23, 1895, Hudson, New York), the ‘spiritual mother of South America’ and the first Latin American pioneer, passed away in Bahia, Brazil. She had served on the Continental Board of Counsellors from her appointment in 1973. [Mess63-86p248; BW18:738; VV32]
For her obituary see BW18:733–738.
See Armstrong, Counsellor Leonora: A Loving Portrait by Kristine Leonard Asuncion. Brief biographical sketch of Counsellor Armstrong, the "Spiritual Mother of South America" .
Bahá'í Blog.
Wikipedia.
See FMH40-41 for the story of how she was inspired to go pioneering as told to Doris and Willard McKay. (She had been a classmate of Willard's sister Marguerite at Cornell University.) |
Bahia; Brazil |
Leonora Holsapple Armstrong; Names and titles; In Memoriam |
|
| 1982 Ridván |
The National Spiritual Assembly of Nepal was re-formed. [BW18:107, 181, 553(photo)]
Due to the conditions in Nepal during the reign of King Birendra and at the suggestion of the Universal House of Justice, the National Assembly and the 40 other Local Assemblies were dissolved in 1975. For a few years, until 1982, there was an Administrative Committee which looked after the affairs of the Cause in Nepal.
"In the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal, the believers have, through the integrity of their character and the excellence of their conduct, overcome in recent years restrictions on the expansion of the Cause. They are now held in high regard and are successfully engaged in presenting the Faith to the people as a unifying force which can contribute to the progress of the nation. As they grow in strength, they can begin to look beyond their own borders and assist in the propagation of the Faith in those areas to which they have such easy access." [Ridván 153] |
Nepal |
NSA dissolved; NSA re-formed; LSA dissolved; LSA re-formed |
|
| 1986 (In the year) |
The first local spiritual assembly of San Salvador Island, mentioned in the Tablets of the Divine Plan as Watling Island, was formed. |
San Salvador Island |
LSA |
|
| 1986 Dec |
The National Spiritual Assembly of Mauritania and all ten local spiritual assemblies in the country were dissolved. |
Mauritania |
NSA; LSA |
|
| 1987 (In the year) |
The first Pygmy local spiritual assembly in the Central African Republic was formed. [BINS173:1] |
Central African Republic |
LSA |
|
| 1987 Ridván |
A reorganization of the areas of jurisdiction of local spiritual assemblies in India resulted in the loss of 5,000 assemblies, substantially reducing the overall number of local assemblies in the world. |
India |
LSA |
|
| 1987 Oct |
The first local spiritual assembly on the island of São Tomé was formed at São Tomé. |
Sao Tome |
LSA |
|
| 1988 Jan |
A teaching campaign was launched in Chad, resulting in 1,340 new Bahá’ís and 33 new local spiritual assemblies. [BINS187:1] |
Chad |
LSA |
|
| 1988 Oct |
In the State of Orissa, India, 2,600 people became Bahá’ís and 16 new local spiritual assemblies were formed in 15 days. |
Orissa; India |
Mass conversion; LSA |
|
| 1988 Nov |
More than 2,500 people enrolled in Bangladesh. [BINS190:5]
A later report indicated that over 5,000 people had become Bahá’ís and 108 new local spiritual assemblies formed. [BINS192:1]
|
Bangladesh |
Mass conversion; LSA |
|
| 1989 7 Jan |
A week-long teaching project was launched in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands resulting in 43 enrolments and the re-formation of two local spiritual assemblies. [BINS191:7] |
Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
LSA; teaching |
|
| 1989 Ridván |
The Local Spiritual Assembly of ‘Ishqábád (now Ashgabat, Turkmenistan) was re-formed after a lapse of 61 years, the first local assembly to be formed in the Soviet Union. [AWH73; VV111] |
Ishqabad; Turkmenistan; Soviet Union; Russia |
LSA |
|
| 1990 (In the year) |
The highest legal authority in Germany, the Federal Constitutional Court, overturned the decisions of a number of lower courts that had refused to register the by-laws of a Local Spiritual Assembly on the grounds that the authority granted to the National Spiritual Assembly in the document violated the legal principle requiring the autonomy of all legally incorporated associations.
