- 1847-04-01 — The Báb received a letter and gifts from Bahá'u'lláh in Tihrán delivered to His Hands by Mulla Muhammad-Mihdiy-i-Kandi. The letter cheered His heart, He had been despondent since His arrest and departure from Shíráz. [Bab120; DB227; GPB678]
- 1862-00-01 — Bahá'u'lláh sent a ring and cashmere shawl to His niece, Shahr-Bánú, the daughter of Mírzá Muhammad-Hasan, in Tihrán to ask for her hand in marriage to 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Shahr-Bánú's uncle, acting in place of her dead father, refused to let her go to Iraq. [BKG342–3]
- 1868-08-26 — The steamer carrying Bahá'u'lláh and His companions docked at Alexandria, early in the morning. [BKG267-2368; RB3:6]
- The exiles changed ships, again onto an Austrian-Lloyd ship. [BKG265]
- Several exiles went ashore to make purchases. One passed by the prison house where Nabil-i Aʿẓam had been detained. Nabíl, watching from the roof of his prison cell, recognized one of the companions of Bahá'u'lláh. [CH65, BKG265, 267; RB3:6]
-
Nabíl and Fáris Effendi, a Christian Syrian doctor who had been imprisoned for the non-payment of debt wrote and who had just recently become a Bahá'í, wrote letters to Bahá'u'lláh which were delivered by a Christian youth. The youth returned with a Tablet from Bahá'u'lláh and gifts from `Abdu'l-Bahá and Mírzá Mihdí. [BKG267–8; RB3:6–7]
- It is believed that Faris Effendi was the first Christian to have embraced the Bahá'í Faith. Shortly after His arrival in Akka, Bahá'u'lláh wrote a tablet to Raḍa'r-Rúḥ, a believer from Mashad. In the tablet, Bahá'u'lláh told Raḍa'r-Rúḥ that, while waiting to set sail from the port in Alexandria, He was given a letter by a messenger, which was from a Christian physician known as Faris, who was imprisoned in Alexandria with Nabil-i-Azam. In this letter, Faris declared his belief in Bahá'u'lláh. Bahá'u'lláh expresses to Raḍa'r-Rúḥ how thrilled he was to receive this moving declaration from Faris. The Tablet to Rada'r-Rúh has been translated by Nosratollah Mohammadhosseini.
- The ship bearing Bahá'u'lláh and the exiles left Alexandria for Port Said. [BKG268]
- See the story in complete detail written by Christopher Buck serialized on Bahá'í Teachings. The first instalment is called The First Christian to Become a Baha'i.
The second is titled Baha'u'llah's Welcome to the First Christian Baha'i.
The third - The First Christian Baha'i, and His Letter to Baha'u'llah.
The fourth - Baha'u'llah Replies to the First Christian Baha'i—and to All Christians.
And the fifth and final instalment - Baha'u'llah's Most Holy Tablet—to the Christians.
- After his release Nabil travelled to Cyprus and Beirut and then joined the Bahá'u'lláh's exiled community in Akka in late October of 1969. He spent the last two decades of his life in that area. ["Nabil-e aʿzam Zaranadi, Mollā Mohammad," by Vahid Rafati, Encyclopædia Iranica]
- 1899-03-23 — Edward and Lua Getsinger departed Akká and arrived in New York City on the 20th of May. [LGHC30]
- Prior to her leaving 'Abdu'l-Bahá took a piece of bread, put some honey on it and told her to eat it, saying as He did so, "let all of your words be as sweetly flavoured by kindness to al people as this bread is flavoured by honey". She wrote that at that moment she felt as she swallowed that bread as if she had received a great spiritual blessing. LGHC25]
- For His parting address to them see [LGHC27-28]
- They brought with them a photograph of 'Abdu'l-Bahá as young man, a copy of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas in Arabic, a calligraphic rendering of the Greatest Name and a phonographic recording of the Master's voice. They left the record player in Akká for the Holy Family. [LGHC30]
- 1909-03-21 — `Abdu'l-Bahá laid the sacred remains of the Báb in their final resting place at the Shrine in Haifa. [AB126; BBD210; DH138; GBF103; GPB276]
- See AB126–30, CT84 and GPB273–8 for details of the occasion and its history.
- The Shrine was a simple rectangular structure of six rooms. [DH71, ZK284]
- The marble sarcophagus used for the remains of the Báb was a gift from the Bahá'ís of Rangoon. [AB129; MC155]
- For details of the sarcophagus see RB3:431.
