A group of Arlington Baha’is, joined by a Chilean guest, gathered in the evening of May 22, 2014 to commemorate the Declaration of the Bab, marking 170 full years since the beginning of the Baha’i Faith!
While sharing light refreshments, the friends viewed a video presentation about the house of the youthful Messenger of God whose title the Bab means the Gate to the knowledge of God.
The gathering continued with spiritually-uplifting conversations about the momentous event which took place 170 years ago in the city of Shiraz, Iran, and concluded with songs and the reading of the potent Tablet of Visitation at 10:31 pm — two hours and 11 minutes after sunset — the moment when the Bab informed His first disciple of His mission.
“I am,” thrice exclaimed the Báb, “I am, I am, the promised One! I am the One whose name you have for a thousand years invoked, at whose mention you have risen, whose advent you have longed to witness, and the hour of whose Revelation you have prayed God to hasten. Verily I say, it is incumbent upon the peoples of both the East and the West to obey My word and to pledge allegiance to My person.”