Bahá’í Holy Days
Bahá’ís commemorate 11 Holy Days each year. These occasions are usually observed in the local community, open to all, and with programs befitting the significance of the day.
In 2024 these Holy Days are
26–29 February 2024 Ayyám-i-Há (also known as the Intercalary Days), a period of celebration devoted to charity, gift-giving and festivities prior to the annual period of fasting.
1–19 March 2024 The month of fasting, during which Bahá’ís from the age of 15 abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset. There are exemptions, including for those who are ill, elderly, traveling, pregnant or breastfeeding.
20 March 2024* Naw Rúz, the Bahá’í New Year, 181 B.E. in the Bahá’í calendar.
20 April 2024* First Day of Ridván (meaning “Paradise” in Arabic) — the most important of the Bahá’í Holy Days. It is the day on which Bahá’u’lláh declared His mission as a Messenger of God in the Garden of Ridván. It is observed at about 3pm.
28 April 2024* Ninth Day of Ridván, the day on which Bahá’u’lláh’s family joined Him in the Garden of Ridván.
1 May 2024* Twelfth Day of Ridván, the day on which Bahá’u’lláh and His family left the garden to travel to Constantinople.
23 May 2024* Declaration of the Báb, the anniversary of the Báb’s announcement of His mission in 1844. Observed at about 2 hours after sunset.
28 May 2024* Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, marking the passing of Bahá’u’lláh in 1892. Observed at 3am.
9 July 2024* Martyrdom of the Báb, who was executed in 1850. Observed at about noon.
2 November 2024** Birth of the Báb, 1819–1850. The Báb (meaning “Gate” in Arabic) is considered to have paved the way for the incarnation of Bahá’u’lláh, similar to the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. Born in 1819 in Shiraz, Iran, The Báb’s mission was to awaken the people to the fact that a new period in human history had begun. He called for spiritual and moral reformation – a revolutionary message in his time.
3 November 2024** Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, 1817–1892. Bahá’u’lláh was born in 1817 in Tehran, Iran and established the Bahá’í Faith whose principal teachings are the oneness of humanity, the oneness of religion and the oneness of God. The appearance of Bahá’u’lláh has been likened to a spiritual springtime, destined to spread peace and unity around the globe.
25 November 2024 Day of the Covenant, commemorating Bahá’u’lláh’s appointment of His son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, as the One to whom His followers should turn after His passing.
27 November 2024 Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, marking the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1921. Observed at 2am.
- *Bahá’ís suspend work and school on these Holy Days.
** The Bahá’í Holy Days are set and move according to a solar calendar. However the Holy Days marking the birth days of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh are set and move according to a lunar calculation.
“This is the Day in which God’s most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness.”Bahá'u'lláh
Bicentennial Celebration of the Birth of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh
In 2017, millions of people around the world celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh, the prophet-founder of the Bahá’í Faith. In October 2019 Bahá’ís and their friends celebrated the birth of the forerunner of His Revelation, the Báb. News, videos and pictures of the celebrations can be found here.
These Divine Educators are often referred to as the “Twin Manifestations of God” because of their dual roles in establishing the Bahá’í Faith in the 19th century.
This year is especially momentous as it marks the 200th anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, the prophet founder of the Bahá’í Faith.
Bahá’u’lláh was born in 1817 in Tehran, Iran and established a religion whose principal teachings are the oneness of humanity, the oneness of religion and the oneness of God. The appearance of Bahá’u’lláh has been likened to a spiritual springtime, destined to spread peace and unity around the globe.
The Báb (meaning “Gate” in Arabic) is considered to have paved the way for the incarnation of Bahá’u’lláh, similar to the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus Christ.
Born in 1819 in Shiraz, Iran The Báb’s mission was to awaken the people to the fact that a new period in human history had begun. He called for spiritual and moral reformation – a revolutionary message in his time. The bicentenary of the Birth of The Báb will be commemorated in 2019.
This year’s celebrations for the bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh took place on 22 October in some 100,000 localities worldwide.
A special report on some of the celebrations around Aotearoa New Zealand can be found here, and an insight into the worldwide celebrations can be found here.