The Baha'i faith will be recognizing the 200th anniversary of the birth of their founder this month. According to the Baha'i's website, Siyyid 'Alí-Muhammad was born in Iran on Oct. 20, 1819. He would later take the title "The Báb", which means "the gate" in Arabic. He served as the herald for the faith, proclaiming the coming of a new messenger from God, the Bahá'u'lláh.
Kay Larson, of Wrangell's Baha'i community, explained that The Báb would be somewhat similar to John the Baptist in Christian faiths. There are about 5 million Baha'i followers around the world, according to the faith's international website, and Wrangell is home to several of them.
"The Wrangell Baha'i community has been preparing for the occasion for many months by holding interfaith devotionals, developing the art of storytelling and creating artwork that reflects a spirit of joy and happiness," Kay Larson, of the Baha'i community, wrote in a description of the upcoming celebration.
The celebration is free and open to everyone, regardless of faith. Larson said that the celebration will be divided into two parts. On Monday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m., the community is invited to Evergreen Elementary school for a potluck dinner, artwork display, and a viewing of the opening minutes of the film "Dawn of the Light." Following this, the community is invited to take part in a discussion on social issues that concern Wrangell, and how the community can best come together to fix them. A full viewing of "Dawn of the Light" will take place on Nov. 5, at 6 p.m., at the Stikine Inn
"Because it's current and relevant to today's society," Larson said, when asked why people should come learn more about the Baha'i faith. "The faith is only 200 years old so all of the teachings focus on the need for unity in a world that's getting ever smaller and more interdependent."
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