Bahá’í World/Volume 20/Noranieh Parsa Mazzoni
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NORANIEH PARSA MAZZONI
(Niiraniyyih Parsa Mazzoni) 1943—1990
...grieve passing stalwart maidservant of Baha’u’llah Nura Parsa Mazzoni. Her noble qualities steadfastness and dedication to the Cause, her devoted services teaching pioneering, administration Faith are fondly remembered. . .. Universal House of Justice 5 November 1990
Nfiraniyyih Parsa was born in Sangsar, Persia, in 1943, into a Bahá’í family of modest means. At that time her parents were getting ready to leave Tihran for Gunbad-i—Kavfis at the request of the Pioneering Committee. Born at the beginning of a pioneering phase, Nfira devoted her whole life to the service of the Faith.
Nfiré spent her childhood and part of her adolescence in Gunbad—i—Kavfis, studying at school there. In 1956 her parents moved to nearby fliahpasand, but Ni'ira stayed behind with her young sisters, their father’s mother
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Noranieh Parsa Mazzoni
taking care of them so that they could continue their education. A few years later, in response to the goals of the Ten Year Crusade, the Parsa family decided to move to Turkey as pioneers. But in December 1959, When the family stopped in Tihran on the way to their post, they were influenced by the Hand of the Cause of God ‘Ali-Akbar Furi'itan to change their goal, and they went instead to Italy, to the city of Perugia.
In Italy, Nina’s presence was Vital to the family, not only as the eldest daughter but also as the only member of the family who had any knowledge of the English language. During the first few years in Perugia, the financial position of the family was not good and there were many privations.
Despite the hardships, Nara immediately became active in the Italian Bahá’í community, and in 1966 she became a member of the National Youth Committee. From this moment onwards, she took on commitments at both national and international levels. She took part in the activities of the musical group called The Dawn-Breakers in Europe, and felt encouraged to get the Italian DaWn
THE BAHA’l WORLD
Breakers band together with other young people. This was fundamental in developing the Italian community and in increasing the declarations of faith.
During all of these activities for the Faith, Nara kept up her university studies, eventually graduating in chemistry with honours. Once graduated, Nfira began a brilliant career as a teacher, and she was much appreciated by her pupils, colleagues, and superiors.
In 1972, she married Gianfranco Mazzoni, a young Italian Bahá’í, and they began their married life serving the Faith as pioneers in Scandicci, a small town near the suburbs of Florence. Then they responded to the appeals of the National Spiritual Assembly to go as pioneers to the cities of Pisa and Mantova, where their daughters, §_l_iabnam and Sharon, were born.
At the beginning of 1977, when the Mantova community had become more stable, Gianfranco and Nfira wished to serve as pioneers in the international field. After loving consultations with the National Assembly, which advised the couple to remain in Italy at least until the end of the Five Year Plan, they eagerly accepted the idea of adventure in southern Italy. This time the challenge was to open up one of the last Virgin areas, Basilicata, with its capital, Potenza. Just at this time, the Hand of the Cause of God Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir had a meeting with the members of all the National Committees at the Bahá’í Centre in Rome to encourage pioneering as an urgent matter. His words on that occasion to the new pioneers were:
Go with confidence——there is a big house waiting for you in Potenza!
And how true this was! There, as in all the other towns, Ni'ira and Gianfranco settled in immediately, and there was certainly no lack of loyal friends to enrich their lives. A new Bahá’í community was born and, at Riḍván 1978, the first Local Spiritual Assembly was elected. In the meantime, Nfira’s participation in teaching and administrative activities at the national level increased.
IN MEMORIAM 997
God’s plans are often shown in ways which are so different from our human expectations. In 1987, Nfira discovered that she was seriously ill. Yet this did not stop her from attending, two weeks after a serious operation, the most meaningful experience of her 1ife——the 1988 International Convention to elect the Universal House of Justice. A year later, in 1989, she was elected chairperson of the National Assembly and distinguished herself for her capacity to bring out the best in each member of that divine institution and to create a sense of unity which brought great benefit to the entire national community.
Her disease rapidly advanced until Nfiré was no longer able to be completely selfsuffieient, yet even in her worst moments, her service and devotion were exemplary. She continued as chairperson insofar as she was able to do so. Her love was a determining factor toward strengthening the unity of the members of that same National Assembly and the entire national community.
During the last months of her life on earth, she joyously offered her sufferings to God for the development of the Cause among her friends, colleagues, and neighbours. There were almost daily prayer meetings held on the initiative of Catholic friends, joyously attended by children, women, priests, colleagues and acquaintances in a desperate attempt to keep Nfira in this world. But on 2 November 1990, her bright soul joined those of the clear martyrs, with Whom She felt so united in moments of intense suffering. A huge crowd was present at her last journey to the Potenza cemetery, which had never at any time witnessed so many friends joined together in prayer from so many distant cities. _
Nfira’s willingness to help friends and strangers, her calmness at school, her strong sense of service, and her sweet nature characterised her brief existence on this earth. Brief but full of intense activity—not even one ounce of energy was spared. Of slight build, Nfiré possessed rare resources of
strength and determination; she was capable of alternating her roles as a careful administrator, conscientious teacher, loving mother, and wonderful wife.
It Will be absolutely impossible to fill the space she occupied in life, yet her presence will be felt at all times by those who loved and admired her. The whole purpose of her life was to create love and unity around her. Her conversation was always full of elevating illuminating subjects. In the heart of Whoever came into contact with her, if only briefly, she left the desire to go deeper into
the truths Which enlivened her every action. MARIO PIARULLI