It’s been 100 years since Abdu’l Bahá made his historic visit to Canada, and Bahá’ís across the country are celebrating.
To celebrate the 1912 visit to Canada of one of the three central figures of the Bahá’í Faith, an open house will be held Sept. 8 at the Vernon library, featuring displays, videos, refreshments and a short presentation in the evening.
Bahá’ís all across the continent are celebrating the 239 days that Abdu’l Bahá spent in North America. Giving talks, both formal and informal, everywhere he stayed, he traveled by train from New York to California and back.
Abdu’l Bahá arrived in Montreal, Aug. 30, 1912, and left Sept. 9. His visit stirred up a lot of interest, garnering 35 articles in 11 different newspapers. Large crowds gathered to hear him speak on topics that included wide ranging subjects such as the oneness of religion, the importance of eliminating prejudice, the principles for establishing world peace, and the harmony of science and religion.
Montreal was the first Canadian Bahá’í community to be established in 1902. Vernon is the second oldest Bahá’í community in British Columbia, (the first was in Vancouver) established in 1948 and incorporated in 1958. There are now more than five million Bahá’is world wide and about 30,000 in Canada.
Although many special events are being held, the most important focus has been the dedication of individual Bahá’ís to remembering and recommitting themselves to the values and ideals that Abdu’l Bahá demonstrated throughout his life: a life devoted to service and action.
“That is what we are doing,” says Eva Strom, a local Bahá’í, “focusing on Abdu’l Bahá’s service, a ‘servant of humanity.’ He helped the poor, the sick, the downtrodden, providing love, care and comfort to all, and sharing his wisdom wherever he went.”
The open house runs Sept. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the library meeting room, with the presentation in the evening at 7 p.m. The new Vernon library is at 2800 – 30th Ave. For more information, please contact Strom at 778-475-3009.
