1. 2023-12. Singular Room, A: An Exploration of Bahá'í Houses of Worship. Sama Shodjai. Overview of the design principles followed in building the Bahá'í temples, and the intricacies and considerations involved in their design, using Canada as a case study. (Link to document, offsite). Theses.
2. 2020. Baháʼí Houses of Worship: A Visual Overview. Anonymous, comp. A collection of collages, exterior and interior images of Baháʼí Houses of Worship constructed, under construction, or planned worldwide. Visual.
3. 2019. Gloriously Tragic Life of Mathew Kaszab, The: Letters from a Pioneer 1939-1942. Anne King Sadeghpour, comp. and ed. The unusual drama of a pioneering life in Central America, revealed through personal letters. This account offers glimpses of a maturing Bahá’í administration in the U.S. and of what was learned through teaching efforts in Latin America. Biographies.
4. 2015. Panama, The Crossroads between the Continents: The Story of the Early Days of the Bahá'í Faith in Panama 1939-1972. Fuad Izadinia. History of the first Bahá'í community in Panama, including a photo album; biographies of Martha Root, Mathew Kaszab, Louise Caswell, Cora Oliver, Julie Lois Regal, Hascle Cornbleth–Colon, Alfred Osborne, Raquel Francois, Clare Hamilton, Blanca De Campos. Books.
5. 2015. El Cuarto Acto: Una Pionera Bahá'í en Nicaragua durante los años 1976-1983: Un relato personal e histórico. Anne King Sadeghpour. Un relato personal de la historia de la Fe en Nicaragua antes, después y durante la revolución Sandinista de 1979; la historia de Mathew Kaszab, primer pionero a Nicaragua; primera Bahá'í nicaragüense Blanca Mejía; referencia al poeta Rubén Darío. Books.
6. 1996. Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986: Third Epoch of the Formative Age. Universal House of Justice, Geoffrey W. Marks, comp. . Books.
7. 1993. Native American and Other Indigenous Messengers of God. Patricia Locke. God did not neglect the millions of indigenous peoples of the Western hemisphere; over the centuries, many messengers were sent to Indian nations to bring them divine theologies. Includes compilation of stories about Native prophets and prophecies. Articles-unpublished.
8. 1990. Guidance for Bahá'í Radio from the Bahá'í World Centre. Donald R. Witzel, comp. Selection of guidance received from the Bahá'í World Centre on Bahá'í radio from May, 1980 to December, 1989, on four major themes: administration; programming, training and production; finance and technical matters. Compilations-personal.
9. 1977. Divine Springtime: Louise Caswell Recalls the Early Years of the Bahá'í Faith in Central America and Panama. Daniel Nelson Wegener. Overview of Bahá'í pioneering to and growth in Central America, covering the period from the late 1930s to 1975. Books.
10. 1972 March-April. Historical Background of the Panama Temple. Ruth Pringle. A history of the Bahá’í Faith in Panama during the first and second U.S. Seven Year Plans, from the arrival of the first pioneers in 1939 to the formation of the first Regional Assembly in 1951. Articles.

1. 1919-10-25 — Martha Root arrived in Panama, the first Bahá'í to visit the country. She spent one week there. [MRp108-109]
2. 1939-05-18 — Mathew Kaszab arrived in Panama and immediately launched a vigorous proclamation campaign through the press, radio and public talks. By October the first permanent pioneers, Louise Caswell and Cora Oliver, arrived along with John Eichenaur (enroute to El Salvador). [Historical Background of the Panama Temple by Ruth Pringle]

   The first to embrace the Faith was Joseph Wantauk from Balboa in the Canal Zone. [The Beginnings of the Bahá'í Faith in Latin America: Some Remembrances by Artemus Lamb

