2018 22 Jul |
The dedication of the second local Bahá'í House of Worship in the world in Norte del Cauca, Colombia. News of this project was announced in 2012 along with other projects in Battambang, Cambodia; Matunda Soy, Kenya; Bihar Sharif, India; and Tanna, Vanuatu.
(For information on the first local Mashriqu'l-Adhkár see here.)
The event marked the opening of a month-long inauguration period. In a series of weekly visits to the Temple, 1,500 people were expected to participate in a special program called "My First Visit to the Bahá'í House of Worship."
In the Ridván Message of 2012 the Universal House of Justice announced that national Mashriqu'l-Adhkárs would to be raised up in two countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Papua New Guinea and that the first local Houses of Worship were to be built in Battambang, Cambodia; Bihar Sharif, India; Matunda Soy, Kenya; Norte del Cauca, Colombia; and Tanna, Vanuatu. This was the second of those local Mashriqu'l-Adhkárs to have been completed. [Ridván 2012 Message]
See the message from the Universal House of Justice dated 1 August 2014 where they pointed out the "the dynamic interaction between worship and endeavours to uplift the spiritual, social, and material conditions of society" and recalled the construction of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkárs in Turkistan and in America.
The local Bahá'í House of Worship in Norte del Cauca, Colombia, included a budding native forest, called the Bosque Nativo, that aimed to restore the region's indigenous plants. This video in Spanish describes the Bosque Nativo's features.
The Universal House of Justice was represented by Mrs. Carmen Elisa de Sadeghian who read a letter addressed to the attendees. "This House of Worship stands now as a symbol of the beauty inherent in the noble people of this region and its design evokes the generosity of their land," stated the letter, dated 22 July 2018. Also in attendance were Mr. Gustavo Correa and Dr. Farzam Arbab, two former members of the Universal House of Justice, as well as the mayors of four neighbouring towns. [BWNS1275]
A musical group sang and dancers performed a piece titled "The Soul of Norte del Cauca," about the arrival of the Bahá'í Faith to the region and how Bahá'u'lláh's teachings are given expression in the hopes and aspirations of the people. The group also performed a song called "La Cumbia del Jardinero" which was made available on SoundCloud.
See photo of the Greatest Name.
Specifics
Location: Aqua Azul, Notre del Cauca, Columbia
Property acquired:December, 2013
Design unveiled: 13 September, 2014
Groundbreaking: 22 May, 2016
Construction Period: January 2017 to July 2018
Site Dedication: 22 July, 2018
Architect:Mr. Gutierrez Chacón
Architectural firm:CUNA Engineering and Sustainable Architecture
Seating:
Dimensions:The Temple is 18 metres tall. Inside height is 15 metres.
Cost:
Dependencies:
References: BWNS1020;
BWNS1047;
BWNS1109;
BWNS1153;
BWNS1168;
BWNS1222;
BWNS1240;
BWNS1249;
BWNS1268,
BWNS1277.
|
* Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Quick facts; * Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (House of Worship); Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Norte del Cauca, Colombia; - Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, Local; Bahá'í World News Service (BWNS); Dedications; - Basic timeline, Expanded; Agua Azul, Colombia; North Caucasus; Colombia; Gutierrez Chacon |
first...the dynamic interaction between worship and endeavours to uplift the spiritual, social, and material conditions of society |