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Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith

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Date 1961, descending — sort earliest first

date event tags firsts
1961 7 Dec
196-		 An article appeared in the nationally prominent Moroccan newspaper Al Alam lamenting the decline of Islám and attacking the Bahá'í Faith. [MoC17]
  • This gave rise to persecution of the Bahá'ís in ensuing months.
    		•  Persecution, Morocco; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Morocco
    1961 5 Nov
    196-    		 The Hands of the Cause issued a message from their fifth Conclave. [MoC313–23]
  • They called for the election of the Universal House of Justice at a convention to be held in the Holy Land on the first, second and third days of Ridván 1963. [CB392; MoC321]
  • They asked the electors to leave the Hands free to 'discharge their duties'. [MoC321]
  • The celebration of the Most Great Jubilee, the Centenary of the Declaration of Bahá'u'lláh, was to be held in London rather than Baghdád, owing to the situation in the Middle East. [MoC322]
    		•  - Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Hands of the Cause, Conclaves; Bahji, Israel; Most Great Jubilee (1963); Bahá'í World Congress, First (1963); Centenaries; Universal House of Justice, Election of; Universal House of Justice; Haifa, Israel; Baghdad, Iraq; Iraq; London, England; United Kingdom
    1961 22 Oct
    196-    		 Mr. Sivalingam and Miss Puvaneswary were married in the first Bahá'í wedding in Malaysia. Weddings; First weddings; Malaysia First Bahá’í wedding in Malaysia
    1961 15 Oct – 2 Nov
    196-    		 The fifth Conclave of the Hands of the Cause of God was convened at Bahjí. [MoC249-329]
  • For the agenda see MoC298.
    		•  - Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Hands of the Cause, Conclaves; Bahji, Israel; Akka, Israel
    1961 (Autumn/Winter)
    196-    		 The International Bahá'í Archives Building was opened to Bahá'í pilgrims. [BW13:429; MC20]
  • For details of the Archives building and several pictures see BW13:403–34.
  • Marble for the the International Baha'i Archives building was cut and chiseled by Margraf, a firm from Chiampo, Italy formerly known as Industria dei Marmi Vincentini. [BWNS1223]
  • Shoghi Effendi chose the Parthenon as the basis for the design possibly due to its apparent enduring beauty. The capitals of the fifty columns were in the style of the Iconic rather than the Doric order.
    		• Pilgrimage; Marble; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Margraf; - Bahá'í World Centre; Haifa, Israel; International Archives Building (Haifa); Arc (World Centre)
    1961 Oct
    196-    		 The first summer school to be held on Rarotonga Island took place. First summer and winter schools; Summer schools; - Islands; Rarotonga, Cook Islands; Cook Islands first summer school on Rarotonga Island
    1961 17 Sep
    196-    		 The House of Worship in Sydney, the Mother Temple of the Antipodes, was officially opened by Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khánum in two public services, each attended by 900 people. [BW13:732]
  • For message of the Custodians to the dedication service see MoC309–12.
  • For cable of the Custodians to the Bahá'ís of the world see MoC313.

    Specifics

      Location:Sydney, Australia (Ingleside on the MonaVale Road).
      Foundation Stone: 26 Jan 1958 (Clara Dunn and Hand of the Cause Charles Mason Remey, who had been designated by the Guardian as his representative, while attending the 2nd International Conference 21-24 March, 1958. A small bag of earth from the inner Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh and a piece of plaster from the room of the Báb in Máh-Kú was deposited under the floor.)
      Construction Period: 1957-1961
      Site Dedication:16 September 1961 (Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum brought a gift from the Guardian- a green silk carpet from the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh.)
      Architect C.M. Remey
      Seating: 500
      Dimensions: 124ft at the base and 130ft high
      Cost: Original budget was 120,000 Pounds Sterling
      Dependencies:
      References: BW13:319-322, BW13p720-732 CEBF241
    		• * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Mother Temples; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Quick facts; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Sydney; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Dedications; Clara Dunn; Mason Remey; - Architects; Boxes containing dust, earth or plaster; Bahá'u'lláh, Shrine of (Bahjí); Mah-Ku, Iran; Gifts; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Sydney, Australia; Australia
    1961 16 Sep
    196-    		 The House of Worship in Sydney, the Mother Temple of the Antipodes, was dedicated by Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khánum in a service for Bahá'ís only. [BW13:729; MoC15]
  • For details of the service and pictures see BW13:726–32.