- 1912-12-19 — Hájí Amín, the Trustee of the Huqúqu'lláh, presented 'Abdu'l-Bahá with a gift from a poor workman in 'Ishqábád. He had nothing monetary to offer so he gave Hájí Amín his mid-day meal, two small loaves of bread and an apple wrapped in a handkerchief. 'Abdu'l-Bahá took the offering tenderly, ate a small piece of the stale bread and gave the rest to be passed around to the rest of the table. [SoW Vol III No 19 2Mar1913 p5, ABTM278]
- 1912-12-24 — `Abdu'l-Bahá received many expensive Christmas gifts; He turned them all away by returning them and asking the donors to sell them and give the money to the poor.
-
That evening He visited the Salvation Army Shelter in Westminster. That night there were 1,000 men present. After His talk He departed but not before leaving twenty gold sovereigns and many handfuls of silver with Col Spencer for a similar dinner to be held on New Year's Eve. [ABTM282-283]
- 1913-04-11 — Julius Germanus from the Eastern Academy called upon 'Abdu'l-Bahá at His hotel accompanied by his Turkish students. [SBBR14p112]
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá visited Hungarian Orientalist Professor Ignáz Goldziher in his home. He was the first person of the Jewish Faith to occupy a professional chair in the University of Budapest. and he had previously written about the Bahá'í Faith. Some time later Professor Goldziher received a carpet and a tablet as a gift from 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [SBBR14p116, AB386]
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá delivered a lecture in the old Parliament organized by the Peace Society and the Esperanto Association to an audience estimated to be 500, 800 or 1,000 depending on the source. He was flanked by Catholic prelate Dr Alexander Giesswein and Dr. Goldziher, a Jewish Orientalist. The significance of seeing an eminent Jewish scholar and a Catholic clergyman on the same stage on either side of 'Abdu'l-Bahá was not lost on the audience and they broke into applause. [SBBR14p116-117. MRHK362]
- After the lecture a dinner was given in His honour at the Hotel Pannonia. [MRHK366]
- 1913-06-16 — 'Abdul-Baha began His third stay in Egypt which lasted 5 months and 16 days.
- At some time during His stay in Egypt 'Abdu'l-Bahá met with Sir Ronald Storrs who presented Him to Lord Kitchener. [BW10p192,194]
- 'Abdu'l-Bahá presented him with a specimen of writing by Mishkín-Qalam and His own Persian pen box. [CH226]
- 1918-03-00 — The British Military Administration of Palestine began. [BBR488]
- Sir Ronald Storrs was detached from Jerusalem to organize the British Administration in Haifa. 'Abdu'l-Bahá offered him His staff and a gift of a little Bokkara rug from the Shrine of the Báb. He returned the visit to Sir Ronald at a later date in Jerusalem. [BW10 194-5; CH226]
- 1919-12-25 — Shoghi Effendi presented a precious gift to his friend Dr Esslemont, "a drop of the coagulate and sacred blood of Bahá'u'lláh". [PG126]
- 1920-01-04 — The arrival of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's hand-built seven-seater Cunningham touring car made in Rochester NY by James Cunningham and Sons. The automobile probably cost in the range from $7,500 to $8.000 and was a gift from Mrs Ella Goodall Cooper. [Coachbuilt website]
Mr. Fujita accompanied the shipment from the United States to Haifa where he maintained the car and was one of the drivers. The Master gave Shoghi Effendi instructions to see that it was cleared and delivered to the house after receiving notice of its arrival from Port Said. Although it was not a business day, he succeeded in getting the car delivered by taking the papers to the homes of various officials, asking them to sign the documents and give the necessary orders for the car of Sir 'Abdu'l-Baha 'Abbas to be delivered to Him at once.
Although Abdul-Baha rode in the Cunningham car on occasions, it was predominantly used for transporting the pilgrims. The car has since been restored and pilgrims have the opportunity to see it. [PP28, Reflections on the Bahá'í Writings; PG126]
- 1927-10-00 — Shoghi Effendi entrusted Dr William Slater and his wife Ida Slater, who were visiting Haifa on a 19-day pilgrimage, with carpets from the Shrines of the Báb and 'Abdu'l-Bahá for the House of Worship in Chicago. [SETPE1p149]
- 1930-04-01 — A ceremony was held at the American annual convention in dedication of the resumption of the building activities on the Wilmette Temple. [BBRSM183; BW3:47]
- Shoghi Effendi's gift to the Temple was 'the most valuable sacred possession in the Holy Land' a 'precious ornament of the Tomb of Bahá'u'lláh', an exquisite Persian carpet. [BA180–1; BW4:208–12]
- The carpet, one of the most exquisite pieces ever woven in Persia, was made in Khurásán in about 1900-1905. It had been donated to by Díyá'ulláh Asgharzádih as a gift to Àbdu'l-Bahá Who immediately placed it in the Shrine of Bahjí. [BW4p208-210]
- 1934-01-23 — Shoghi Effendi gave Queen Marie of Romania the gift of a Tablet in the handwriting of Bahá'u'lláh. [GBF50; PP116]
- 1937-03-25 — Shoghi Effendi married Mary Maxwell, Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum. [PP151; UD115; BN No107 April 1937 p1]]
- For a description of the simple wedding see GBF68–9 and PP151–2.
