Bahá’í World/Volume 19/Bahá’í Calendar, Festivals and Dates

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[Page 578]

VIII.

BAHA’T CALENDAR, FESTIVALS AND DATES OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

1. FOREWORD

Excerpt from Baha’u’llah and the New Era by Dr. J. E. Esslemont

AMONG different peoples and at different times many different methods have been adopted for the measurement of time and fixing of dates, and several different calendars are still in daily use, e.g., the Gregorian in Western Europe, the J u1ian in many countries of Eastern Europe, the Hebrew among the Jews and the Muhammadan in Muslim countries.

The Báb signa1ized the importance of the dispensation which He came to hera1d by inaugurating a new ca1endar. In this, as in the Gregorian ca1endar, the lunar month is abandoned and the solar year is adopted.

The Bahá’í year consists of 19 months of 19 days each (i.e., 361 days), with the addition of certain ‘intercalary days’ (four in ordinary and five in leap years) between the eighteenth and nineteenth months in order to adjust the cal endar to the solar year. The Báb named the months after the attributes of God. The Bahá’í New Year, like the ancient Persian New Year, is astronomicafly fixed, commencing at the March equinox (21 March), and the Bahá’í era commences with the year of the Báb’s declaration (i.e., 1844 A.D., 1260 A.H.).

In the not far distant future it will be necessary that all peoples in the world agree on a common calendar.

It seems, therefore, fitting that the new age of unity shou1d have a new calendar free from the objections and associations which make each of the older calendars unacceptable to large sections of the world’s population, and it is difficult to see how any other arrangement could exceed in simplicity and convenience that proposed by the Báb.

2. BAHA’T FEASTS, ANNIVERSARIES AND DAYS OF FASTING

Feast of Riḍván (Declaration of Baha’u’llah), 21 April—2 May 1863.

Feast of Naw-Rúz (New Year), 21 March. Declaration of the Báb, 23 May 1844.

The Day of the Covenant, 26 November.

Birth of Baha’u’llah, 12 November 1817.

Birth of the Báb, 20 October 1819.

Birth of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 23 May 1844. Ascension Of Baha’u’llah, 29 May 1892. Martyrdom of the Báb, 9 July 1850.

Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 28 November 1921.

Fasting season lasts 19 days beginning with the first day of the month of ‘Ala’, 2 March—-the

Feast of NaW-Rfiz follows immediately after.

578

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3. BAHA’T HOLY DAYS ON WHICH WORK SHOULD BE SUSPENDED

The first day of Riḍván,

The ninth day of Riḍván,

The twelfth day of Riḍván,

The anniversary of the declaration of the Bath, The anniversary of the birth of Baha’u’llah, The anniversary of the birth of the Bath,

The anniversary of the ascension of Baha’u’llah, The anniversary of the martyrdom Of the Báb, The feast of Naw—Ri’iz.

NOTE: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in one of His Tablets addressed to a believer Of Nayriz, Persia, has written

the following: Nine days in the year have been appointed on which work is forbidden. Some of these days have been specifically mentioned in the Book. The rest follow as corollaries t0 the T ext . . . Work on the Day of the Covenant (Fete Day of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá), however, is not prohibited. Celebration of that day is left to the discretion of the friends. Its observation is not obligatory. The days pertaining to the Abhci Beauty (Baha’u’llah) and the Primal Point (the Báb), that is to say these nine days, are the only ones on which work connected with trade, commerce, industry and agriculture is not allmved. In like manner, work connected with any form of employment, whether governmental or otherwise, should be suspended.

As a corollary of this Tablet it follows that the anniversaries of the birth and ascension of ‘Abdn’l—Baha are not to be regarded as days on which work is prohibited. The celebration of these two days, however, is obligatory.

Bahá’ís in East and West, holding administrative positions, whether public or private, should exert the utmost effort to obtain special leave from their superiors to enable them to observe these nine holy days.