    See also Dedication of the Bahá'í House of Worship in Sydney, by Peter J. Khan (2001).

    		•  Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Sydney; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Dedications; Sydney, Australia; Australia
    1961 15 Jul
    196-    		 The Turkish court declared the Bahá'í Faith to be a 'Tarighat', a sect forbidden by the law of the land.<
  • The Bahá'ís were 'forgiven', released and the case against them dropped. [MoC308]
  • The National Spiritual Assembly decided to appeal the decision to a higher court and national spiritual assemblies were asked to make representations to the Turkish ambassadors in their respective countries. [MoC308]
    		•  Persecution, Turkey; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution; Court cases; Human rights; NSA; Turkey
    1961 8 Jul
    196-    		 Georges and Emma Wayenece, originally from Mare on the Loyalty Islands and the first Loyalty Islanders to become Bahá'ís, enrolled in Nouméa. [BW17:415]
  • Mrs Wayenece was the first Melanesian woman of the New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands area to become a Bahá'í. [BW17:415]
    		•  Georges Wayenece; Emma Wayenece; Noumea, New Caledonia; Loyalty Islands first Loyalty Islanders Bahá’í; first Melanesian woman Bahá’í of the New Caledonia and Loyalty Islands
    1961 8 Jul
    196-    		 The Custodians announced that mass conversion had begun in Ceylon, Central and East Africa, and Bolivia, while in Canada native peoples had begun to enter the Faith. [MoC293] Custodians; Mass conversion; Native Americans; - First Nations, Canada; Sri Lanka; - Africa; Bolivia; Canada
    1961 25 – 26 Jun
    196-    		 The newly-elected International Bahá'í Council met for the first time. [BW13:397; MoC285–6]
  • For details of the meeting and excerpts from its minutes see MC285–91.
    		•  International Bahá'í Council; Haifa, Israel
    1961 23 Jun
    196-    		 Fred Murray, early Indigenous believer and member of the Minen tribe (Mirning Yirkala) to become a Bahá'í, enrolled. In 1963 he attended the World Congress in London. [BW14:369]
  • See the article A Tribute to Fred Murray by June Perkins.
    		•  Fred Murray; - Aboriginal people; - Indigenous people; June Perkins; Australia first full-blooded Bahá'í Aborigine member of Minen tribe
    1961 1 May
    196-    		 Kanichi (Moto) Yamamoto, the first Japanese Bahá'í, passed away in Berkeley, California. [SBR185]
  • For the story of his life see SBR176–86.
  • For picture see SBR190.
    		•  Kanichi Yamamoto; Berkeley, CA; California, USA; United States (USA) first Japanese Bahá’í
    1961 Ridán
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of North East Africa had been led by the former National Spiritual Assembly of Egypt and Sudan since 1956. In 1960 difficulties in Egypt made it impossible to administer territories outside of the country so a regional administrative committee was formed and this, in turn, was replaced with the new (regional) National Spiritual Assembly of Ethiopia with its headquarters in Addis Abba. [BW13p287] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Ethiopia
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil was formed. [BW13:258] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Brazil first NSA Brazil
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Uruguay was formed. [BW13:258]
  • For picture see BW13:268.
    		•  National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Uruguay first NSA Uruguay
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Venezuela was formed. [BW13:258] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Venezuela first NSA Venezuela
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Peru was formed. [BW13:258] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Peru first NSA Peru
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Paraguay was formed. [BW13:258] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Paraguay first NSA Paraguay
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Panama was formed. [BW13:258] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Panama first NSA Panama
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Nicaragua was formed. [BW13:258] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Nicaragua first NSA Nicaragua
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Mexico was formed. Those elected were: Mrs. Florence Mayberry, Samuel Burafato, Dr. Edris Rice-Wray, Sra. Carmen de Burafato, Mrs. Chappie Angulo, Earl Morris, Mrs. Anna Howard, Mrs. Valeria Nichols, and Harold Murray. [BW13:258]
  • For picture see BW13:266.
    		•  National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Mexico first NSA Mexico
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Jamaica was formed. Since 1957 they had come under the jurisdiction of the Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Greater Antilles. [BW13:258]
  • Elected Randolph Fitz-Henley, William A. W. Mitchell, Alfred Senior, Clarence Ullrich, Alice Maud Gallier, Percival Aiken, Emily Taylor, Margarite Ullrich and Ruby Taylor. [The Gleaner]
    		•  National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Jamaica first NSA Jamaica
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Honduras was formed. [BW13:258; National website; Bahaipedia Honduras; BN No364 July 1961 p3]
  • For picture see BW13:265.
    		• National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Honduras; Conflict first NSA Honduras
