Houses of Worship
Three new Houses of Worship to be established
The Universal House of Justice has called for three new Bahá’í Houses of Worship to be established—a national temple in Canada and local temples in Nepal and Zambia.
The Universal House of Justice has called for three new Bahá’í Houses of Worship to be established—a national temple in Canada and local temples in Nepal and Zambia.
BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — The Universal House of Justice has announced plans for three new Bahá’í Houses of Worship to be established—local temples in Kanchanpur, Nepal, and Mwinilunga, Zambia, along with a national temple in Canada.
This news follows the historic moment in 2012, when the House of Justice announced the first national and local Houses of Worship to be raised up.
The House of Worship—referred to in the Bahá’í writings as a Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, meaning “Dawning-place of the Praise of God”—holds a unique place at the heart of the community. Open to everyone, it is a place where prayer and contemplation inspire service to society.
The establishment of Houses of Worship is intertwined with the development of Bahá’í communities worldwide. A burgeoning devotional spirit in a locality finds expression in prayer gatherings that foster social harmony, as well as in educational programs dedicated to building capacity for service to humanity. This interplay of worship and service becomes particularly apparent in communities where efforts to contribute to material and social progress are on the rise.
In localities where these efforts are flourishing, a greater appreciation for unity is fostered. People from all backgrounds find a shared sense of purpose as they explore the deeper meaning of life. Strangers become friends, their vision of a hopeful future inspiring them to be more thoughtful toward one another, while becoming increasingly conscious of the social and economic needs of their community.
As the capacity of these communities to serve their society expands, in the course of time a Bahá’í House of Worship can eventually emerge. These sacred edifices foster social, humanitarian, and educational agencies to serve surrounding populations.