4. ADDITIONAL MATERIAL GLEANED FROM

NABiL’S NARRATIVE REGARDING THE BAHA’I CALENDAR

THE Badi‘ Calendar (Bahá’í Calendar) has been taken by me from the Kitcib-i-Asmd’, one of the works written by the Báb. As I have observed in these days that certain believers are inclined to regard the year in which Baha’u’llah departed from Baghdad to Constantinople as marking the beginning of the Badi‘ calendar, 1 have requested Mirza Aqe’t Jan, the amanuensis of Baha’u’liah, to ascertain His will and desire concerning this matter. Bahá’u’lláh answered and said: ‘The year sixty AH.1 (1844 A.D.), the

l(i.e., 1260 AH.)

year of the Declaration of the Báb, must be regarded as the beginning of the Badi‘ Cal-y endar.’ The Declaration of the Báb took place on the evening preceding the fifth day of J amadiyu’l-Avval, of the year 1260 A.H. It has been ordained that the solar calendar be followed and that the vernal Equinox, the day of NawRi'iz, be regarded as the New Year’s Day of the Badi‘ Calendar. The year sixty, in which the fifth day of Jamédiyu’l-Avval coincided with the sixty—fifth day after Naw-Rl'iz, has accordingly been regarded as the first year of the Badi‘ Calendar. As in that year, the day of Naw-Ri’iz,

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the vernal Equinox, preceded by sixty-six days the date of the Declaration of the Báb,I have therefore, throughout my history, regarded the NaW-Rfiz of the year sixty-one A.H. (the NawRi’lz immediately following the Declaration of the Báb) as the first Naw-Ri'iz of the Badi‘ Calendar. I have accordingly considered the NaW-Ri’lz of this present year, the year 1306 A.H., Which is the 47th solar year after the Declaration of the Bill), as the 46th Naw-Rúz of the Badi‘ Calendar.

Soon after Baha’u’llah had left the fortress

Days Arabic Name lst J alal

2nd Jamal

3rd Kamal

4th Fidél

5th ‘Idal

6th Istij1a1

7th Istiqlél

of ‘Akká and was dwelling in the house of Malik, in that city, He commanded me to transcribe the text of the Badi‘ Calendar and to instruct the believers in its details. On the very day in which I received His command, I composed, in verse and prose, an exposition of the main features of that Calendar and presented it to Him. The versified copy, being now unavailable, I am herein transcribing the version in prose. The days of the week are named as

follows:

English Name T ranslatz’on Saturday Glory Sunday Beauty Monday Perfection Tuesday Grace Wednesday Justice Thursday Majesty Friday Independence

The names of the months, which are the same as the days of each month, are as follows:

M on th Arabic Name lst Baha 2nd Jalal 3rd Jamal 4th ‘Azamat 5th Nfir 6th Rahmat 7th Kalimat 8th Kamal 9th Asma’

10th ‘Izzat

1 1th Mashiyyat

12th ‘Ilm

1 3th Qudrat

14th Qawl

1 5th Masa’il

1 6th flaraf

17th Sultan

1 8th Mulk

19th ‘Ala’

T ranslation First Days Splendour March 21 Glory April 9 Beauty April 28 Grandeur May 17 Light June 5 Mercy June 24 Words July 13 Perfection August 1 Names August 20 Might September 8 Will September 27 Knowledge October 16 Power November 4 Speech November 23 Questions December 12 Honour December 31 Sovereignty January 19 Dominion F ebruary 7 Loftiness March 2

Ayyam-i-Ha (Intercalary Days) 26 February to 1 March inclusive—four in ordinary and five in leap years.

The first day of each month is thus the day of Baha, and the last day of each month the day of ‘Ala’.

The Báb has regarded the solar year, of 365 days, 5 hours, and fifty odd minutes, as con sisting of 19 months of 19 days each, with the addition of certain intercalary days. He has named the New Year’s Day, Which is the day of Naw—Rt'lz, the day of Baha, of the month of Baha. He has ordained the month of ‘Ala’ to

