Navigation
In other projects
Learn more
Core topics
Bahá’í Faith
Central Figures
Teachings
Practices

Republic of the Congo

From Bahaipedia
 Republic of the Congo
Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Bahá’í Faith in Congo-Brazzaville.
Location of the Republic of the Congo
National AssemblyCongo Republic
Statistics:
Total Population
 -  UN 2021[1] 5,835,806
Bahá'í pop.
 -  Bahá'í source  
 -  Non-Bahá'í source 31,933
History:
Firsts
 -  Pioneers Max Kenyerezi 
 -  Local Assembly 1954, Brazzaville 
 -  National Assembly 1971, with Gabon
1992, independently 
How to contact:
 -  Email asn_bahai_congo@yahoo.fr
Official Website https://www.bahai.org/national-communities/republic-congo
Related media
Categories: Republic of the Congo • People

The Republic of Congo, or Congo-Brazzaville, is a country on the coast of Central Africa. The countries official language is French and Kituba, Kikongo, and Lingala are also recognized.

The region has been inhabited from ancient history, and several Bantu kingdoms existed in the region. In the late 19th century France established the colony of French Congo in the area which became the Middle Congo in 1903. French Equatorial Africa was established in 1908 and encompassed what is now Congo. In 1958 Middle Congo became the Republic of Congo, and it achieved independence from France in 1960.

The Bahá’í Faith was established in the Republic of the Congo in 1953. The community was developed from that point until 1978 when the government banned all religious minorities, including the Bahá’í Faith, from undertaking activities. This ban was reversed in 1992 allowing the Bahá’í community to become active again.

History[edit]

At the opening of the Ten Year Crusade in 1953 French Equatorial Africa was named a goal territory to be opened to the Bahá'í Faith. In February 1953 Max Kenyerezi volunteered to pioneer to a goal territory at the Intercontinental Conference in Kampala, Uganda, and he was driven to Brazzaville by Alí and Violette Nakhjavání arriving on October 6, 1953.[2][3]

By 1955 a Local Spiritual Assembly had been established and Kenyerezi returned to Uganda.[4] Delegates from French Equatorial Africa participated in the election of the inaugural National Spiritual Assembly of Central & East Africa in 1956.[5] The Faith began to experience persecution in the late 50's with the French Equatorial Africa government confiscating Bahá'í literature and eventually banning the religion.[6]

In 1960 Alí Nakhjavání visited Brazzaville and held three meetings. By this time the Republic of Congo had become independent of France, and the community was hopeful that the new government would grant the community permission to teach.[7] In 1962 Qudratu’lláh Ázamíkháh pioneered to Brazzaville and began stimulating teaching work resulting in a Bahá'í group forming by 1963,[8] and the Local Spiritual Assembly was re-established in 1964.[9]

As of 1970 there were seven Local Spiritual Assemblies in Congo-Brazzaville,[10] and in March 1970 the first national deepening school for the country was held in Brazzaville and lasted six days.[11] In 1971 a joint National Spiritual Assembly for Congo and Gabon was established,[12] however in 1978 the government of Congo banned all religious minorities including the Bahá'í Faith, with only five religious organizations being allowed to continue operating.[13]

In 1992 the authorities of the Congo Republic legally recognized the Bahá'í Faith and that year an independent National Spiritual Assembly for the Congo Republic was formed.[14] In 1999 the Congo Republic government invited representatives of different religions, including the Bahá'í Faith, to make presentations at the Parliament building as part of an Awareness-raising Day.[15]

In 2003 the 50th Anniversary of the Bahá'í Faith in the Republic of the Congo was commemorated in Brazzaville with two hundred people attending a celebration held from August 29th to 31st. The Nakhjavání's attended the celebrations.[16]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ "World Population Prospects 2022". population.un.org. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  2. ↑ Lee, A.A., The Baha'i Faith in Africa: Establishing a New Religious Movement, 1952-1962, 2011 Brill: Boston, p 159
  3. ↑ Baha'i News (1954). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 277, Pg(s) 6. View as PDF.
  4. ↑ Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. pp 68-69.
  5. ↑ Baha'i News (1956). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 305, Pg(s) 7. View as PDF.
  6. ↑ Baha'i News (1960). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 351, Pg(s) 5. View as PDF.
  7. ↑ Baha'i News (1960). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 351, Pg(s) 5. View as PDF.
  8. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1970). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 13 (1954-1963), Pg(s) 977. View as PDF.
  9. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1978). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 16 (1973-1976), Pg(s) 519. View as PDF.
  10. ↑ Baha'i News (1970). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 473, Pg(s) 20. View as PDF.
  11. ↑ Baha'i News (1970). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 473, Pg(s) 22. View as PDF.
  12. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 148. View as PDF.
  13. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1981). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 17 (1976-1979), Pg(s) 78. View as PDF.
  14. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 169. View as PDF.
  15. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2001). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 28 (1999-2000), Pg(s) 50. View as PDF.
  16. ↑ Bahá'í World, Vol. 32, pp 48-49


Retrieved from "https://bahaipedia.org/index.php?title=Republic_of_the_Congo&oldid=142418"
Powered by MediaWiki