- Shoghi Effendi stressed that the marriage drew the Occident and the Orient closer together. [GBF69–70; PP153]
- The American Bahá'í community sent $19 from each of its 71 Assemblies as a wedding gift. [GBF70; PP153]
- An extension was built onto Shoghi Effendi's apartment on the roof of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's house in Haifa to accommodate the couple. [BBD107; DH152]
- See also MA89.
- 1938-04-27 — In a message addressed to the Thirtieth National Convention the Guardian announced:
"As token my gratitude to such community entrusted beloved co-worker Mrs. Collins locks Bahá'u'lláh's most precious hair arranged preserved by loving hands Greatest Holy Leaf to rest beneath dome of Temple nobly raised by dearly beloved believers in American continent." [BN Issue 116 June 1938 p1]
"This is the Tablet read by Mrs. Thomas (Amelia) Collins in presenting at the Convention the Guardian's gift of locks of Bahá'u'lláh's Hair. The Tablet is shared with the believers with the Guardian's permission."
[BN Issue 121 December 1938 p11]
Though the translation had been approved by Shoghi Effendi, it was more recently (2001) sent to the Bahá'í World Center to verify its authenticity. The translation given here is an authorized translation from the BWC, approved for distribution. Translator not identified.
- See also provisional translations of the remaining six Tablets of the Hair, that have been completed by Adib Masumian. There are a total of eleven Tablets of the Hair. [Adib Masumian's personal website]
- 1944-11-15 — The publication of God Passes By, a survey of the history of the first century of the Bábí and Bahá'í Faiths by Shoghi Effendi. [BBRSM137; CB308; PG217-218; GPBXI; Collins5.62]
- Shoghi Effendi intended the book to be a gift to the Bahá'ís of the West on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of the Báb but conditions in the United States delayed its publication. [GT79–80; PP224]
- For information on how Shoghi Effendi wrote the book, "the only true book we have from his pen", see GBF95–6 and PP222–4.
- Shoghi Effendi also wrote a shorter version of the same theme as God Passes By in Persian. [PP420]
- See A User's Guide to God Passes By on Bahá'í Blog.
- See Shoghi Effendi: The Range and Power of His Pen by 'Ali Nakhjavani p113 for information on the writing of God Passes By.
- 1952-03-25 — Sutherland Maxwell, Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Montreal. He died in the very room that the Master had slept in during His visit to Canada. (b.14 November, 1874) [DH143; MBW132; PP246; CBN undated Memorial Issue]
- For his obituary see BW12:657–62.
- Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
- For his relationship with Shoghi Effendi and work on the superstructure of the Shrine of the Báb see PP236–43.
- Shoghi Effendi named the southern door of the Báb's tomb after him in memory of his services.
- On June 16th, 1956, friends of the Montreal area gathered at the grave to place, under the headstone, an alabaster box that had been sent by the Guardian. The box contained a piece of plaster taken from the walls of the prison in Máh-Kú where the Báb had been incarcerated in 1847. Another piece of plaster from the same source had been placed under the first golden tile of the dome of the Shrine of the Báb. The superstructure of the Shrine had been designed by Sutherland Maxwell. [TG55; CBN No 80 September 1956 p2]
- Find a grave.
- For a brief biography see LoF276-286.
- The Canadian Bahá'í News published a special Memorial issue.
- 1953-05-02 — The House of Worship in Wilmette, the Mother Temple of the West, was dedicated in a public ceremony. [BW12:142, BWNS218]
- For the text of the Guardian's message of dedication see BW12:141–2.
- For an account of the event see BW12:154–63.
- See BN No 261 November 1952 p9-10. The Temple Dedication Committee consisted of: Paul E. Haney, Mrs. Corinne True, Allen B. McDaniel, Carl Scheffler, Albert R. Windust with Horace
Holley as the chairman.