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be the month of fasting, and has decreed that the day ofNaw-Rúz should mark the termination of that period. As the Báb did not specifically define the place for the four days and the fraction of a day in the Badi‘ Calendar, the people of the Bayán were at a loss as to how they should regard them. The revelation of the Kitdbi—Aqdas in the city of ‘Akká resolved this problem and settled the issue. Baha’u’llah designated those days as the Ayyam-i-Ha and ordained that they should immediately precede the month of ‘Ala’, which is the month of fasting. He enjoined upon His followers to devote these days to feasting, rejoicing, and charity. Immediately upon the termination of these intercalary days, Baha’u’llah ordained the month of fasting to begin. I have heard it stated that some of the people of the Bayán, the followers Of Mirza Yaḥyá, have regarded these intercalary days as coming immediately after the month of ‘Ala’, thus terminating their fast five days before the day of Naw-Rúz. This, notwithstanding the explicit text of the Bayán which states that the day of Naw—Rl'lz must needs be the first day of the month of Baha, and must follow immediately after the last day of the month of ‘Ala’. Others, aware of this contradiction, have started their fasting on the fifth day of the month of ‘Ala’, and included the intercalary days within the period of fasting.

Every fourth year the number of the interca lary days is raised from four to five. The day 9

of Naw-Rl’iz falls on the let of March only if the vernal Equinox precedes the setting of the sun on that day. Should the vernal Equinox take place after sunset, Naw—Rt'lz will have to be celebrated on the following day.

The Báb has, moreover, in His Writings revealed in the Arabic tongue; divided the years following the date of His Revelation into cycles of nineteen years each. The names of the years in each cycle are as follows:

58.1

1. Alif A.

2. Ba’ B.

3. Ab Father.

4. Dal D.

5. Bab Gate.

6. Vav V.

7. Abad Eternity.

8. Jad Generosity. 9. Baha Splendour. 10. Hubb Love. 11. Bahhaj Delightful. 12. Javab Answer. 13. Ahad Single. 14. Vahhab Bountiful. 15. Vidad Affection. 16. Badi Beginning. 17. Bahi Luminous. 18. Abhá Most Luminous. 19. Vahid Unity.

Each cycle of nineteen years is called Vahid. Nineteen cycles constitute a period called Kulli-flay’. The numerical value of the word Vahid is nineteen, that of Kull-i-Shay’ is 361. Vahid signifies unity, and is symbolic of the unity of God.

The Báb has, moreover, stated that this system of His is dependent upon the acceptance and good—pleasure of ‘Him Whom God shall make manifest’. One word from Him would suffice either to establish it for all time, or to annul it forever.

For instance, the date of the let of April, 1930, which is the first day of Riḍván, and which according to the Kitáb-i-Aqdas must coincide with the ‘thirteenth day of the second Bahá’í month,’ and which fell this year (1930) on Monday, would, according to the system of the Badi‘ Calendar, be described as follows:

‘The day of Kamal, the day of Qudrat, of the month of Jalal, of the year Bahhaj, of the fifth Vahid, of the first Kull—i—fihay’.’

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5. HISTIORICAL DATA GLEANED FROM NABIL’S NARRATIVE REGARDING BAHA’U’LLAH

A. BAfiIDAD Arrival latter part Jamédiyu’m-Lhéni, 1269 AH. 12 March—lO April 1853 AD. Departure for Sulayméniyyih on Wednesday, 10 April 1854 AD.Rajab 12, 1270 A.H.

B. SULAYMANiYYIH

Before reaching Sulayméniyyih, He lived for a time on the Sar~Galfi mountain.

During His absence from Baghdad His family transferred their residence from House of Hájí ‘Ali-Madad to that of Sulaymén-i—Q‘hanném.

Nabil arrived at Baghdad 6 months after Bahá’u’lláh’s departure for Sulaymémiyyih.

C. BAQLID/XD

Arrived from Sulayméniyyih on Wednesday, 19 March 1856 A.D.——Rajab 12, 1272 A.H.

Departure from Baghdád for Constantinople, Wednesday afternoon (first day of Riḍván), 22 April 1863 AD. —D_hi’1—Qa‘dih 3, 1279 A.H.

Short stay in Mazra‘iy-i-Vamfléfi during above period to celebrate Naw-Rúz ended With departure on Thursday, 26 March 1863 AD.flavvél 5, 1279 A.H.

