April
From Bahaipedia
April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar, coming between March and May. It has 30 days. April generally occurs during the months of Bahá, Jalál and Jamál in the Badi calendar.
Events[edit]
Recurring[edit]
- The feasts of Jalál and Jamál take place in the month of April.
- The Festival of Riḍván, commemorating the Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh in 1863, begins in April and continues into May. The first and ninth days of Riḍván are celebrated on 13 Jalál (around April 20–21) and 2 Jamál (around April 28–29), respectively. Work is to be suspended on these days.
- Local Spiritual Assemblies are generally elected on the first day of Riḍván.
- National conventions are generally held at some time during the Riḍván Festival to elect National Spiritual Assemblies, except during years when an International Convention takes place.
- International Conventions are held every five years during the Riḍván Festival to elect the Universal House of Justice.
Historical[edit]
The following are examples of historical events which happened on each day of the month of April.
- 1979: Iran officially becomes an Islamic Republic following a successful national referendum; in the years to follow, persecution of Bahá'ís increases dramatically.
- 1963: King Hasan of Morocco stated that he would pardon the death sentences of three Bahá'ís imprisoned for their religious beliefs.
- 2004: Ola Pawlowska, Knight of Bahá’u’lláh named for pioneering to St. Pierre and Miquelon, dies.
- 1912: The RMS Cedric passes Gibraltar with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and his retinue on board, on their way to the United States.
- 1953: Florence Morton, an American Bahá'í who served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States in its infancy as well as on the National Teaching Committee of the United States, dies.
- 1961: Hand of the Cause of God Corinne True dies.
- 1923: Rahmatu'lláh Muhájir, Hand of the Cause of God and Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for the Mentawai Islands, is born.
- 2006: An Egyptian administrative court recognizes the independence of the Bahá’í Faith.
- 2008: The home of a Bahá’í is set on fire in Babolsar, in the north of Iran.
- 1841: Chester I. Thacher, an early American Bahá'í and Disciple of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, is born.
- 1995: Sarah Pereira, an American Bahá'í who served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and as a Counsellor for North America and the Americas, dies.
- 1948: Firuz Kazemzadeh gives a thirty minute talk to students of Tufts Theological College who had requested a Bahá'í discussion.
- 1887: Horace Holley, prominent Bahá’í and Hand of the Cause is born in Torrington, Connecticut.
- 1913: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had intended to depart Hungary, but delays his departure as Count Pal Teleki, future Prime Minister of Hungary, requests that he speak at a meeting of the Túránian Society.
- 1966: Mirzá Ali-Kuli Khan, former amanuensis for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada, dies.
- 1853: Bahá’u’lláh and His family complete the trip from Tehran to Baghdad following His exile.
- 1883: Elizabeth Hopper, Knight of Bahá’u’lláh named for pioneering to the Madeira Islands, is born.
- 1848: The Báb is removed from the fortress of Máh-Kú by orders of Hájí Mírzá Áqásí.
- 1899: An upheaval against the Bahá'ís begins in Najafábád, with their homes being looted. They take refuge in the British Telegraph Office.
- 1908: Two building plots in Wilmette are purchased by the American Bahá'í community for a future Mashriqu'l-Adhkár.
- 1913: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá arrives in Budapest. He stays at the Ritz Hotel, and a press conference is held in the hotel lobby shortly after his arrival.
- 1848: The Báb is transfered to the fortress of Chihríq by orders of Hájí Mírzá Áqásí.
- 1854: Bahá’u’lláh retreats to the Sulaymaniyah mountains within Kurdistan.
- 1881: Sadie Oglesby, an early African American Bahá'í, is born.
- 1920: Hyde and Clara Dunn arrive in Sydney, Australia, becoming the first Bahá'ís in the country.
- 1993: Roger White, Bahá'í poet and author, dies.
- 1912: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá arrives in New York City for his visit to North America.
- 1913: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá delivers a talk at the old Parliament in Budapest, organized by members of the Peace Society and the Esperanto Association.
- 1873: Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney, the first French Bahá’í and Disciple of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, is born.
- 1912: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá speaks at the home of Mr. and Mrs. MacNutt in New York City.
- 1962: Four Bahá'ís are arrested in Nador, Morocco.
- 1982: A compilation titled Bahíyyih Khánum, the Greatest Holy Leaf is published by the Universal House of Justice.
- 2010: The Bahá'í 7, also known as the Yarán or "Friends in Iran", are brought to court for a third time since they were arrested in 2008.
- 1887: Bahá'u'lláh mentions the station Hand of the Cause in a Tablet revealed for Ibn-i-Asdaq.
- 1913: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá delivers a talk at the Cadogan Gardens.
- 1913: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá intending to depart Hungary, nevertheless delays his departure as Count Pal Teleki, future Prime Minister of Hungary, requests that he speak at a meeting of the Túránian Society.