- See The Bahá'í Faith 1844-1952 Information Statistical & Comparative p24-26 for project statistics and a chronology of events.
- Towards the end of his life in Tehran, Ahmad (of "Tablet of Ahmad" fame) had entrusted the original Tablet to his grandson Jamal who, in turn, out of the purity of his heart and his devotion to the Faith of God, offered it as a gift to Hand of the Cause, Trustee of Huqúq, the son and brother of two illustrious martyrs, Jinab-i-Valiyu'llah Varqá. When Jinab-i-Varqa, according to the instructions of the beloved Guardian, was sent to take part in this dedication ceremony he brought this most precious Tablet as his offering to the archives of the Bahá'ís of the United States. [A Flame of Fire by A.Q. Faizi.]
- See the message of the Universal House of Justice dated 1 August, 2014 for more on the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in Wilmette.
- See The Story of the Temple by Allen Boyer McDaniel. [CBN No43 August 1953 p4; Collins p101 7.1479]
- See the video The Temple History Design and Construction.
Specifics
Location: Wilmette, Illinois, U.S. Cook County
Administration: On the same day as the internment of the sacred remains of the Báb on Mount Carmel, March 21st, 1909, the first American Bahá'í Convention opened in Chicago. The Convention established the 'Bahá'í Temple Unity', incorporated to hold title to the Temple property and to provide for its construction. A constitution was framed and an Executive Board of the Bahá'í Temple Unity elected. This body became the future National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada. [BBD39; BBRSM:106; BW10:179; GPB349; PP397; SBBH1:146; BFA2:XVII, 309; BW13:849; MBW142–3]
Foundation Stone: by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 1 May, 1912
Construction Period:The purchase of the site completed: 1914. Design Chosen: 1920. Superstructure: 1921 – 1 May 1931. External Ornamentation: June 1932 -1943. Interior: 1951
Dedication: 1 May 1953
Architects: Louis Bourgeois with Alfred Shaw (interior cladding) Bourgeois became a Baha'i in New York City in 1907, and two years later responded to the call for designs for the Temple. In 1920, delegates from across the country unanimously selected his innovative design. Bourgeois traveled to Haifa to consult with 'Abdu'l-Bahá. With 'Abdu'l-Bahá's encouragement, Bourgeois refined and scaled down the size of his design. [The House of Worship Architecture]
Seating: 1,191 [DP220]
Dimensions: 203ft at the base and 49ft high
Cost: $2.6 million (another source) $51,500 (land) plus $3,212,517.60 (construction costs 1921-1953)
Dependencies: Construction of a home for the aged was began in December, 1957 and inaugurated on 1 February, 1959. It is located about three blocks away.
Note: In GPB349 Shoghi Effendi states that "…this enterprise—the crowning achievement of the Administrative Order of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh in the first Bahá'í century…".
References: CEBF236-241,GPB348-353, MDM121-239, The Dawning Place, The Bahá'í Faith 1844-1963 Information Statistical & Comparative p36-37. iiiii
- 1957-05-07 — Shoghi Effendi sent a fragment of the plaster from the room of the Báb in the Fortress of Máh-Kú to Australia to be set in the foundations of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in Sydney. [LANZ134; SBR172]
- 1961-01-15 — The House of Worship in Kampala, the Mother Temple of Africa, is officially opened by Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khánum in a public service attended by 1,500 people. [BW13:715–18; MoC15]
- For message of the Custodians to the dedication service see MoC2503.
- For cable of the Custodians to the Bahá'ís of the world see MoC253.
Specifics
Location:Northern Kampala, on Dikaaya Hill in Kawempe Division.
Foundation Stone: 26 Jan 1958 (Beneath the stone is a silver box containing the sacred earth from the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh and a wooden box containing a piece of the plaster from the Prison Fortress of Máh-Kú where the Báb had been incarcerated.)
Construction Period: Land purchased: 20 April 1954, January 1958 – 14 January 1961
Site Dedication: 14 January 1961 (Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum brought a gift from the Guardian- a carpet from the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh was hung on the inside of the door facing the Qiblih.)
Architect: Charles Mason Remey
Seating:Over 400 (800 for Dedication ceremony)
Dimensions: Dome at its base-44ft. Diameter of inner floor-84ft. Circumference: 265ft yielding 5,550 sq ft of floor space. Height of the building-124ft.