Works Revealed During This Period

Houses Occupied During This Period

Kullu’t-Ta‘ém

Prayers Qagidiy-i—Varqé’iyyih

Séqi-Az—QhaybdBaqé

Tafsir-i-Hurl’lfét-iMuqatta‘ih Sahifiy-i—fihattiyyih Haft-Védi (Seven Valleys)

' Tafsir-i—Hl'l

LaWh—i—Hfiriyyih Javéhiru’l-Asrér Kitáb—i~1qén Kalimét-i-Maknfinih (Hidden Words) Subhéna-Rabbiya’lA‘lé ~Shikkar-&ikanflavand Hfir—i—‘Ujéb Halih-Halih-Yé Bighérat @ulému’l—Lhuld Az-Bégh—i-Iléhi Béz-Av—u-Bidih—Jérm Malláhu’l-Quds (Holy Mariner)

House of Hájí ‘AliMadad (in old Baghdad) House of Sulayméni-G_hanné1m

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583

Works Revealed Houses Occupied C. BAQHDAchontinued During This Period During This Period Arrival at Garden of Najibiyyih (Garden Sfiriy-i-Sabr revealed of Riḍván), 22 Apri1 1863 A.D.——- on first day of D_hi’1-Qa‘dih 3, 1279 A.H. Riḍván Arrival of Baha’u’llah’s Family at Garden of Riḍván on eighth day after first of Riḍván. Departure from Garden of Riḍván for Constantinople last day of Riḍván at noon on Sunday, 3 May 1863 AD.D_hi’1—Qa‘dih 14, 1279 A.H. Length of overland journey from Garden of Riḍván to samsun on Black Sea: 110 days. Firayjat (arrived early afternoon—stayed Hasan-Aqa, seven days) arrived on Sunday, 3 May Mardin, 1863 A.D.—1_)_hi’1~Qa‘dih 14, 1279 A.H. Diyar-Bakr, (Firayjat is about 3 miles distant from Ma‘dan-Mis,

Baghdad) Judaydih, Dili-‘Abbas, Qarih—Tapih, Salahiyyih (stayed 2 nights), Dust—Qurmatu, Tawuq, Karkuk (stayed 2 days), Irbfl, Zéb River, Bartallih, Mosu1 (stayed 3 days), Zékly'l, Jazirih, Nusaybin

Qérpfit (stayed 2 or 3 days),

Ma‘dan-Nuqrih,

Dilik-Tagh,

Sivas,

Tfiqét,

Amasia (stayed 2 days),

Ilahiyyih (While approaching samsun, ‘LaWhi-Hawdaj’ was revealed), (last day of over1and journey),

Sémsun (stayed 7 days), Black Sea port; sailed in a Turkish steamer about sunset for Constantinople,

Sinope (arrived next day about noon), Black Sea port: stayed few hours,

Anyabuli (arrived next day).

D. CONSTANTIN‘OPLE

Works Revealed

H ouses Occupied

Arrival at noon on Sunday, 16 August 1863 A.D.—Rabi‘u’l-Avval 1, 1280 A.H.

During This Period

During This Period

Duration

Subhanaka-Ya—Hu LaWh-i-‘Abdu’l‘Aziz Va~Vuka1a

House of S__hamsi Big (near the mosque of Qirqiy—i-Sbarifll)

