Philip Marangella
Philip Marangella | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | October 18, 1895 Potenza, Italy |
| Died | January 31, 1974 Hong Kong |
| NSA member | Northeast Asia 1957 - 1962 1965 - 1970 |
Philip Antonio "Amalfi" Marangella (October 18, 1895 - January 31, 1974) was an Italian born American Bahá’í who pioneered to Asia and assisted in the development of Bahá’í institutions in the East.
Biography[edit]
Marangella was born in the province Potenza in Italy in 1895 but at some point moved to America where he became a naturalized citizen. He and his wife, June,[1] attended their first Bahá’í meeting at Green Acre Summer School in Maine in July 1921 at which Fádil Mazandarání delivered a talk which was his last in the United States and they both became Bahá’ís that year and a few years later moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to live closer to Green Acre. He frequently wrote to Shoghi Effendi and received replies encouraging him in his service to the Faith.[2]
In 1931 Marangella went on a teaching tour of Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina with African-American Chauncey Northern which was among the first teaching trips made by an inter-racial teaching team in America.[3] In 1933 he sent a poem to Shoghi Effendi and the Guardian encouraged him to send him a finalized version for inclusion in The Bahá’í World.[4] In 1937 he wrote to the Guardian about wanting to pioneer to a Spanish speaking country and the Guardian advised him to visit Cuba and he pioneered to the country in 1939 remaining for one year. He later pioneered to Italy remaining until 1948 when he returned to the United States. At some point he made a teaching trip to Jamaica.[4]
In 1953 Marangella pioneered to Japan and he was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of Northeast Asia serving on the body for many years and traveled to Korea, Taiwan, Macau, Vietnam and India to support teaching efforts.[4] In 1960 his son, Joel, was declared a Covenant-breaker as he supported Charles Mason Remey's attempt to usurp control of the community.[5][6] In 1963 he attended the Bahá’í World Congress in London and in 1968 he attended the Second International Convention in the Holy Land as a delegate of Northeast Asia.[4]
In 1970 Marangella conducted an extensive travel teaching trip visiting much of the world and made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land during his travels. In 1971 the Universal House of Justice asked him to visit the seats of twenty-four National Spiritual Assemblies, four of which had recently been established,[7] and in 1972 he moved from Japan to Hong Kong where he remained for the rest of his life.[4] In 1973 he visited the Holy Land again for the Third International Convention.[7]
In 1974 Marangella passed away and the Universal House of Justice conveyed the following message:
DEEPLY GRIEVED LEARN PASSING PHILIP MARANGELLA DEVOTED SERVANT BAHAULLAH STEADFAST SUPPORTER COVENANT HIS PIONEER SERVICES TIRELESS WORLDWIDE TRAVELS BEHALF FAITH MOST PRAISEWORTHY PRAYING SHRINES PROGRESS HIS SOUL ABHA KINGDOM ADVISE HOLD BEFITTING MEMORIAL SERVICE[7]
Talks[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Julio Savi, Italy, 1992, published at bahai-library.com
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1978). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 16 (1973-1976), Pg(s) 546. View as PDF.
- ↑ Baha'i News (1932). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. No 62, Pg(s) 8. View as PDF.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1978). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 16 (1973-1976), Pg(s) 547. View as PDF.
- ↑ Baha'i News (1960). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 354, Pg(s) 5. View as PDF.
- ↑ Joel Bray Marangella FindaGrave page
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1978). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 16 (1973-1976), Pg(s) 548. View as PDF.