Cost: $ ? (initial budget was 42,00 Pounds Sterling)
Dependencies:
References: BW13p704-719, CEBF241, CG45
- 1961-09-17 — The House of Worship in Sydney, the Mother Temple of the Antipodes, was officially opened by Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khánum in two public services, each attended by 900 people. [BW13:732]
- For message of the Custodians to the dedication service see MoC309–12.
- For cable of the Custodians to the Bahá'ís of the world see MoC313.
Specifics
Location:Sydney, Australia (Ingleside on the MonaVale Road).
Foundation Stone: 26 Jan 1958 (Clara Dunn and Hand of the Cause Charles Mason Remey, who had been designated by the Guardian as his representative, while attending the 2nd International Conference 21-24 March, 1958. A small bag of earth from the inner Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh and a piece of plaster from the room of the Báb in Máh-Kú was deposited under the floor.)
Construction Period: 1957-1961
Site Dedication:16 September 1961 (Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum brought a gift from the Guardian- a green silk carpet from the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh.)
Architect C.M. Remey
Seating: 500
Dimensions: 124ft at the base and 130ft high
Cost: Original budget was 120,000 Pounds Sterling
Dependencies:
References: BW13:319-322, BW13p720-732 CEBF241
- 1964-07-04 — The House of Worship in Langenhain, Germany, the Mother Temple of Europe, was dedicated. [BW14:483–4]
The interior of the auditorium is bounded by 27 pillars, supporting the dome. Twenty-seven ribs lead from the floor to the apex of the dome, culminating in a ring which carries a lantern. The dome segments are arranged in a special way in order to permit full access of daylight. These produce an interesting play of lights and shadows, attractively brightened by the sun's reflexes on the 570 glass panels. The supporting parts of the structure consist of prefabricated concrete material reinforced by steel fillings, which were produced in the Netherlands.
- For the message of the Universal House of Justice see BW14:485–6.
- For pictures see BW14:482, 483, 485, 491.
- For a description of the teaching conference accompanying the dedication see BW14:586–8.
- See also MC14–15; PP432–4.
- See this brief film on Vimeo on the life of Anneliese Bopp and her part in the building of this Temple.
Specifics
Location: Frankfurt, Germany (near the village of Langenhain in the Taunus Hills)
Foundation Stone: 20 November 1960 by Hand of the Cause Amelia Collins representing the World Centre. She placed Sacred Dust from the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh in the foundations.
Construction Period: 1960-1964
Site Dedication:4 July 1964 Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum represented the Universal House of Justice.
Architect: Teuto Rocholl (plans approved by Shoghi Effendi)
Seating:450 – 600
Dimensions: Diameter at the base: 48m (158ft), Height from the base to the top of the dome: 28m (92ft), Outer diameter: 25m (82ft); Inner diameter: 23m (69ft), Inner height of the dome: 24m (72ft). Height 20.5m (67ft)
Cost:
Dependencies: A home for the aged.
Note: The construction of this temple was delayed by legal roadblocks instigated by church opposition, both Protestant and Catholic.
References: BW14p483, BW14p483-484, BW18p104, CEBF241
- 1983-04-29 — The Universal House of Justice was elected for the fifth time at the International Convention held in Haifa.
- Those elected were: 'Al´Nakhjavání, Hushmand Fatheazam, Ian Semple, David Ruhe, Glenford Mitchell, David Hofman, Borrah Kavelin, Charles Wolcott, and Hugh Chance. [Mess63-86p359]
- The National Spiritual Assembly of Iran was unable to attend but sent 133 red roses as its gift to its sister Assemblies. [BW18:461]
- For a report of the Convention see BW18:461–4.
- See BW18:462, 464 for pictures.
- 1984-09-01 — The House of Worship in Apia, Western Samoa, the Mother Temple of the Pacific, was dedicated in the presence of Hand of the Cause of God Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum, Hand of the Cause Dr Ugo Giachery, His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II and more than a thousand Bahá'ís from 45 countries. [BW19:100–1; VV64]
- The architect has utilized the form of the Samoan file roof and the open plan of the fale itself in conceptualizing the design of the Temple. The white mosaic tiled dome rests atop nine pairs of buttresses clad in granite of a soft red tone. The nine ribs of mirrored glass, the graceful arch windows and the wide expanse of glazing over each portal seemingly draw the light through the structure itself. Modern techniques have allowed the dome to be built in this manner, providing an iridescent effect when lit at night. The shell of the dome and the internal structure are of a white, rendered concrete, bushhammered to a soft texture and accented with distinctive native ifilele wood joinery and a warm red quarry tile floor finish. The main hall seats 500 and a cantilevered mezzanine level rings the perimeter providing additional seating for 200 including the choir. [from the pamphlet distributed to guests]
- For a report of the dedication see BW19:552–3.
