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Celebration of the Twin Holy Days

Montreal, November 7, 2021 – The birth of the Báb, the Herald of the Bahá’í Faith as well as that of Bahá’u’lláh, the Prophet Founder, were celebrated with great joy in most neighbourhoods of the city. Numerous friends and seekers joined these celebrations with songs, stories, video clips and music.

In Saint-Laurent neighbourhood, the two above events were celebrated via videoconference in presence of many friends and seekers. The program included passages of Writings of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh accompanied with songs and stories from the life of the both Founders of the Faith. A video clip on the childhood of the Báb specially produced for the occasion was shown.   

In His Most Holy Book, Bahá’u’lláh wrote:

“All Feasts have attained their consummation in the two Most Great Festivals, and in the two other Festivals that fall on the twin days… Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Ordainer, the Omnisicient.”

Bahá’u’lláh asked the Baha’is to celebrate feasts of unity, joy and commemoration on each of these two special days, which makes them second only in importance in the Bahá’í calendar to the two “Most Great Festivals”—which commemorate the Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh in the garden of Ridván in 1863 and the Declaration of the Báb in Shiraz in 1844.

Middle Eastern Bahá’ís have traditionally observed the Twin Holy Days in accordance with the Muslim lunar calendar, and celebrated them together on consecutive days, counting them as one two-day festival.

In that lunar Muslim calendar, however, the Twin Holy Days occur on different days every year, because each new month begins with the appearance of a new moon, rather than on a fixed solar calendar date. In relationship to that 365-day solar calendar, the Muslim calendar “loses” about eleven days every year—since twelve lunar cycles amount to approximately 354 days, which falls short of a full solar cycle.

Bahá’u’lláh was born two years before the Báb. In the Western solar calendar, their birthdays fall about three weeks apart. That means Bahá’u’lláh’s birthday (2 Muharram of the year 1233 A.H.)—fell on 12 November 1817 A.D., while the Báb’s birthday (1 Muharram of 1235 A.H.)—fell on 20 October 1819.

In the Western countries, Bahá’ís traditionally observed the two birthdays on November 12 and October 20, the historical dates fixed for these days on the solar calendar. But in 2014 a significant shift took place— Bahá’ís all over the world, including the Western countries, began celebrating these joyous holy days according to a new, unique melding of the solar and the lunar calendars. Instead of relying solely on either calendar, Bahá’ís now celebrate the Twin Holy Days eight lunar months from the Bahá’í New Year, which occurs on the vernal equinox of the solar year, usually March 21.

This year the Twin Holy Birthdays fall on November 6 and 7. Just as the Bahá’í teachings reconcile and unite the religions, so too do they unite and reconcile the world’s calendars, adapting the lunar and solar observances into one. The Universal House of Justice, the global governing body of the Bahá’í Faith, wrote:

“The adoption of a new calendar in each dispensation is a symbol of the power of Divine Revelation to reshape human perception of material, social, and spiritual reality. Through it, sacred moments are distinguished, humanity’s place in time and space reimagined, and the rhythm of life recast.”

When Bahá’ís celebrate these happy occasions, everyone is welcome. At the worldwide Bahá’í gatherings for the birth of the Báb and the birth of Bahá’u’lláh, happiness and celebration prevail. Smiles will proliferate, music will play, friends will come together, children will laugh, warm fellowship will fill the air—and when possible, refreshments will definitely be served.

These Twin Holy Days signal a joyful, celebratory season in the Bahá’í year, when the Bahá’í community comes together to commemorate the advent of the two prophets of God, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh, the twin founders of the Faith, and to hail the beginning of a new era in human unity.

Photos : The birth places of the  Báb in Shiráz and of Bahá'u'lláh in Tihrán -Archives of the Bahá'i World Centre

 

 

Bahá'í Center

 

177, av des Pins E
Montréal, QC H2W 1N9
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Phone: 514-849-0753

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Montreal Shrine

 

1548, av des Pins O, Montreal
Phone: 514-568-2104

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