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Haiti was formed. Previously it had been part of the Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Greater Antilles. [BW13:258] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Haiti first NSA Haiti
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of El Salvador was formed. [BW13:258]
  • For picture see BW13:263.
    		•  National Spiritual Assembly, formation; El Salvador first NSA El Salvador
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Guatemala was formed. Prior they had been part of Regional Spiritual Assembly of Mexico and the Republics of Central America. [BW13:258]
  • Upon forming the Assembly was made responsible for administrating the Bahá'í community of British Honduras although there were no Bahá'ís in British Honduras at the time. British Honduras remained under its jurisdiction until forming its own National Spiritual Assembly in 1967. [BN No364 July 1961 p2]
    		•  National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Guatemala; Honduras first NSA Guatemala
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Ecuador was formed. [BW13:258] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Ecuador first NSA Ecuador
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Dominican Republic was formed. Since 1957 they had come under the jurisdiction of the Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Greater Antilles. [BW13:258] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Dominican Republic first NSA Dominican Republic
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Cuba was formed. Since 1957 they had come under the jurisdiction of the Regional Spiritual Assembly of the Greater Antilles. [BW13:258] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Cuba first NSA Cuba
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Costa Rica was formed. [BW13:258]
  • For picture see BW13:261.
    		•  National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Costa Rica first NSA Costa Rica
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Colombia was formed. [BW13:258] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Colombia first NSA Colombia
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Chile was formed. [BW13:258]
  • For picture see BW13:260.
    		•  National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Chile first NSA Chile
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Bolivia was formed. [BW13:258] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Bolivia first NSA Bolivia
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The National Spiritual Assembly of Argentina was formed. [BW13:258] National Spiritual Assembly, formation; Argentina first NSA Argentina
    1961 Ridván
    196-    		 The International Bahá'í Council was elected by postal ballot of the members of the national spiritual assemblies. It was to serve a two-year term of office. [BW13:397; MoC282]
  • The members were Jessie Revell (Treasurer), 'Alí Nakhjavání (President), Lutfu'lláh Hakím, Ethel Revell, Charles Wolcott (Secretary General), Sylvia Ioas (Vice-President), Mildred Mottahedeh, Ian Semple (Assistant Secretary), and Borah Kavelin (Member-at-Large. He continued serving on the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States). [MoC282, 291]
  • See BW13:398 for picture.
  • See also BBD118; BBRSM131; BW16:90; CB324; MoC168, 242. iiiii
    		• International Bahá'í Council; Universal House of Justice; Jessie Revell; `Alí Nakhjavání; Lutfullah Hakim; Ethel Revell; Charles Wolcott; Sylvia Ioas; Mildred Mottahedeh; Ian Semple; H. Borrah Kavelin; Firsts, other; Haifa, Israel; - Bahá'í World Centre first election IBC by postal ballot
    1961 3 Apr
    196-    		 Corinne Knight True, Hand of the Cause of God, (b. 1 November 1861 Louisville, KY d. Chicago, IL 3 April 1961). She was buried in Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago. [BW13:846]
  • Find a Grave.
  • For her obituary see BW13:846–9.
  • For cables from the Custodians see MoC257.
  • Shoghi Effendi had appointed her among the second contingent on the 29th of February, 1952. [MoCxxiii]
  • See also Rutstein, Corinne True George Ronald (1987).
  • See as well Lights of Fortitude p391-407.
  • See 239 Days 22) for the story of her part in the raising of the Temple in Chicago.
    		•  Corinne True; - Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; - Births and deaths; - In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Second Contingent; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Wilmette; Chicago, IL; Louisville, KY; United States (USA)
    1961 21 – 25 Feb
    196-    		 The first Indian congress of Bolivia was held in Oruro, with Indians participating. [BW13:268] - Conferences; - Indigenous people; Oruro, Bolivia; Bolivia first Indian congress of Bolivia
    1961 17 Jan
    196-    		 Following the arrest of Bahá'ís in Turkey in March 1959 and the subsequent court case, the Turkish court received the findings of three outstanding religious scholars that the Bahá'í Faith was an independent religion. [MoC308]
  • For details of the history of the case see MoC306–8.
    		•  Persecution, Turkey; - Persecution, Arrests; - Persecution, Court cases; - Persecution; Court cases; Human rights; Turkey
    1961 15 Jan
    196-    		 The House of Worship in Kampala, the Mother Temple of Africa, is officially opened by Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khánum in a public service attended by 1,500 people. [BW13:715–18; MoC15]
  • For message of the Custodians to the dedication service see MoC2503.
  • For cable of the Custodians to the Bahá'ís of the world see MoC253.