- For the text of the address of His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II see BW19:556.
- For pictures see BW19:553 and VV64.
- Marble for the House of Worship was cut and chiseled by Margraf, a firm from Chiampo, Italy formerly known as Industria Marmi Vincentini. [BWNS1223]
Specifics
Location: Apia, Samoa (9km south of the city)
Foundation Stone: Laid by Malietoa Tanumafili II and Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum on 27 January 1979. She placed a small casket of Dust from the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh in a niche in a stone.
Period: 1980-1984
Site Dedication:1 September 1984
Architect:Husayn Amanat
Seating: 500 - 700
Dimensions:Top of the dome to ground: 28m (92ft), Top of the dome to basement floor: 31m (102ft), Height of the dome: 19m (62ft), Width of the dome: 27M (88ft)
Cost: $6.5m
Dependencies:
References: BW16p488-489, BW17p371-374, BW18p104, 585-588, BW19p547-557
- 1986-12-24 — The House of Worship in New Delhi, the Mother Temple of the Indian Subcontinent, was dedicated in the presence of Hand of the Cause Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum and more than 8,000 Bahá'ís from 114 countries. [AWH47; BINS161; BW19:102 BW20p732-733, VV92]
- On October 1st, 1954 the Guardian announced that a plot
lying in the outskirts of New Delhi has
been secured at the price of a hundred
thousand rupees as the site of the first
Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of the Indian subcontinent. [CBN No58 Nov 1954 p1]
- See VV93–4 for pictures.
- See the video A Documentary on Lotus Temple, complete with transcript, 3 minutes, 52 seconds.
- Marble for the House of Worship was cut and chiseled by Margraf, a firm from Chiampo, Italy formerly known as Industria Marmi Vincentini. [BWNS1223]
- The Universal House of Justice reported that the Bahá'í Temple received more than 120,000 visitors within the first thirty days of its dedication. [Ridván 1987]
Specifics
Location: New Delhi, India (Bahapur (Abode of Light))
Foundation Stone: 17 October 1977 (Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum)
Construction Period: April 1980 - December 1986
Site Dedication:24 December 1986 (Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum placed a silver casket containing Dust from the Shrines of Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb into the crown of the Prayer Hall arch facing 'Akká)
Architect/Project Manager: Fariburz Sahbá
Seating: 1200
Dimensions:Inner buds are 34.3m high, the outer leaves are 15.4m wide and 22.5m high.
Cost: $10m
Dependencies:
References: BW16p486-487, BW17p368-370, BW18p103-104, 571-584, BW19p559-568, BW20p731-753
- 1988-04-21 — The Universal House of Justice was elected for the sixth time at the International Convention held in Haifa. Delegates from 148 National/Regional Assemblies participated. [BINS176; VV97]
- Those elected were: 'Alí Nakhjavání, Glenford Mitchell, Hushmand Fatheazam, Ian Semple, Peter Khan, David Ruhe, Hugh Chance, Hooper Dunbar, Adib Taherzadeh. [Mess86-01p49]
- A gift of a large bowl of 120 roses was received from the Bahá'í of Iran.
- Mr. Hooper Dunbar, born in the United States, was a film actor in Hollywood before moving to Central and South America where he taught arts and English. He is an accomplished painter. He was first elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Nicaragua in 1961. He later served as a Continental Counsellor before being appointed to the International Teaching Centre in 1973.
[BWNS208]
- 1994-00-00 — His Highness King Malietoa Tanumafili II of Samoa received The Kitáb-i-Aqdas from Tongan Bahá'ís Sohrab and Soheyla Bolouri. [BINS314:9]
- 2017-11-06 — An exhibition of Bahá'u'lláh's writings opened at the John Addis Gallery in the British Museum.
- One of the central themes was the power of the Word, which refers to divine revelation, a concept fundamental to the origins of all the world's great faiths. The exhibition showed original handwriting of Bahá'u'lláh, as well as other archival items associated with His life such as His reed pens and examples of "revelation writing" by His scribe as he tried keep up with Bahá'u'lláh's dictation.
- The exhibition, timed to commemorate the period of celebration of the 200th anniversary of His birth, was open to the public until the 22nd of January. [BWNS1220]
- See the British Museum blog entitled Displaying the Bahá'í Faith: the pen is mightier than the sword.
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