NAW RUZ

Celebrations to mark the Baha'i New Year will take different forms throughout the world but will typically include programs of spiritual upliftment, music, dancing and feasting.

The Baha'i New Year festival known as Naw-Ruz (literally "New Day") is held on the spring equinox, March 21, but the celebrations will begin the evening before because the Baha'i day begins at sunset.

The event planned for Belfast is typical of the kind of multi-cultural celebration that will be observed in many of the 120,000 localities where Baha'is -- who embrace human diversity -- reside around the world.

Ridvan

Baha'is begin the commemoration of the 12-day Festival of Ridvan, marking the period when Baha'u'llah declared His mission in Baghdad in 1863.| On the first day of Ridvan every year, Baha'is vote for their local governing councils, the Local Spiritual Assemblies. During the Festival this year, Baha'is will also elect the Universal House of Justice to a five-year term.

Decloration of the Bab

This  is 23 May, the anniversary of the message and Declaration of the Báb. It is a blessed day and the dawn of manifestation, for the appearance of the Báb was the early light of the true morn, whereas the manifestation of the Blessed Beauty, Bahá'u'lláh, was the shining forth of the sun. Therefore, it is a blessed day, the inception of the heavenly bounty, the beginning of the divine effulgence. On this day in 1844 the Báb was sent forth heralding and proclaiming the Kingdom of God, announcing the glad tidings of the coming of Bahá'u'lláh and withstanding the opposition of the whole Persian nation. Some of the Persians followed Him. For this they suffered the most grievous difficulties and severe ordeals. They withstood the tests with wonderful power and sublime heroism. Thousands were cast into prison, punished, persecuted and martyred. Their homes were pillaged and destroyed, their possessions confiscated. They sacrificed their lives most willingly and remained unshaken in their faith to the very end. Those wonderful souls are the lamps of God, the stars of sanctity shining gloriously from the eternal horizon of the will of God

Accension of Baha'u'llah

Bahá'u'lláh passed from this earthly world in 1892, still nominally a prisoner in Palestine. One hundred years later, in 1992, the Bahá'í international community observed a Holy Year to commemorate the centenary of His ascension.

Birth of The Bab

On October 20th, Bahá'ís around the world celebrate the Birth of the Báb, one of eleven Holy Days in the Bahá'í calendar. The Báb is often referred to as the Herald of the Bahá'í Faith, because it was His mission to prepare the way for Bahá'u'lláh, the Founder of the Bahá'í Faith. Like John the Baptist some 2,000 years before, the Báb called upon the people to purify themselves for the coming of the day of God. Unlike John, however, He founded an independent religion and claimed equal station with the likes of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. Bahá'ís view the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh both as "Manifestations of God" even though by the Báb's own testimony His mission was subordinate to Bahá'u'lláh's.

 Birth of Baha'u'llah

Baha'u'llah was born in the city of Tehran in 1817. His given name was Husayn-Ali Nuri. The name 'Baha'u'llah' is an Arabic word meaning 'Glory of God' and is a title that Husayn-Ali adopted as an adult. Baha'u'llah's family was from the village of Takur in the district of Nur, which is situated to the north of Tehran. Baha'u'llah's father held high office in the Iranian government until he became a victim of political intrigue and lost his position in 1835.

From his childhood, Baha'u'llah was a person of great sensitivity, humanity, intellect and wisdom. He was renowned for his charity, high moral conduct and devotion to religion. He also did not suffer fools gladly or shy away from speaking the truth to members of the clergy.