- 1917: Ludwik Zamenhof, creator of Esperanto and father of Lidia Zamenhof, dies.
- 1995: Owen Battrick, Continental Counsellor for Australasia, dies.
- 1883: Dr. Artur Eduard Heinrich Brauns, Disciple of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, is born.
- 1890: Edward Granville Browne meets Bahá'u'lláh at Bahjí. He is granted four interviews over the next five days.
- 1913: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's departure from Hungary is further delayed due to severe cold weather.
- 1924: Hadi Afsahi, future member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Sweden and Auxiliary Board Member, is born.
- 2018: The design for the local Bahá'í House of Worship in Matunda Soy, Kenya, is unveiled at a gathering of over 1,000 people.
- 1845: Mullá `Alíy-i-Bastámí is sent from Baghdad to Constantinople and sentenced to hard labour on the Imperial docks.
- 1912: News of the sinking of the RMS Titanic breaks; After praying for the deceased, the friends offered thanks that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had not traveled on that ship.
- 1912: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá speaks in the Hotel Ansonia in New York City, and later visits the Kinney home.
- 1918: Barbara Sims, future member of the National Spiritual Assemblies of North East Asia and Japan, is born in San Francisco.
- 1863: William Henry Randall, Disciple of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, is born.
- 1912: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visits the home of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Emery in New York City, and attends a play about the crucifixion of Christ.
- 1912: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá speaks in Earl Hall at Columbia University and at New York City's Bowery Mission.
- 1913: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá leaves Budapest and travels to Vienna by train, where He stays at the Grand Hotel. While in Vienna, He calls upon the Turkish ambassador, and in the evening He speaks at the Theosophical Hall.
- 1954: Shoghi Effendi appoints the first members of the Auxiliary Boards to act as deputies to the Hands of the Cause of God.
- 2004: Death of Aziz Yazdi, who was among the first members appointed to the International Teaching Centre in 1973.
- 1890: Edward Granville Browne departs Bahjí after five days, having been granted four successive interviews with Bahá’u’lláh.
- 1912: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá travels to Washington, D.C., staying at the home of Agnes Parsons. That evening He addresses a meeting of the Orient-Occident-Unity Conference in the public library.
- 1913: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is the guest of the Persian minister and the Turkish ambassador in Vienna.
- 1958: Ahmad Sohrab, former secretary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá who later broke the Covenant, dies in New York City.
First day of the Festival of Riḍván.
- 1922: The Shrines of both the Báb and Bahá‘u‘lláh are electrically illuminated for the first time, pursuant to arrangements made by the Master before His ascension.
- 1963: The first World Congress takes place in London.
- 1963: The first Universal House of Justice is elected by representatives of 56 National Spiritual Assemblies gathered in Haifa, in synchronization with the end of the Ten Year Crusade.
- 1990: Two Knights of Bahá’u’lláh settle on the island of Sakhalin, the last remaining territory named by Shoghi Effendi in his Ten Year Crusade.
- 1863: Bahá’u’lláh declares himself to be He whom God shall make manifest in the Garden of Ridván in Baghdad on the eve of his exile to Constaninople, (Istanbul).
- 1909: Three Bahá'ís are killed in Hisár, Khurásán, and their wives seriously injured.
- 2008: A 70-year-old man of limited means living in Kermanshah is arrested and sentenced to one year in prison and 70 lashes for possessing three Bahá’í CDs.
- 1913: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá departs Vienna for Stuttgart by train, arriving the following morning.
- 2016: Joy Stevenson, Counsellor member of the International Teaching Centre, dies.
- 2018: The Twelfth International Convention opens at the Bahá'í World Center.
- 1900: Hájí `Abdu'l-Karím-i-Tihrání arrives in the United States with a translator, Mirza Sinore Raffie. He teaches the Bahá'í community, and attempts to convince Ibrahim Kheiralla to accept the Covenant.
- 1920: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is knighted by the British Empire in recognition of his humanitarian work during World War I.
- 1938: Death of Munírih Khánum, wife of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
- 1960: Following Mason Remey's claim to Guardianship, the Hands of the Cause in the Holy Land cable all Continental Hands and National Spiritual Assemblies, calling upon them to repudiate his "misguided action".
Ninth day of Ridván: The International Convention is held on this day.
- 1905: Birth of Hand of the Cause 'Alí-Akbar Furútan
- 1912: Mírzá Yahyá dies in Cyprus and is buried as a Muslim.
- 1921: Birth of Adib Taherzadeh, prominent Bahá’í and Universal House of Justice member.
- 1972: Dedication of the Mother Temple of Latin America in Panama.
- 1851: Mullá Hasan-i-Fadíl, a Bábí, is executed in Yazd after refusing to recant his Faith.
- 1863: Bahá’u’lláh's family join Him at the Garden of Ridván in Baghdad.