The ruling affirmed Bahá'í community, by it’s right as a recognized religion, recognized by public knowledge and by the testimony of scholars of comparative religion, had the right to a legal identity. [AWH87] |
Germany |
LSA; NSA; By-laws |
|
| 1990 Jan |
The first local spiritual assembly comprised entirely of newly enrolled Bahá'ís of Ahmadiyyah background is formed in Chak No. 8P Katta, Pakistan. [BINS219:5] |
Katta; Pakistan |
LSA; Ahmadiyyah |
|
| 1990 21 Mar |
The first local spiritual assembly formed in Eastern Europe since the Second World War was elected in Cluj, Romania. [AWH73; BINS221:4] |
Cluj; Romania; Eastern Europe |
LSA; Firsts, Other |
|
| 1990 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Estonia was formed at Tallinn. [BINS223:3] |
Tallinn; Estonia |
LSA |
|
| 1990 Ridván |
The first indigenous local spiritual assembly of Amazonas State, Brazil, was formed among the Mura tribe in Beruri. [BINS223:71] |
Beruri; Amazonas State; Brazil |
Indigenous people; LSA; Firsts, Other |
|
| 1990 Ridván |
The re-formation of the Spiritual Assembly of Moscow with Hand of the Cause 'Alí-Akbar Furútan in attendance. [VV111-2] |
Moscow; Russia |
LSA; LSA re-formed |
|
| 1990 9 Jun |
The first local spiritual assembly in Czechoslovakia was formed at Prague. [BINS226:1] |
Prague; Czechoslovakia |
LSA |
|
| 1990 6 Aug |
The first local spiritual assembly in the Ukraine was formed in Kyiv. |
Kyiv; Ukraine |
LSA |
Find ref |
| 1990 8 Sep |
The first local spiritual assembly on Sakhalin Island was formed in Yuzhno. [BINS232:5] |
Yuzhno; Sakhalin Island; Russia |
LSA |
|
| 1991 Jan |
The first local spiritual assembly in Slovakia was formed in Bratislava. |
Bratislava; Slovakia |
LSA |
Find ref |
| 1991 2 Jan |
The first local spiritual assembly in Bulgaria was formed in Plovdiv. [BINS239:2] |
Plovdiv; Bulgaria |
LSA |
|
| 1991 25 Jan |
The first local spiritual assembly in Latvia was formed in Riga. [BINS241:3] |
Riga; Latvia |
LSA |
|
| 1991 12 Apr |
The Local Spiritual Assembly of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, was re-formed. |
Tashkent; Uzbekistan |
LSA; Re-form |
Find ref |
| 1991 Ridván |
342 Local Spiritual Assemblies in Canada. [CBNJun91p6] |
Canada |
LSA |
|
| 1991 May |
The first local spiritual assembly in Moldova was formed in Kishinev. |
Kishinev; Moldova |
LSA |
Find ref |
| 1991 14 May |
The first local spiritual assembly in Armenia was formed at Yerevan. |
Yerevan; Armenia |
LSA |
Find ref |
| 1991 16 Jun |
The first local spiritual assembly in Albania was formed at Tirana. |
Tirana; Albania |
LSA |
Find ref |
| 1991 21 Jun |
The first local spiritual assembly in Kirgizia was formed in Bishkek.
|
Bishkek; Kirgizia |
LSA |
|
| 1991 2 Oct |
The first local spiritual assembly in Belarus was formed at Minsk. |
Minsk; Belarus |
LSA |
Find ref |
| 1992 1 Feb |
The Local Spiritual Assembly of Zanzibar Island was formed. [BINS267:6]
This is the first administrative body on the island since the revolution of 12 January 1964. [BINS267:6] |
Zanzibar |
LSA |
|
| 1992 7 Mar |
The first local spiritual assembly in Eastern Germany was formed in Erfurt. [BINS267:3] |
Erfurt; Germany |
LSA |
|
| 1992 Ridván |
The first local spiritual assembly in Mongolia was formed in Ulaan Baatar. [BINS269:4]
The local assembly was understood to have been formed in the spring of 1991 but this was found to have been a mistake. |
Ulaan Baatar; Mongolia |
LSA |
|
| 1993 Ridván |
The Local Spiritual Assembly of Tbilisi (Tiflis), Georgian Republic, was re-formed. [BINS298:8; BW93–4:82]
An assembly existed in the city in the 1930s. [BW93–4:82] |
Tbilisi; Georgia |
LSA; Re-form |
|
| 1993 Ridván |
The Local Spiritual Assembly of Leipzig, Germany, was re-formed 56 years after its dissolution during the time the Faith was banned. [BW93–4:82] |
Leipzig; Germany |
LSA; Re-form |
|
| 1995 20 Oct |
The first local spiritual assembly in the Komi Republic was formed at Syktyvkar. [BINS357:8] |
Syktyvkar; Komi |
LSA |
|
| 1997 Ridván |
The Universal House of Justice restricted the formation of Local Spiritual Assemblies to the first day of Riḍván. This measure had the effect anticipated; there was a decrease in the number of these institutions but the fall was not drastic. [Message from the Universal House of Justice Ridván 2000] |
Worldwide |
Ridvan; Elections; Administration; Local Spiritual Assemblies; LSA; Growth; Statistics; Bahai Faith, Evolutionary nature of; Maturity |
|
| 1997 30 May |
In its message of 30 May 1997 the Universal House of Justice announced that they have authorized the formation of "State Bahá'í Councils" or "Regional Teaching and Administrative Committees" to be called "Regional Bahá'í Councils. Their intention was to provide a balance between centralization and decentralization. This structure had been in place in some countries, notably India, for some years prior to this time. See 23 May, 1986. [TP87-90]
For a synopsis of the letter see The Establishment of Regional Bahá'í Councils in Certain Countries, Their Characteristics and Functions.
The distinguishing effects of the establishment of Regional Bahá’í Councils were the following:
It provided for a level of autonomous decision making on both teaching and administrative matters, as distinct from merely executive action, below the National Assembly and above the Local Assemblies.
It involved the members of Local Spiritual Assemblies of the area in the choice of the members of the Council, thus reinforcing the bond between it and the local believers while, at the same time, bringing into public service capable believers who were known to the friends in their own region.
It established direct consultative relationships between the Continental Counselors and the Regional Bahá’í Councils.
It offered the possibility of forming a Regional Bahá’í Council in an ethnically distinct region which covered parts of two or more countries. In such a situation the Council was designated to work directly under one of the National Assemblies involved, providing copies of its reports and minutes to the other National Assembly.
The greater degree of decentralization involved in the devolution of authority upon Regional Bahá’í Councils required a corresponding increase in the capacity of the National Spiritual Assembly itself to keep fully informed of what was proceeding in all parts of the territory over which it had ultimate jurisdiction. |
BWC; Haifa |
State Bahai Councils; Regional Bahai Councils; National Spiritual Assemblies; NSA; Local Spiritual Assemblies; LSA; Administration |
|