1 month

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D. CONSTANTINOPLEm

Works Revealed

H ouses Occupied

continued During This Period During This Period Duration Length of sea voyage House of Visi Péghé (3- 3months from Sémsfin to storey, near Sultan Constantinople: 3 Muhammad Mosque) days. Length of journey from Constantinople to Adrianople: 12 days. 1. Kfighik-Qakmaflih (3 hours from Constantinople—spent one night) 2. Bfiyfik-flakmaghih (arrived about noon) 3. Salvari 4. Birkés 5. Bábé—Iski E. ADRIANOPLE Works Revealed Houses Occupied During This Period During This Period Duration Arrival on Saturday, 12 Sfiriy-i-Ashéb 1. flén-i-‘Aréb 3 nights December 1863 AD. (caravanserai, two——Rajab 1, 1280 storey, near house of AH. Lawh-i-Hajj I ‘Izzat—Aqé) Length of stay: 4 years, 8 months, 22 days. Lawh-i—Hajj 11 Length of overland Kitáb-i-Badi‘ 2. House in Murédiyyih 1 week journey from Sfiriy-i-Mulfik quarter, near Constantinople to (Tablet of the Takyiy-i—Mawlavi Adrianople: 12 days. Kings) Departure from Sfiriy-i—Amr 3. House in Murédiyyih 6 months Adrianople on Sfiriy-i-Damm quarter, near house Wednesday, 12 Alváḥ—i-Laylatu’l- 2 August 1868 A.D.— Quds 4. K_héniy-i-Amru’lláh Rabi—‘u’m-Lhéni 22, Munéjéthéy-i-Siyém (several storeys, 1285 A.H. (Prayers for near Sultén—Salim ’ Fasting) Mosque) Lawh-i—Sayyéh 5. House of Ridé Big 1 year Lawh-i-Népulyfin I 6. House of Amru’lláh 3 months? (First Tablet to (3-storey, north of Napoleon III) Sultén~Salim Mosque) LaWh-i-Sultgén 7. House of ‘Izzat-Aqé 11 months

(Tablet to the fihéh of Persia) Lawh-i-Nuqtih

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585

b—A

. Uzun-Kupri

2. Kéflénih (arrived about noon. LaWh-i—Ra’is [Tablet of Ra’is] was revealed in this place)

3. Gallipoli (length of journey from Adrianople to Gallipoli about 4 days) (after a few days’ stay sailed before noon in Austrian steamer for Alexandria, Egypt)

4. Madelli (arrived about sunset—left at night)

5. Smyrna (stayed 2 days, left at night)

6. Alexandria (arrived in the morning, trans-shipped and left in the morning of the following

day for Haifa)

7. Port Said (arrived morning, left the same day at night)

8. Jaffa (left at midnight)

9. Haifa (arrived in the morning, landed and after a few hours left on a sailing vessel for

‘Akká)

F . ‘AKKA

Arrival on Monday, 31 August 1868 AD.J amédiyu’l-Avval 12, 1285 A.H.

Purest Branch died on Thursday, 23 June 1870 A.D.—Rabi‘u’1Avval 23, 1287 A.H.

Passed away 29 May 1892 AD.

Works Revealed

H ouses Occupied

During This Period During This Period Duration

Kitáb-i-Aqdas . Barracks 2 years, 2

Lawh-i-Nétpulyun 11 months (Second Tablet to 5 days Napoleon III)

LaWh-i-Malikih . House of Malik 3 months (Tablet to Queen . House of Rébi‘ih

Victoria)

LaWh-i—Malik—i—Rus . House of Mansur 2 or 3 (Tablet to the Czar) months

Sfiriy-i-Haykal LaWh-i-Burhén Lawh—i-Ru’yé LaWh-i-Ibn-i-D_hi’b (Epistle to Son of the Wolf) LaWh—i-Pép (Tablet to the Pope)

. House of ‘Abbud

(where Kitáb-iAqdas was revealed)

. Mazra‘ih

. Qasr

(Mansion, where He passed away)

[Page 586]586 THE Bahá’í WORLD

6. DATES OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE IN THE RISE OF THE BAHA’I FAITH

Birth of Bahá’u’lláh . . . . 12 November 1817

Birth of the Báb ......... 20 October 1819

Declaration of the Mission of the Báb in fliréz .......................... 23 May 1844

Birth of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ....... 23 May 1844 Departure of the Báb on His pilgrimage to Mecca ................. September 1844 Arrival of the Báb in Méh-Kfi, Agihirbéyjén .......................... Summer 1847 Incarceration Of the Bath in Chiríq, Agnbéyja’m ..................... April 1848 Conference of Badasht .......... June 1848 Interrogation Of the Bath in Tabríz Agnbéyjén ...................... July 1848 Martyrdom of the Báb in Tabríz, Aflirbéyjén ............................ 9 July 1850