    Specifics

      Location:Northern Kampala, on Dikaaya Hill in Kawempe Division.
      Foundation Stone: 26 Jan 1958 (Beneath the stone is a silver box containing the sacred earth from the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh and a wooden box containing a piece of the plaster from the Prison Fortress of Máh-Kú where the Báb had been incarcerated.)
      Construction Period: Land purchased: 20 April 1954, January 1958 – 14 January 1961
      Site Dedication: 14 January 1961 (Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum brought a gift from the Guardian- a carpet from the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh was hung on the inside of the door facing the Qiblih.)
      Architect: Charles Mason Remey
      Seating:Over 400 (800 for Dedication ceremony)
      Dimensions: Dome at its base-44ft. Diameter of inner floor-84ft. Circumference: 265ft yielding 5,550 sq ft of floor space. Height of the building-124ft.
      Cost: $ ? (initial budget was 42,00 Pounds Sterling)
      Dependencies:
      References: BW13p704-719, CEBF241, CG45
    		• * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Mother Temples; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Quick facts; Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Kampala; Mason Remey; Amatul-Bahá Ruhiyyih Khanum; Dedications; - Architects; Gifts; Boxes containing dust, earth or plaster; Bahá'u'lláh, Shrine of (Bahjí); Mah-Ku, Iran; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Kampala, Uganda; Uganda
    1961 14 Jan
    196-    		 The House of Worship in Kampala, the Mother Temple of Africa, was dedicated by Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khánum in a service for Bahá'ís only. [BW13:713–14; CG45]
  • For details of the service and a picture see BW13:714. [TG159]
  • Enoch Olinga was not present because of the unrest in British Cameroons. [TG160]
    		•  Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Kampala; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Kampala, Uganda; Uganda
    1961 Jan - Feb
    196-    		 Hand of the Cause of God Dr Rahmatu'lláh Muhájir traveled to India and demonstrated the principle of mass teaching. [DM172–84; SBBH2:165–7]
  • Mass teaching began in the rural area of Madhya Pradesh among the Hindu population. In 1961 there were 850 Bahá'ís; in 1963 87,000; by 1973 nearly 400,000; and by 1987 about two million. In 1983 45 per cent of all local spiritual assemblies were in India. [BBRSM195; BW13:299]
    		•  - Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Activities; Rahmatullah Muhajir; Mass conversion; Mass teaching; Teaching; LSA; Statistics; Growth; Madhya Pradesh, India; India
    1961 (In the year)
    196-    		 The military government in Indonesia issued instructions to local authorities to ban all Bahá'í activities and to confiscate all Bahá'í property. [MoC329] Persecution, Indonesia; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution; Indonesia
    1961 (In the year)
    196-    		 Knud Jensen (of mixed Danish, St Thomanian parentage), the first local person to become a Bahá'í in the Virgin Islands, enrolled. - First Bahá'ís by country or area; Virgin Islands, US; United States (USA) first Bahá’í in Virgin Islands
    1961 (In the year)
    196-    		 The first local assembly was formed on Terceira Island in the Azores at Ridván in 1958. The Faith continued to grow slowly but steadily. By 1961 the local religious authorities grew concerned. The International Police summoned Mr. Nolen, the Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for the Azores, and advised him that he must discontinue teaching the Faith or leave the islands. Despite these obstacles the Spiritual Assembly continued to meet and study classes were held in Bahá'í homes. [BW15p317-318] Persecution, Portugal; Azores; Portugal
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