July 8, 2003 — The Bahá'ís of the Virgin Islands will join Bahá'ís worldwide in observance of the Martyrdom of the Báb on Wednesday, July 9, near noon.
The Báb, whose name means the Gate, was the Prophet-Herald of Bahá'u'lláh, the Prophet-Founder of the Bahá'í Faith. On July 9, 1850, the Báb was executed by a firing squad in a public square in Tabriz, Persia (now Iran).
In 1844, the Báb had proclaimed a new religion and declared that the promised one of all religions would soon reveal Himself. For six years the Báb, who is regarded by Bahá'ís as a messenger of God, continued to teach and to gather thousands of followers. He proclaimed the coming of a new era in which the world would be unified and mankind would become one. The enthusiasm with which thousands accepted the Báb's teachings alarmed the clergy and government officials in Persia at that time. Three years after the Báb's martyrdom, the one he foretold appeared in the person of Bahá'u'lláh.
The Bahá'í Faith is the most widely spread religion in the world after Christianity. The Baha'i Faith is an independent world religion with principles including the oneness of God, the oneness of religion and the oneness of humanity. The World Center of the religion is in Haifa, Israel.
For more information on the Bahá'í Faith, call 774-3648, e-mail, or check the Web site. Activities are scheduled for 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday on St. Thomas at the Bahá'í National Center, 129 Contant. Call 776-5852 for directions and transportation.
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