Attempt on the life of Nésiri’d-Din Shéh . ........................ 15 August 1852 Imprisonment of Bahá’u’lláh in the Siyéh—Qhél Of Ṭihrán ................. August 1852 Banishment of Bahá’u’lláh to Baghdad ..... ....................... 12 January 1853 Withdrawal of Bahá’u’lláh t0 Kurdistén . . . .......................... 10 April 1854 Return of Bahá’u’lláh from Kurdistén ..... ...... 19 March 1856 Declaration of the Mission of Bahá’u’lláh .......................... 22 April 1863 Arrival of Bahá’u’lláh in Constantinople ........................ 16 August 1863 Arrival of Bahá’u’lláh in Adrianople ....... ..................... 12 December 1863 Departure of Bahá’u’lláh from Adrianople ........................ 12 August 1868 Arrival of Bahá’u’lláh in ‘Akká ........... ........................ 31 August 1868 Death of the Purest Branch . . 23 June 1870 Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh ..... 29 May 1892 First public reference to the Faith in America ..................... 23 September 1893 Establishment of the first Bahá’í centre in the West ................... February 1894 Arrival of the first group of Western pilgrims in ‘Akká ............ 10 December 1898 Arrival of the Báb’s remains in the‘Holy Land ....................... 31 January 1899 Reincarceration of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in ‘Akká . . ........................ 20 August 1901

Commencement of the construction of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár of ‘I§hqébéd .......... ..................... 28 November 1902 Release of ‘Abdul-Bahát from His incarceration ................ September 1908 Interment of the Báb’s remains on Mt. Carmel ........................ 21 March 1909 Opening of the first American Bahá’í Convention ................ 21 March 1909 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s departure from Egypt ...... ........................ September 1910 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s arrival in London ...................... 4 September 1911 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s arrival in America .......................... 11 April 1912 Laying of the corner-stone of the Mashriqu’l-Athkér in Wilmette, 111., by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ........................... 1 May 1912 Second Visit of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to Europe and tour through the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Hungary and Austria ......... ............ December 1912 to June 1913 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s return to the Holy Land . . . . ...................... 5 December 1913 Unveiling of the Tablets Of the Divine Plan . ............................ April 1919 Passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 28 November 1921 Verdict of the Islamic Court in Egypt pronouncing the Faith to be an independent religion .................. 10 May 1925 Martha Root’s first interview With Queen Marie of Romania ........... 30 January 1926 Resolution of the Council of the League of Nations upholding the claim of the Bahá’í community to the House of Bahá’u’lláh in Baghdád ................ 4 March 1929 Passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf July 1932 Inception of the First American Seven-Year

.........

.........

Plan ....................... April 1937 Celebration of the Centenary of the Declaration of the Bath ............... 23 May 1944 Inception Of the Second American Seven-Year Plan ....................... April 1946 Centenary of the Martyrdom of the Bath ............................ 9 July 1950

Completion of the Arcade and Parapet of the Shrine of the Bath on Mt. Carmel ....... ............................ 9 July 1950

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Inauguration of the Centenary Celebrations of the birth of Baha’u’llah’s Prophetic Mission .......................... October 1952

First Baha” 1 Intercontinental Teaching Conference, Kampala, Uganda, Africa ....... ................... 12—18 February 1953

Inauguration of the Ten-Year International Bahá’í Teaching and Consolidation Plan

............................ April 1953 Bahá’í dedication of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in Wilmette, Illinois ........... 1 May 1953 Public dedication ............. 2 May 1953 All—American Bahá’í Intercontinental Teaching Conference, Chicago ...... 3—6 May 1953

Third Bahá’í Intercontinenta1 Teaching Conference, Stockholm, Sweden ............ ........................ 21-26 July 1953

Fourth Bahá’í Intercontinental Teaching Conference, New Delhi, India .............. ..................... 7-15 October 1953

Completion of the construction of the Shrine of the Báb ............... October 1953

Expansion of the Faith to 100 additional countries and islands by settlement of the Knights of Bahá’u’lláh ............... 1953—«1954

Completion of exterior of Internationa1 Archives Building ................. 1957

Passing of Shoghi Effendi 4 November 1957

The holding of five Intercontinental Teaching

Conferences successively in Kampala, Sydney, Wilmette, Frankfurt, Djakarta/ Singapore ........................ 1958