3. 1944-00-00 — Gerardo Vega, of Costa Rica, was the first Latin-American native to pioneer when he began work in Panama. [BN No 171 November 1944 p4-5]
4. 1946-01-20 —
   The first teaching conference in Latin America was held in Panama City on the instructions of Shoghi Effendi.
   • Twenty–five delegates from ten South American countries attended. [BW10p707, Historical Background of the Panama Temple by Ruth Pringle]
5. 1951-04-21 —
   The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Central America, Mexico and the Antilles was elected at an international convention in Panama City. Those elected were: Srta. Raquel J. Francois, Mrs. Cora H. Oliver, Srta. Elena Marsella, Srta. Natalia Chavez, James V. Facey Srta. Zenayda Jurado C, Mrs. Louise Caswell, Dr. David Escalante, Artemus Lamb. [BW12:60; Bahá'í News No 244 June 1951 p12]
   • 25 delegates representing 12 countries were present at the convention. [BW12:60]
   • For a photo of those attending see Bahá'í Historical Facts.
   • The countries of Central America were Belize, Costa Rica (confirmed) El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.
6. 1957-04-21 —
   The Regional Spiritual Assembly of Mexico and the Republics of Central America was formed at Panama City, Panama. [BW13:257]
   • The countries involved were: Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico.
7. 1961-04-21 — The National Spiritual Assembly of Panama was formed. [BW13:258]
8. 1961-07-27 — The first legally recognized Baháʼí wedding in Panama was held in the city of David in Chiriqui Province between Ruth Ellen Yancey and Alan A. Pringle. Ruth and Alan Ruth were pioneers who dedicated their efforts to teaching the Guaymi Indigenous community in the Chiriquí Province. Both later served on the National Spiritual Assembly of Panama and Ruth eventually became a Continental Counsellor. [Baháʼí News, Issue 367, October 1961, p. 5.]
9. 1962-09-27 — The Hands of the Cause in the Holy Land cabled the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States as follows: “Owing (to) support (of) Remey, Yvonne and James Barrett (have been) expelled (from the) Faith. All association (and) correspondence (with them) forbidden. Share message (with) all Latin American national assemblies.” (Signed) HANDSFAITH

   Mr. and Mrs. Barrett had been American pioneers for the Faith in the Panama Canal Zone for some years. [BN No 381 December 1962 p11]

10. 1967-10-05 —
    Six Intercontinental Conferences were held simultaneously in Panama City, Wilmette, Sydney, Kampala, Frankfurt and New Delhi to celebrate the centenary of the proclamation of Bahá'u'lláh to the kings and rulers of the world in September/October of 1867. [BW 14:221]
    • For the message of the Universal House of Justice to the conferences see BW14:221–2.
    • For descriptions of each conference see BW14:223–58.
    • See CG68-69 for a brief description of the Intercontinental Conference in Kampala.
    • The six Hands of the Cause representing the Universal House of Justice at the conferences travelled to Adrianople to visit the House of Bahá'u'lláh before dispersing to the conferences. [BW14:236, 458; VV2]
11. 1967-10-08 — The foundation stone of the Mother Temple of Latin America was laid by Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khánum in Panama City. [BW14:494]
12. 1972-04-28 —
    An international teaching conference was held in conjunction with the dedication of the Mother Temple of Latin America in Panama. [BW15:633–42]
    • For pictures see BW15:632–49.
    • Some 3,000 Bahá'ís attend. [TG191]
13. 1972-04-29 —
    The House of Worship in Panama, the Mother Temple of Latin America, was dedicated in a series of ceremonies held throughout the day attended by Hands of the Cause Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum, Ugo Giachery and Dhikru'lláh Khádem and four thousand Bahá'ís. [BW15:634; VV14]
    • For the history of the House of Worship see BW15:643–6.
    • For statistics on the House of Worship see BW15:647–9.