First dependency of a Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, the Bahá’í Home for the Aged, opened in Wilmette, Illinois, USA. ..... January 1959

Dedication of the Mother Temple of Africa, Kampala, Uganda ..... 14 January 1961

Dedication of the Mother Temple of the Antipodes, Sydney, Australia 16 September 1961

Completion of the Ten Year Crusade ...... ............................ April 1963

Election of the Universal House of Justice . . .......................... 21 Apri1 1963

Celebration of the Most Great Jubilee, 1n London .................... April 1963

Launching of the Nine year Plan April 1964

Dedication of the Mother Temple of Europe, near Frankfurt, Germany . .4 July 1964

Celebration of the Centenary of the Revelation of the SLZriy-i-Mulu'k ................... ................ September/October 1967

Opening of period of proclamation of the Cause, inaugurated by the presentation by

587

the Universal House of Justice to 140 Heads of State of a special edition of The Proclamation Of Bahá’u’lláh ..... October 1967 The holding of six Intercontinental Conferences simultaneously in Panama City, Wilmette, Sydney, Kampala, Frankfurt and New Delhi .................... October 1967 His Highness Malietoa Tanumafih II of Western Samoa embraced the Faith ...................... 19 February 1968 Establishmeht by the Universal House of J ust1ce Of the Continenta1 Boards of Counsellors .......................... 21 June 1968 First Oceanic Conference, Palermo, Sicily ..................... 23-25 August 1968 Commemoration of 100th anniversary of arrival of Bahá’u’lláh in the Holy Land ........................ 31 August 1968 The Bahá’í International Community accredited With consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Councfl .................. 27 May 1970 Commemoration of 100th anniversary of the death of Mirzá Mihdi, ‘The Purest Branch’ .......................... 23 June 1970 The holding of eight Oceanic and Continental Conferences in La Paz, Rose Hill (Mauritius), Monrovia, Singapore, Kingston, Suva, Sapporo and Reykjavik, between August 1970 and September 1971 Commemoration of 50th anniversary of the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá .................. 26—28 November 1971 Completion of erection of Obelisk, Mt. Carmel ..................... 19 December 1971 Dedication of the Mother Temple of Latin America, Panama ......... 29 Apri1 1972 Adoption by the Universal House of Justice of its Constitution ...... 26 November 1972 Publication by the Universal House of J ustice of A Synopsis and Codification Of the Laws and Ordinances Of the Kitdb-i—Aqdas . Apr 111973 Establishment by the Universal House of J ustice of the International Teaching Centre ........................... 5 June 1973 Launching of the Five Year International Teaching Plan .............. April 1974 His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II of Western Samoa, Visits the resting place of Shoghi Effendi ....... 12 September 1976 The holding of eight Intercontinental Conferences ’ in Helsinki, Anchorage, Paris, Nairobi, Hong Kong, Aukland, Bahia

.....

...............

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(Brazil) and Mérida (Mexico), between July 1976 and January 1977 Commemoration of the Centenary of the termination of Bahá’u’lláh’s Confinement in the prison-city of ‘Akká .......... June 1977 Launching of the Seven Year International Teaching Plan .............. April 1979 Commemoration of Fiftieth Anniversary of the passing of Bahíyyih Khánum, the Greatest Holy Leaf ................... July 1982 The holding of five International Teaching Conferences in Dublin, Quito (Ecuador), Lagos, Canberra, and Montreal, between June and September 1982

THE Bahá’í WORLD

Occupation by the Universal House of Justice of its Permanent Seat ...... January 1983 Opening of the House of ‘Abdu’lláh Péghé to pilgrims .................... April 1983 Dedication of the first Mashriqu’l-Adhkár of the Pacific Islands ..... 1 September 1984 Inauguration on United Nations Day of period of dissemination to Heads of State and to the general public of The Promise of World Peace, 21 letter addressed by the Universal House of Justice to ‘The Peoples of the World’ ............... 24 October 1985 Launching of the Six Year International Teaching Plan ................... April 1986

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IN MEMORIAM

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