      Specifics
      

      Location:Panama City, Panama (On the Cerro Sonsonate (Singing Hill), a few miles north of Panama City)
      Foundation Stone: 8 October 1967 (Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum)
      Construction Period: 1969-1972
      Site Dedication: 29 April, 1972 (Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum)
      Architect: Peter Tillotson
      Seating: 550
      Dimensions:
      Cost:
      Dependencies:
      References: BW14p493, BW15p632-649
14. 1972-04-30 — The House of Worship in Panama was publicly dedicated by Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum in two sessions. [BW15:634]
15. 1972-05-01 —
    The international teaching conference in Panama held in conjunction with the dedication of the House of Worship opened. [BW15:635]
    • For the message of the Universal House of Justice see BW15:635–7.
16. 1977-12-15 — The Hemispheric Bahá'í Radio and Television Conference was held in Panama, with 125 participants from 24 countries. [BW17:219; Mess63-86]
17. 1982-04-10 — The National Spiritual Assembly of Panama petitioned its government to issue a stamp in commemoration of the dedication of the Mother Temple of Latin America. [BW18:172–3]
18. 1983-10-21 — The Republic of Panama issued a postage stamp bearing the picture of the House of Worship in Panama. [BW19:157]
19. 1986-01-31 —
    The announcement of the inaugural broadcast of Radio Bahá'í Panama. [Mess63-86p710]
    • It was situated in the Chiriqui area of western Panama as part of the Guaymi Educational Centre complex at Soloy.
    • Also see One Country.
    • See BWNS1462 for a story on how this radio station served the community during the 2020 pandemic.
20. 1987-02-24 — The Bahá'í Cultural Centre was opened in the Guaymi area of Panama.
21. 1992-07-09 —
    The National Post Office of Panama issued a commemorative envelope to mark the centenary of the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh. [BW92–3:127]
    • For picture see BW92–3:127.
22. 1992-11-23 —
    The Second World Congress was held in New York City to commemorate the centenary of the passing of Bahá'u'lláh and the completion of the Six Year Plan. It was attended by some 28,000 Bahá'ís from some 180 countries. [BBD240; VV136-141; BW92-93p95-102, 136]
    • Nine auxiliary conferences were held in Buenos Aires, Sydney, New Delhi, Nairobi, Panama City, Bucharest, Moscow, Apia and Singapore. [BINS283:3-4]
    • For pictures see [BINS283:9-10], [BW92-3p100] and [VV136-141]
    • "New York will become a blessed spot from which the call to steadfastness in the Covenant and Testament of God will go forth to every part of the world." - 'Abdu'l-Bahá [AWH77-8 90-1 105-6]
    • On the 25th of November a concert was held in Carnegie Hall as a birthday tribute to Dizzy Gillespie called "Celebrating the Bahá'í Vision of World Peace". [VV141]
    • On the 26th of November Bahá'ís around the world were linked together by a live satellite broadcast serving the second Bahá'í World Congress, the nine auxiliary conferences and the Bahá'í World Centre and it was received by those with access to satellite dish antennas. [BINS283:1–5, 8; BINS286:10; BINS287:4]
    • For the message of the Universal House of Justice read on the satellite link see BW92–3:37–4.
    • For accounts of personal experiences by some of the attendees see In the Eyes of His Beloved Servants: The Second Bahá'í World Congress and Holy Year by J. Michael Kafes.
    • The film, 'Abdu'l-Bahá: Mission to America, made by Elizabeth Martin, was prepared for the World Congress program and also used in the Theme Pavilion. [HNWE45]
23. 1993-00-02 —
    The opening of the Bádi School with an enrollment of 12 students by the Torrez family members in Las Cumbres Villa Zaita, Panamá City, Republic of Panama. They rented a small, dismantled house from the Panama Social Security Agency, remodeled it and closed the garage in order to use it as a classroom.
    • Over the years, two more buildings were added to expand the facility and enrollment capacity to 3200 square meters and 156 students. Badi's first high school graduation was scheduled for 2004, when Badi Tutorial University was scheduled to open its door. [Bádi School , Wiki Bahá'í Faith in Panama]
24. 2006-04 —
    The Preparation for Social Action programme that was implemented at the beginning of the Five Year Plan was expanded to seven additional countries: Cambodia, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Panama, the Philippines and Vanuatu.
    • Over 10,000 had participated in the programme with about 1,800 among these who had studied all of the texts available.
    • In addition some 1,700 individuals serving institutions and agencies of the Fatih in 25 countries had studied a selection the the materials in a seminar setting. [5YPSumPage94-95]
    • Preparation for Social Action was implemented as a course of study at the New Era High School and Senior Secondary in Panchgani.
25. 2015-04-09 — The passing of Dr Joseph Roy Sheppherd (b. 18 June 1949 in Apple Valley, San Bernardino County in California) in Trnavsky, Slovakia. He was buried at Cantorín Kamenná cesta in Trnavsky. Find a grave.

    He was a cultural/linguistic anthropologist and engaging storyteller, wrote numerous nonfiction and fiction books and dramatic works influenced by Bahá'í themes. He served the Faith as a pioneer in Panama, Colombia, Cameroon and Slovakia; strengthened his scholarly pursuits during 13 years in Britain; and worked with various populations in the United States and abroad to preserve cultural heritage.

    Among his publications are: A Leaf of Honey and the Proverbs of the Rainforest and A Wayfarer's Guide to Bringing the Sacred Home.

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